1960s Don Shoemaker Rosewood and Leather Sling Chairs, Pair
1960s Don Shoemaker Rosewood and Leather Sling Chairs, Pair
One of a kind — only one available
Pickup available at 4 E Yanonali St
Usually ready in 24 hours
Description
A pair of low scissor-framed sling chairs in sculpted Mexican rosewood with black leather slings. The arms sweep forward to rounded, hand-polished terminals, a Shoemaker signature, and the leather is fastened along them with rows of domed studs. The seat sits low and reclined.
Don Shoemaker
Don S. Shoemaker (1919–1990) was born in Nebraska and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. He settled at Santa María de Guido, above Morelia in Michoacán, in the 1940s, and founded Señal S.A. in the late 1950s, growing it from a workshop into a factory of more than a hundred artisans. He worked for four decades in Mexican tropical hardwoods, drawing on indigenous woodworking traditions rather than imported European modernism. His sling chairs, the Sloucher and the Sling Swinger, remain his best-known designs, and his work was given a retrospective at the Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City (2016–17) and included in LACMA's Found in Translation (2018).
Rosewood
Shoemaker worked in cocobolo, granadillo, and other Mexican rosewoods. The grain in these frames runs from deep chocolate to orange-red, with darker striping following the curve of each arm. Dense and oily, the timber takes a high polish and has held its finish for sixty years.
Condition
The leather shows surface wear: scuffing, fine crazing, and pale abrasion, heaviest across the back panels and stitched seams. One arm has a small check in the wood where the terminal meets the arm. All of it is documented in the close-up photographs, and nothing has been refinished, redyed, or retouched.
Provenance
We are happy to check the rear stretcher for the original Señal, S.A. "Hecho en México" label and provide additional photographs prior to purchase.
Sold as a pair.
Dimensions: Approx. 23.5" L x 24" W x 26.5" H, 16" seat height
Shipping & Delivery
The figures below are estimates. Add the piece to your cart and continue to checkout — you will see live rates calculated for that exact item, to your exact address, before you pay anything.
Small items — packed in-house and shipped UPS Ground or 2nd Day Air, usually out within a week. Most run somewhere around $25–$60 depending on size and destination.
Furniture, large art and lighting — delivered white-glove through our freight partners, quoted live at checkout. As a guide, expect roughly $350–$900 to California and the West Coast, and $700–$1,500 nationwide. Delivery usually takes 2–5 weeks outside California.
Buying more than one piece? Get in touch and we will put together a custom bulk shipping quote. Combining pieces into a single shipment is almost always cheaper than paying for each one separately. Email info@thebluedoorsb.com or call 805-364-5144.
Local to Santa Barbara? Pickup at 4 E Yanonali St is free and usually ready within 24 hours. Local delivery to Santa Barbara, Goleta and Montecito is $80 for a one-person delivery, or $160 for two people on larger and heavier pieces.
Condition, Authenticity & Returns
Everything we sell is vintage or antique, and no two pieces are the same. That means honest wear: patina, small marks, the evidence of a long life. We photograph each piece thoroughly and note anything significant in the description. If something is not clear from the photos, ask us before you buy and we will send more.
Our promise. All sales are final — but if a piece arrives damaged, or differs materially from how we described it, tell us within 48 hours of delivery and we will make it right.
Questions about condition, provenance or authenticity? Email info@thebluedoorsb.com or call 805-364-5144. We would far rather answer ten questions than have you buy something that is not right for you.
Hold It, or Come See It
We will hold furniture and art for 24 hours, no deposit, while you measure the room or think it over. Call the shop at 805-364-5144.
In Santa Barbara? Come see this one in person. We are at 4 E Yanonali St in the Funk Zone, open 10am–6pm Monday through Saturday and 11am–5pm Sunday. New pieces arrive every day — far more than we can list online.