Vintage Tile Tour, Continued

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

As we conclude our tour of the Original Los Angeles Spec House, I'll pick up where we left off from last week's post.

First, a little background information! If you love tile, then you can't miss this rare opportunity to tour a house with tiles installed in nearly every room, including some Royal Delft cloisonné decorative tiles. Located in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, the home tour was arranged by Joe Taylor and Sheila Menzies of The Tile Heritage Foundation for a collector. As we finished walking through the kitchen area, we traced our way back from the utility room off the kitchen to the living room. That's when we spied a glazed mural in the kitchen that I had previously missed.

A Dutch-themed mural in the kitchen dates back to the 1920s.

The glazed murals in this home are just amazing! Each mural looks like an oil painting, with the tile-maker's skills and understanding of glazes nothing short of exceptional.

Falling behind the group, I caught up with them in the main bath, where there were two large murals. The one above the bath was inspired by Maxwell Parish and the other, in the shower, was of Yosemite Falls.

The shower nook frames a waterfall mural

Yosemite Falls is the subject of this hand-painted mural from the 1920s.

A playful Maxwell Parish inspired theme is found on the mural above the tub.

The hand-painted tile murals in the master bath are certainly the focal points. However, the tile feast is made even more extraordinary with the use of Royal Delft cloisonné decorative tile accents placed around the room. Here are just a few:

Royal Delft cloisonné decorative tile accent: swan.

Royal Delft cloisonné decorative tile accent: swan.

Royal Delft cloisonné decorative tile accent: Columbus' Ships.

As you step back from the walls, you can't help but notice the quaint floor tile pattern created with plain tiles.

The master bath's tiled floor pattern

Finally, a peek at the small private bath off the main bedroom - as was the custom in houses of that era. The rich, cobalt blue field tile framed the bath beautifully, while the use of stained glass provided ample light and privacy in this small 1-3/4 bath. Playful water nymphs were the subject of the mural for this bathroom's hand-painted tile mural in the shower.

Fretwork trim frame rich cobalt blue tile in this bathroom.

Playful water nymphs are the theme for this mural.

Can you believe all of these tiles are in one home? I want to thank the Tile Heritage Foundation for making this possible. A special thank you to the home owner who so graciously opened his home for all of us to see. This is truly a gem and I'm so thrilled that the tiles have been preserved in their original condition. What a wonderful treat it was. Thank you all, again!

Vintage Tile Tour of Original Los Angeles Spec House

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

Recently, I had a rare opportunity to tour a house with tiles installed in almost every room including some stunning tile murals and Royal Delft decorative tiles. Located in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, the home tour was arranged by Joe Taylor and Sheila Menzies of The Tile Heritage Foundation for a collector. The small, unassuming corner lot house is a treasure trove of original Dutch cloisonné tiles and mural from the 1920s.

A resplendent Art Deco tile fountain

As soon as you pass the entry gate, you know this is no ordinary home. You are immediately greeted by an Art Deco fountain in the courtyard. Created entirely of tile on a concrete base, every detail is tiled including the spitting-fish fountain heads and intricate bead-work molding and trim.

Spitting-fish fountain tiles and exquisite beaded trim tiles are part of the Art Deco-tiled fountain design.

Open the mahogany door and dappled light spills onto this glazed tile mural in the entry. The mural exhibits rare craftsmanship because the glazing appears to have the same detail of a hand-painted oil painting.

Tile mural in the foyer of the 1927 Los Angeles spec house.

Our host, and owner of the home, Robert Smaith, explains the home was originally the spec home for all the homes built in the area. It's where home owners would go to select tiles and other finishing details for their home. Once you enter the home, you can't help but notice the beautiful tiled fireplace.

Tile fireplace with Royal Delft cloisonné accents.

Hound and Stag cloisonné tile is the focal point of the fireplace.

Dutch cloisonné tile is enveloped with trim and field tile.

Joe Taylor, whose encyclopedic knowledge of tile and tile history is impressive, explains that Royal Dutch cloisonné tiles were only made by one factory in The Netherlands. The process, which uses a mold to keep the glaze colors from mixing, is not all that different than how cement tiles are made. Of course, cloisonné tiles must be fired; but, the mold forms the patterns and maintains the colors in the decorative tiles you see.

Moving along to the sunny south-facing breakfast nook, I was amazed by the small format mosaic on the floor and the stunning murals of Montserrat. According to our host, the owner's of the tile factory had a home on the Caribbean island.

Breakfast nook mosaic floor and tile walls include a mural.

One of two murals in the breakfast nook featuring a landscape of Montserrat.

The floor-to-ceiling tiled kitchen includes some amazing tile work that I have never seen before, including a tiled pantry, bread-making pull-out, and a California cooler.

The kitchen includes floor-to-ceiling tile.

A tile pantry with pull-out bread-making counter.

Tiled California Cooler

A tiled mural from a Dutch painting graces the area above the sink in the laundry room.

Next week, I'll finish this fantastic tour with a glimpse of the  master and guest bathrooms, more Royal Delft cloisonné tile, and a tiled telephone niche. If you love historic tiles, then this is a rare chance to see some of the most well-preserved tile trends from 1920s vintage Los Angeles.

Support the Tile Heritage Foundation

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

"Tiles tell tales!" is the way Sheila A. Menzies, Executive Director of the Tile Heritage Foundation, explained it to me many years ago. As the year draws to a close and you consider year-end donations, don't forget about this amazing organization. They need your support and engagement!

The Tile Heritage Foundation (THF) is a well-run, non-profit organization that is benevolent and generous. The THF works tirelessly to validate both the art and craft of tile as a cultural treasure. As a national non-profit, THF is focused on keeping tile history, both past and present, publicly accessible in the THF Archives and with an online index. Since it was founded in 1987 by Sheila A. Menzies and Joe Taylor, this California-based non-profit has been supporting the preservation, history and appreciation of tile. This organization gives back to the tile community and works to preserve our tile heritage. Avente continues to proudly support their efforts and thanks the directors, staff and volunteers.

The Importance of Preserving our Tile Heritage

I admit, I love tile and it's one of the reasons I started Avente Tile. Tile can take you places and the story behind each tile is an important part of our culture. Shortly after I started Avente Tile, I remember Jorge Aguayo, of Aguayo Tile explaining that he had discovered many floors in disrepair while visiting Cuba. His goal was to preserve these amazing tile tapestries. He archived the Cuban tile patterns and colors found in homes and estates on the island. We are able to share that with you today with our Cuban Heritage line. If we don’t strive to preserve and record these amazing works of art, we lose so much in the collective history of who we are.

Cuban tiles found in Old Havana and Camaguey were in disrepair and nearly lost.
Photo Credit: Aguayo Tile

The Preservation of our Tile Heritage

The Tile Heritage Foundation promotes an awareness and appreciation of tiles in the United States. It provides consultation and research services, leads preservation efforts, and shares information about tile. Its library and research facility also offer a wealth of knowledge, including books and slides about ceramic tile surfaces, by providing historical perspective and depth on all ceramic surfacing materials. Because of these efforts, the organization now plays a major role in the preservation of rare existing ceramic installations. They promote contemporary tile work as well.

Detail of sunflower tiles on stair risers in Beverly Hills circa 1925.
THF works to preserve significant historical tile installations.

THF Member Benefits

As a member of Tile Heritage, you become an advocate for the preservation of significant tile installations throughout the United States. You become a part of an international network of tile enthusiasts from around the globe! I can tell you this, it's a great group of people that really support each other. THF's archive, which is publicly accessible, offers information and examples about U.S. tile makers, business records of dealers and installers, historic catalogs, periodicals, and photography from the last 150 years.

Additionally:

• You support the continued development of a unique library of information and archival materials that are available to the public for purposes of research, restoration and preservation.
• You protect the Tile Heritage archives. This rich archive of tiles and related materials represent one of the largest public collections in the country! The tiles are available to galleries and museums for display and exhibitions as well as to members for personal examination.
• You receive a free listing in the THF Resource Directory, which is revised annually and distributed nationally.
• You receive Member discounts on selected merchandise, services and events.
• Tile Heritage keeps you connected with impartial tile news, multiple tile resources nationwide, information about new and old tile discoveries, as well as special tile-related events.

I could go on about the great folks at the THF and the membership benefit; but, just visit www.tileheritage.org and discover what a great resource they are. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook for the latest information.

 Most importantly, I encourage you to join Avente Tile in supporting this great organization with a donation.

A Book Recommendation for California Tile

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

Have you ever learned the meaning of word and then a few days later you read the word in a magazine, then someone mentions the word at a party, and shortly thereafter you see it repeatedly? I had a similar experience with someone I just recently met and want to share some of the great things I’ve already experienced from this relationship.

Colorful tile circa 1920 found on a Beverly Hills storefront

If you follow this blog, then you know I’ve been a long-time supporter of the Tile Heritage Foundation. Joe and Sheila co-founded the Tile Heritage Foundation in 1987; Joe serves as the Foundation's president. When I first joined many years ago, I had the great pleasure of meeting Sheila Menzies at the Coverings Booth; but, Joe and I seemed to always miss each other. I had the great pleasure to meet with Joe and Shelia this past June to help better understand the THF’s goals and how I and my company, Avente Tile, could further their worthy cause.

A few weeks later, my spouse visited The California Heritage Museum in Santa Monica. This small museum has a great mission: to present displays of American decorative and fine arts, and to promote the passion that is collecting. On my spouses’ return, I received a wonderful book about "California Tile" that is edited by none other than, Joseph Taylor.

"California Tile The Golden Era 1910 - 1940" is a great resource
for historical California tile patterns.
Book Jacket Image via Amazon.com

California Tile: The Golden Era 1910-1940: Hispano-Moresque to Woolenius was first published December 1, 2003 by California Heritage Museum for an exhibit with the same name. Joseph A. Taylor is the editor for this book. How I missed the book or the exhibit at the California Heritage Museum, I'll never know. But, if you love tile and have a passion for the great California tile makers like Batchelder, Malibu, or Pomona, then you'll love this book. It has great photos of tiles, installations, and the manufacturing process.

Here's a paragraph from the introduction by Joseph Taylor: "Over the years ceramic tiles integrated themselves it the cultural fabric of California; tiles are everywhere and they're convincingly apparent. The brightly colored wall tiles along with the rich earthen roof tiles and pavers, often found in stark contrast to white stucco facades, have woven their way into the community conscious.

A Moorish-influenced California tile detail from the early
1920s decorates this window in Los Angeles.

Further, the book showcases how “California tile makers excelled in their craft during the first half of the twentieth century, producing richly patterned designs for building facades, interiors, garden ornamentation, furniture, and even serving pieces. 'Old California' art tile is rich in tradition and innovation.”

Lastly, the tireless effort that went into researching and publishing this work should be applauded. With hundreds of tiles from Hispano-Moresque, Kraftile, Helen Greenleaf Lane, Malibu, Markoff, Muresque, Pacific, Pomona, Tropico, West Coast and more, not only is this publication a great source of inspiration, it's also a vehicle for instilling a sense of appreciation of the colorful art form of tile.

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Thanks Tile Heritage Foundation

There are few things I like more than seeing stunning tile installations, new tile designs and meeting creative tile artists! Let's just say I had a pretty stellar day last week when I was combing through the daily emails and found this curious email from the Tile Heritage Foundation.

SUBJECT: Tile Heritage WINNER! You are the recipient of two wonderful tile panels

Dear Bill,

HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s our pleasure to let you know that your name has been drawn from the group of December 2013 THF Matching Fund Donors, "Fund the Founder's Legacy." You are the recipient of the two wonderful tile panels pictured below!

Sheila A. Menzies, Executive Director
Tile Heritage Foundation

Moonlight Mural Panel #1

Moonlight Mural Panel #2

Thank You THF & RTK Studios

Much to my surprise, as a donor, my name was included in a drawing for this pair of tile panels. What a thrilling surprise! Thank you Tile Heritage Foundation! What a joy to get such a lovely book-ended pair of exquisite tiles. Sheila explained that the Moonlight Mural panels are the creation of Richard Keit and Mary Kennedy of RTK Studios in Ojai, CA. They are both terrific and prolific artists with a curriculum vitae that includes royalty and Hollywood's A-list.  

 

Bill Buyok won this pair of tile panels from the THF in a drawing.

Thank you Richard and Mary - your kindness and support of the THF in this expression of art is greatly appreciated and will be fondly included as part of my Spanish-style home in Los Angeles. Yes, I already know where I want to incorporate this pair of tiles into my home. More on that later.

Donate to the Tile Heritage Foundation

As you might have guessed, I have long supported the Tile Heritage Foundation because of their tireless efforts to both preserve tile as an art form and to inform the public about ceramic tile. To find out more about this great and very generous organization, read a previous post I wrote called, Thanks to the Tile Heritage Foundation. They provide services and information through their staff, library, and collections. Currently, the THF is hard at work developing a web-accessed archive and index of their collection. Keeping these treasures in the public eye for posterity is part of strategic goal for this organization and one that I strongly support. I encourage you to Donate to the THF today!

Thanks again to the Tile Heritage Foundation, Sheila Menzies, and Richard Keit and Mary Kennedy of RTK Studios for providing me with so much joy! Receiving the Moonlight Mural tile panels made for a truly tileicious day! - Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

Thanks to the Tile Heritage Foundation

Editorial Note (Jan. 2, 2012) - After publishing this post, I was thrilled to read this article, Foundation crafts artisan-tile archive, honoring the co-founders of the Tile Heritage Foundation and their commitment to preserving our tile heritage.

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As another year draws to a close, I want to shine the spotlight on a great organization that is benevolent and generous, The Tile Heritage Foundation. Since it was founded in 1987, this California-based non-profit has been supporting the preservation, history and appreciation of tile. This organization gives back to the tile community and works to preserve our tile heritage. Avente proudly supports their efforts and thanks the directors, staff and volunteers.

The Preservation of our Tile Heritage

The Tile Heritage Foundation promotes an awareness and appreciation of ceramic surfaces in the United States. The Foundation provides consultation and research, leads preservation efforts and shares information about tile. The Tile Heritage library and research facility has a wealth of knowledge including books and slides about ceramic tile surfaces. They provide historical perspective and depth on all ceramic surfacing materials and educate the public by sharing tile’s rich history. Because of these efforts, the organization now plays a major role in the preservation of rare existing ceramic installations. They promote contemporary tile work as well.

This year the Foundation celebrates their 25th-anniversary. A big drive is to transition their archive to an online searchable resource available to the industry and to the public.

Tile and our Collective History

One of the reasons I started Avente was my love of tile - both in the beauty of the hand painted design and the sense of place and time it conveys. A mosaic brings you back to the Roman Empire. The light hand painted blue and white strokes of a stylistic floral pattern on tile can have you dreaming about a centuries-old street corner in Portugal. It's pretty amazing what tile can convey!

Shortly after I started Avente Tile, I remember Jorge Aguayo, of Aguayo Tile explaining that he had discovered many floors in disrepair while visiting Cuba. His goal was to preserve these amazing tile tapestries of pattern and color found in Cuban tile. If we don’t strive to preserve and record these amazing works of art, we lose so much in the collective history of who we are.

Cuban Tiles found in Old Havana and Camaguey are in disrepair
Photo Courtesy of Aguayo Tile

I occasionally get calls from friends and customer’s saying they found some amazing tile after removing layers of other surface coverings during a remodel of their early 1900's home. These moments warm my heart. I am reassured that people do want to preserve well-crafted design and they value the history of a very special place. They want to help document, record and preserve the collective history that is ours.

When I can’t identify that tile, where do I send them? The Tile Heritage Foundation, of course.

Tile Identification Services

The Tile Heritage Foundation offers tile identification services to the public at no charge. Pretty darn amazing. Who else offers such a great service for free? I've sent many architects and designers their way. To take advantages of this service, Simply email foundation@tileheritage.org with clear, images of individual tiles or tile installations. Include other relevant information like site, city, state, size, date (approximate), architect/designer if known. If the experts at Tile Heritage are not able to identify the work, your email will be forwarded to others who are likely to know.

I could go on about the great folks at the THF; but, just visit www.tileheritage.org and discover what a great resource they are. Most importantly, if you can, I encourage you to join Avente and support this great organization with a donation.

Thanks and Happy Holiday!

- Bill Buyok, Avente Tile