Taylor Tilery (1930 - 1941, also known as Santa Monica Brick Company) produced at least a dozen designs depicting Spanish and Mexican dancers. Tile tables were hugely popular in early 1930s, and Taylor was working closely with a few furniture makers in Los Angeles area.
This table has a six-tile cuerda seca ("dry line") mural surrounded by green border tiles with contrasting black corners and set in a simple wooden frame. The tiles are fortunately in fantastic condition with what I think might be original terracotta grout.
This particular scene is somewhat more common with a different set of glazes. The background is usually yellow and the man's outfit is blue, as shown on page 152 of the California Tile, The Golden Era 1910-1940 (vol. 2). The design on my table has fewer glaze colors than the other version but is equally striking.
- Dimensions: 22 1/2" x 16 1/2" (not including the wooden edge), six 5 3/4" x 5 3/4" tiles, eight 5 3/4" x 1 3/4" green border tiles, four 1 3/4" x 1 3/4" black corner tiles
- Acquired: Rio Vista, California, December 2013
