Malibu Potteries

Here is a great article about the Rindge legacy in Southern California

http://www.malibumag.com/site/article/the_gates_of_paradise/P1/

Rhoda May Knight Rindge

“In the name of God, Amen. I May K. Rindge, being of sound mind, wish to dispose of my property in the following manner, if I have anything left.” She left what remained of her estate to her daughter Rhoda Adamson and her grandson Frederick H. Rindge III. “And to all others who would lay claim to my property, I give one dollar.”

The Rindge family continues to fascinate me to this day
I have been a docent at the Adamson House for a little over a year now.
Rhoda and Merritt Adamson built the house
with land given to them by Rhoda's mother, (Rhoda) May Knight Rindge
The house was built as a showcase for the pottery company May had started a few years before

I still see new things every time I am there
the incredible amount of detail in the house is only embellished by
the amazing ceramic art of Malibu Potteries

The only sign for the house... thousands of people drive by it

And never know this is what's waiting for them to discover!  One day, hopefully...

 

Stunning tile entryway

674 piece Persian tile rug in the loggia

Perhaps if I could choose a favorite thing in the house it would be the Persian tile rug.
The idea, the execution, all came out flawlessly.
Right down to the fringe pieces on the end!

But that might not be the most amazing part!
May was building herself a 55 room 18 bathroom castle on the hill
the same time the Adamson House was being built (1929-1930)
The Adamson rug is 6' by 30'
May's rug was 13' by 60'!!

May's tile rug on the floor of the burned down Potteries

Here is a link to a larger version of this photo... the detail!!!
Designed by Inez Johnson Von Hake

Pieces of the rug are still on display at the Serra retreat. Only they are part of a fountain since most of the rug was destroyed in a 1970 wildfire!

Living room with original furniture; "donkey window"

Dining room; mirror on left gives everyone at table " a good view "

Kitchen clock; one of many items you could order from the catalogue

Mid evil staircase with "jigsaw puzzle" tile, another favorite!

Cuerda Seca table by Inez Johnson Von Hake

Ship mural

Peacock Fountain - one of the tiles is turned upside down - can you find it?

Although the company itself was only around for 6 years
from 1926 to 1932
some people think that it was a culmination of a thousand years
of tile making from the Saracen and Islamic cultures to
the artisans of California during the Arts and Crafts Movement