Who made the decorative tiles in Steven’s 1958 bathroom, he asks? I launched a sleuth and in a flash found: They are Pomona’s Oklahoma design. Very nice in-the-wild save, Steven! Let’s follow the breadcrumbs trail…
Hi Pam,
I recently bought a 1958 ranch featuring a nice bath vanity with what appears to be original tile in a mottled cocoa color and a few interesting farm scene tiles!
I’m curious to know if you can help me find out what the cocoa color and glaze technique might be referred to as well as any history on the neat scene tiles, who might have made them, etc.
Are there other similar scene tiles you or or the Retro Renovation community are aware of?
You’re welcome, Steven. I LOVE your tiles! And yes, I think I know them: They are vintage Pomona tiles. Above: My first relationship with the brand — a set of New Old Stock vintage Pomonas… that I bought about 10 years ago … and that I don’t know what I’ll do with … but I’ll do something with ’em .. and which have a similar look. And then…
In 2014 we featured images of Pomona Tile Viewmaster Reels from reader Mike’s collection (with his permission of course). Follow the link-trail in that story to his flickr account to see some enlargements from the Viewmaster that show some file tile that surely is the same design as yours.
OH, OKLAHOMA: Lookie, I took my own advice and started going through Mike’s photos and voila!: I found your Oklahoma series tiles on Mike’s Flickr page here! They are shown on Reel #14 — the Decorative Series.
More from our RR-archives on Pomona Tiles:
Above: Another Pomona sighting we’ve featured in the past, Pomona tiles by famed watercolorist Millard Sheets as part of the “Distinguished Designer” series spotted (and long sold) on ebay.
Above: Just a few months ago, Heritage Tile introduced sculptural tiles inspired by Saul Bass’ midcentury designs for Pomona Tile.
Above: Pomona-in-the-pink carried the torch for my original facts page on Mamie pink bathrooms — way before we saved them by the hundreds if not thousands!
Mike’s sharing of his historic Pomona Tile source material is pretty rockin’ awesome — and so is your bathroom, Steven! Thank you for sharing so’s we could!
Mike McDonald says
Steven – thanks so much for posting your Oklahoma Tile pics – I have not seen any “real world” installations of them – so this is quite fascinating. My cousin in Ada, Oklahoma thinks one of her childhood friends had them in their house too.
Carolyn – Pomona Tiles were available nationwide with several regional sales offices and plants in at least California and Kansas.
This all reminds me – I have put off a project far too long of taking pics of a box of salesman samples and coordinating names and numbers with images on Flickr.
And – thanks to EVERYONE for saving these awesome installations and sharing with others.
Tikimama says
I have these same tiles in our original 1961 kitchen! We are in Southern California. Pam, I sent you photos of our kitchen a year or more ago, when a reader was asking about warm/cool tones. So, if you look, you probably still have them in your email somewhere 🙂
Lisa
Pam Kueber says
Thanks, Tikimama, my email is an abyss, literally.