Eric Ramos to the rescue in risky Fresno salvage job
Highlighting this year’s Golden California Show slated for October 9th and 10th will be a 70-tile mural that dealer Eric Watt is still in the process of salvaging from the estate of the owner of Muresque Tile. He will be showcasing this phenomenal 7′ x 10 1/2′ Spanish Courtyard scene, along with several dozen tiles from the Fresno estate.
Major tile dig
“I have been digging around there for about a week,” reported Watt, owner of Caltiles.com, in early September. He hopes to have the showstopper out of the wall in time for the sixth annual show, but he will certainly have plenty of never-before-seen tiles from the estate. He enlisted master tile salvager, Eric Ramos, to help in the process of the massive extraction.
“It is either Claycraft or Muresque,” he said of the tile mural, adding that Muir was a big collector of tile, especially Claycraft, so it was not necessarily made by his own company. ” I won’t know for sure until I can see the back of one of the tiles.”
Watt is not certain what he will price the mural at yet, but suspects a likely buyer will be somebody who is custom building a large Spanish style home.
Watt will be featuring other tiles from the estate of Muir, who founded Muresque Tiles in Oakland in 1925. The factory was located at 1001 22nd Avenue. Muir was not always a California boy; he was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, where he apprenticed as a tile setter.
Watt’s selection at the show will include nearly a dozen individual tiles that belonged to the founder. He will also debut an original Muresque catalog from the 1930s, a couple of old boxes in which the tiles were shipped, prototype fireplace surrounds depicting the history of California (certainly appropriate for the Golden California Show, and large tiles hand signed “W. Muir.”
“These were probably prototype pieces,” said Watt.
Inspired by both Batchelder and Claycraft
“There will be all kinds of neat historical items,” he said. “The more I dig, the more I find.”
Muresque tiles, among the finest tiles produced in California, were inspired by both Batchelder and Claycraft tiles. Among the many tiles, trim shapes and accessories offered by Muresque, the company produced over 130 decorative tiles, most molded in high relief with a raised border and used as wall or mantel inserts. The subject matter was always romantic, depicting the majestic California landscape, scenes from nature, medieval imagery, and most notably, ships at sea.
In addition to Watts’ tiles, there will be more than 40 other dealers in the 11,000 square foot Glendale Civic Auditorium. Offerings will include California Rancho style and Arts & Crafts furniture, early California pottery, fine art, iron metalwork and lighting, American Indian and Old West, Mexicana, and even smaller specialties, such as Big Bear Lodge and High Sierra Cabin.
Los Amigos del Arte Popular will be holding a panel discussion of masks, “The Arts of the Mexican Mask,” on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The lecture is free with paid show admission.
Associate producer, Ted Birbilis, made a last minute announcement of some additional dealers. Just joining the roster were Federico, Andrew Munana Collection, Caskey Lees, Stephen Johnson, Michael Tierney Fine Art, Rod Bartha Antique Interiors, Brian Kaiser, and Len Woods Indian Territory.
Show hours are Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 10-4. Tickets sales ($12 each) start at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday morning.
This is producer Ted Birbilis and Sandy Raulston’s first Golden California show since their new and wildly successful Antiques & Objects L.A. which was held in the same venue, in March.
For more information on the Golden California Show, contact Ted or Sandy at (626) 437-6275 or tednsandy@goldencaliforniashow.com, or Eric Berg at eric@goldencaliforniashow.com.
