Original Spanish Malibu Pottery Tile Co. Fountain With Gladding McBean Spitter and Malibu Pottery Co. Bowl

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This is an incredible chance to own a one-of-a-kind piece made by Malibu potteries. As shown in the Malibu pottery … Read more This is an incredible chance to own a one-of-a-kind piece made by Malibu potteries. As shown in the Malibu pottery catalog this piece Is made to look like the gigantic "Persian rug" in the Rindge family estate in Malibu. Founded in 1926 by Rhoda May Knight Rindge, Malibu Potteries was formed under the corporate name Marblehead Land Company. Rindge, after unsuccessfully prospecting for oil on her property near Zuma Beach, instead found red and buff clays suitable for the production of pottery. In Malibu, California alongside the ocean coast, a factory was built to produce ceramic tile.

After the stock market crash of 1929, the pottery closed for a short period of time and reopened. A devastating fire destroyed the factory on 30 September 1931. The unsold stock of tile was moved to Rindge's unfinished home near the former factory. In 1942, Rindge died and her home was sold to the Franciscan Friars. The Friars named Rindge's former home Serra Retreat. Serra Retreat was damaged in the September 1970 Malibu Canyon wild fire and was rebuilt using many of the original tiles. The wild fire had exposed a massive amount of Malibu Potteries tile stored on the property. The supply of vintage tile was unknown except to the heirs of Rindge. The vast majority of the tiles were unscathed by the fire. The excess tiles not used in the restoration of Serra Retreat were eventually sold with many being placed in private collections. Malibu tiles can be found in abundance inside the Adamson house which is now a Malibu tile museum, Los Angeles city hall, the Mayan Theatre, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and union train station.

One of the artists that were hired by Rufus was Handley he was best known for his design of the Persian rug floor tiles that were installed at the Malibu‘s historic Adamson house . He modified many of the designs that were used at Calco and was able to incorporate them into the Malibu designs. This very rare Persian rug designed fountain is part of that original designs.

This piece is all original 1920's Malibu potteries in the style of the "Persian Rug" and is complete as a fountain with a Gladding Mc bean tile spitter, and malibu pottery co. bowl. This is a little mixture of all the best in the tile world, a taste of it all. The head is a gorgeous centerpiece which can be set into the tile or made to sit flush. The bowl is gorgeous when the light shines upon the beautifully poured blue glaze and the blue in both the spitter and the bowl really makes the contrast in colors pop! This is the first, and likely the last time we will ever see this rendition of the original 60ft tile carpet in the Malibu home. See less