Cathedral Oaks Tile

Ceramic

-

New Museum Los Gatos

Name/Title

Cathedral Oaks Tile

Entry/Object ID

NU 2021.143

Description

A square, dark red/brown colored tile with a decorative pattern on the face of the tile. The background color of the decorative element is white, features a dark green, light green, blue, and white filigree-style pattern. There is a sticker with an inscription on the back of the tile.

Collection

Art Collection

Cataloged By

registrar@numulosgatos.org

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

George Dennison

Role

Ceramicist

Artist

Frank Ingerson

Role

Ceramicist

Time Period

20th Century

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Label

Location

On the sticker, on the back of the tile

Transcription

Z23

Language

English

Material/Technique

Pencil

Notes

Numbering system used by Riley Doty when he exhibited the tile at a 1994 tile symposium at the San Jose Historical Museum (now History San José).

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Tile, Hearth

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Tile, Decorative

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Tile

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Surface Elements

Nomenclature Class

Building Components

Nomenclature Category

Category 01: Built Environment Objects

Dimensions

Width

5 in

Depth

3/4 in

Length

5 in

Material

Ceramic

Condition

Overall Condition

Very Good

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

George Dennison, Frank Ingerson

Notes

Artists

Person or Organization

Carol Coate, Barrie Coate

Notes

Donors

Exhibitions

The Los Gatos History Project: Uncovering Untold Stories - Phase 1
The Los Gatos History Project: Uncovering Untold Stories - Phase 2
The Los Gatos History Project: Uncovering Untold Stories - Phase 3

General Notes

Note Type

Cataloging Note

Note

From Richard Mohr on 3/22/2022: This tile, currently on display at NUMU and a duplicate fireplace-surround tile found at Cath Oaks in 1990 is from the Coates’ donation. Riley Doty the person who first researched Cath Oaks in 1990 plucked it from the house just before it was demolished and mailed it to the Coates. For some reason, Lisa Taft did not photograph it in 1994 at the Coates’ house (other pics to follow), but I sent Riley the pic from your current exhibit and this is what he wrote back on Jan 5, 2022: "I’m standing in line to get into a store so I’ll start a reply. It’s funny but I’m quite sure this tile passed through my hands. Unfortunately physical contact didn’t impart any knowledge as to its origins. It definitely is not an actual S&S though I can’t rule out Solon possibly having a hand in it because I don’t know what his stuff looked like prior to his starting a tile company. I had seen the image of this tile in previous material you sent. I didn’t tell the backstory then but I will now even though it doesn’t have diagnostic value. When I made my one and only visit to the house there were four identical loose tiles of this design sitting on the hearth of that fireplace. My first thought was maybe I should take them, rationalizing that they were likely to get lost and end up doing nobody any good. (In fact that probably ended up being true.) So I took one and mailed it to the Coates. Oops my turn is coming. More later."