Ceramic Tiles
Gladding, McBean
Gladding, McBean & Company acquired the tile works of Tropico Potteries in 1923. Located on Los Feliz Boulevard in Los Angeles, the former Tropico Potteries tile works became Gladding, McBean’s Glendale Plant producing tile and terracotta gardenware. Terracotta garden ware was produced prior and after the aquisition Tropico Potteries in Gladding, McBean’s Lincoln Plant in Lincoln, California. After 1934, the plant would produce Franciscan dinnerware and art ware.
Gladding, McBean produced a number of tile styles in solid colors, various glazes, and decorated. The decorated tiles were sold as series and as individual tiles. The company produced custom tile wall murals with 6″ tiles.
Interpace
In 1962 Gladding, McBean & Co. and International Lock Pipe and Joint Co. merged to form the company Interpace. Interpace hired Millard Sheets as a consultant in 1963. Millard Sheets expanded the tile department to include ceramic artists to create new tile products and designs.
Creation of the 12″ square terra and contours tile was one the greatest innovations. Terra tile was a major innovation in the creation of ceramic wall murals, allowing murals to be expansive in size. The largest of which would be the Rainbow Mural for the North and South facades of the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu, Hawaii. The mural has 8,046 – 12″ tiles rising 280’ at 30 stories high and being 26’ wide.