Solon & Schemmel Tile Company
Albert L. Solon (1887-1949) was raised at Stoke-on-Trent in England, a descendant of the famous Arnoux and Solon families,
master ceramists in France. After apprenticing at Minton’s under his father’s, Louis Marc Solon, guidance, he emigrated to
California in 1908, working for a number of tile and terra cotta companies before becoming director of Arequipa Pottery in
1913. His term was highlighted by his participation at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915
where he established a working pottery and won Gold Medals for both the exhibit and individual pieces.
In 1920 Solon formed
a partnership with Frank P. Schemmel (c. 1887-1950) to produce ceramic tiles from locally available clays. All of the tiles
crafted at Solon & Schemmel were made from wet clay and, as a result, exhibit a slight irregularity. The glazes are rich in
color and varied in texture, and there is a strong sense of earthiness in every finished tile. Often, tiles were produced on
a press using molds that were hand-cut from linoleum; raised ridges of clay served as dams to separate the different glaze
colors. Glazes were applied by hand with rubber syringes.
Both Solon & Schemmel actively engaged the architectural community
and produced many special commissions including the tiles for the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park,
numerous schools and theaters, and the palatial mansion of William Randolph Hearst at San Simeon.
The company changed its
name to Solon & Larkin when Frank Schemmel retired in 1936 and Paul Larkin became Solon’s new partner. Solon himself retired
in 1947.
San Jose, California
1920-1936