Malibu may be synonymous with luxury today, but its artistic legacy stretches far beyond its reputation for wealth and prestige. Before it became a haven for the elite, this small yet influential coastal town was a thriving creative hub, drawing artists from Los Angeles and across the world. Surprisingly, Malibu’s first claim to global fame wasn’t its stunning oceanfront estates, but its distinctive ceramics and pottery—designs so unique and influential that they shaped the art world long before the town became a beacon of luxury. For a place of its size, Malibu’s artistic impact is nothing short of extraordinary, proving that even the smallest places can leave a lasting impact on the world.
So you may be wondering, what exactly is Malibu Pottery? Malibu pottery is a unique style of pottery drawing inspiration from the Hispano-Moresque and Arabesque styles of ceramics. This style of pottery is often recognized for its use of bright contrasting colors and geometric patterns reminiscent of the tiles produced centuries ago in and around the Middle East, North Africa, and Southern Spain.
With the vast majority of these historical tiles being produced in the 1920’s, those who would like to see a piece of art history can visit the Adamson House where the largest collection and functional displays of Malibu Tile can be found.
The History and Legacy of Malibu Tile:
May Rindge, Daughter of Frederik Rindge, inherited the Malibu Rancho, the largest Malibu estate spanning 17,000. She soon noticed that her land was rich in the natural resources needed to manufacture ceramic tile. So, in the spirit of entrepreneurship, she created Malibu Potteries, utilizing the vast resources of her estate and established a ceramic factory in 1926 on the beach adjacent to the Malibu Pier. The factory at it’s peak had an impressive 125 employee’s manufacturing over 30,000 square feet of tile a month!
She reached out to the legendary Rufus Keeler, who was a master ceramist famous for his secret recipes for glazes specializing in color and clarity, to be the factory manager. Most of the tile was sold to contractors, architects, and designers. The tiles became a cornerstone of Southern California flare in many of the homes in Malibu and Los Angeles. Obviously the most famous of which being the Adamson House, but also other famous buildings such as the Los Angeles City Hall and the Mayan Theatre.
The most notable works using Malibu Tile in Malibu are the “Green Man” and “Peacock Fountain” found at the Adamson House. The “Peacock Fountain”, due to it’s elegance and complexity, has actually found itself recreated many times in various famous murals, proving the long standing legacy and impact of Malibu Tile.
However after 6 years of production, tragedy struck in 1931 when a major fire at the Malibu Potteries factory ultimately led to the plants closure the following year. Many of the artisans who worked at the plant found jobs making tiles at other companies within the Los Angeles area and we’re able to carry on the artistic legacy of Malibu Tile. But again, when the great depression hit, the need and desire for decorative tiles diminished causing a dark age for the art form. By the time the United States had entered World War 2, the last remaining factories which produced Malibu style tile had either closed or shifted focus to help support the war effort in Europe and Japan.
The dark age of Malibu tile lasted 39 years. However, fitting for the story of Malibu, the fire that had once brought destruction to Malibu Tile had also brought about its resurrection. In September of 1970, a major wildfire had raged through Malibu Malibu Canyon.
Yet born from the ashes, a massive treasure trove and stash of Malibu Potteries was exposed. Although unnoticed for several years after the fire, miraculously the vast majority of the tiles remained unscathed by the fires and weathering throughout the years. By the mid 70’s rumors had spread and great interest had grown over this unique collection of tiles. The salvaged pieces had begun appearing all around Malibu and Los Angeles in public installations and private collections. One notable collector, Bob Harris, a sound technician in the movie industry, had grown a deep attraction for the timeless pieces and their unique cultural and artistic historic value, as well as an admiration for their novel aesthetic qualities, and decided to purchase a large collection of his own.
By 1979, the dark ages of Malibu Tile were officially over. Harris, with his passion for preservation and admiration of Malibu Tile, created the Malibu Ceramic Works in Topanga Canyon.
Over the years, he began the slow process of reverse engineering Malibu Tile. He accurately re-created the process for reproducing their sizes, shapes, patterns, and glaze colors to revive the lost artform. Harris revived the lost legacy of Malibu tile and the impact it had on the Malibu community, and the world of art history in ceramics is immeasurable. Many new businesses borrowed Harris’s reproduction methods themselves and a new age of Malibu Tile was born, bringing the lost art form back into the modern eye, ensuring that the legacy continues into the future and that beauty of Malibu Tile is never lost to time ever again.