Two-Seat Oak Bench
Object Name
Two-Seat Oak BenchCollection Number
ROMO 21571Year of Purchase
1966Materials
wood; cloth (muslin or burlap)Dimensions
44.5” L x 28.75” W x 31” H | 113 cm x 73 cm 78 cmManufacturer
Frame: Elmer’s Case Company of Loveland, CO.
Fabric: Moss Rose Manufacturing Compan
Context
Elmer’s Case Company based out of Loveland, Colorado specifically designed forty of these upholstered benches with backs for the Visitor Center. In 1966, they were priced at $105.50 a piece.
Throughout the manufacture process, the color and fabric for the upholstery was a contested matter. Taliesin and Rocky Mountain National Park officials had difficulty reaching an agreement on a color that suited both Taliesin’s design preference and the budget for the Mission 66 renovations. In Taliesin’s opinion, Moss Rose Manufacturing Company had an orange that was the “perfect blend of rust and rose.” While Taliesin’s Tom Casey was away in October of 1966, his temporary replacement, John DeKoven Hill declined Superintendent Novak’s alternate orange fabric sample.
In the end, Moss Rose Manufacturing Company would win for the upholstery bid. All the upholstery in Beaver Meadows Visitor Center was “Moss Rose K13720N Color #58 red and orange fabric”.These two-seat oak benches were placed in the auditorium from their purchase date in 1966 until 2006, when they were removed. The attached photo shows the seats in the auditorium in 1986.
It is unclear whether the current upholstery is the original Moss Rose fabric or whether the bench has been reupholstered.
