posted by AetnaJo on Sep 30
Equipales Furniture-Table & Chairs
Considered a sumptuary object, Equipale Mexican Furniture is traditional furniture that comes from the Aztec word impala which means seat. Hernan Cortez appointed equipales as seats of honor to dignitaries of the time, as it represented social status. It can be made of leather from pig or cow, and willow, cedar wood or ixtele, a derivative of the cactus. Whatever the combination, they are woven together with natural fibers. Throughout all of Mexico, equipale is considered an important part of Mexican culture.
A little less than an hour away from Guadalajara, is the village of Zacoalco where over three hundred families earn their livelihood from producing these rustic cane and leather chairs. Mexican Equipale are still made in the traditional manner and they can be tanned so that they are made water proof and do not degrade in the heat.
The Equipale is a Mexican chair or table made of wood, leather, maguey fiber and cane. It combines these into a unique, comfortable seat. In the United States, equipales are typically found in Mexican restaurants and are popular in homes of the Southwest. The chair’s method of construction, combining the compressive strength of wood, the tensile strength of fibers and the soft comfort of leather, utilizes the best qualities of each material.
The word “equipale” is from Nautl, the Aztec language, and the chair is occasionally called “Montezuma’s Chair” to try and establish its’ antiquity. Although ancient in origin, Equipale Mexican Furniture has become popular recently. In the 1920’s and 1930’s it started to become fashionable in the Pacific seacoast resorts as American tourists requested them. From this followed an export market that continues to thrive.
Equipale furniture includes pigskin chairs, tables, bar chairs, bar tables, end tables, coffee tables, peacock chairs, child barrel chairs, square foot stools, rectangular tables, sofas and so much more. Please feel free to contact me whenever you need or want and I would be more than happy to help.
2. Right-Click then Copy
3. Paste the HTML code into your webpage
October 12th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Article Acknowledgement.
October 19th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
What is the black dry tarry looking stuff that helps to hold the pieces together?
Is there some comparable replacement ‘gunk’ to repair this furniture in the event this black stuff breaks off? Thank you.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Hola. The black tarry looking stuff that helps hold the pieces together is ‘extle,’ a type of vegetal fiber removed from the maguey cactus. The procedure to prepare and to spin ixtle was learned from the ancestors: it is extracted with cazanga, whashed, dried, barabila and spun. Reeds and leather are attached on the maguey fiber. Equipale furniture is meant to last at least up to twenty years. There actually is nothing that can be purchased that compares to this manmade fiber. I hope I have answered your question to your satisfaction and you are quite welcome.
May 6th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
We have some equipale that the Desert Rats in Placitas, NM got to. Do you know anyone in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area that does repairs.
Don
May 6th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Hi and thanks for visiting us.
I do not know anyone who repairs equipale furniture. You should read the article on this blog, “Making Of Equipale Mexican Furniture” at http://www.mexican-wholesale.com/making-of-equipales-mexican-furniture/.
Also, I would like to see your site to check out your equipale furniture.
Until next time,
Enjoy
Aetna J H
April 28th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Our equipale chairs are used for outdoors and are a lot in the sun and heat which has caused the leather to dry out and get brittle in places…is there a way to condition it…if so what should be used…I´ve had several suggestions..linseed oil with vinegar, vasleine, saddle soap…what works?
May 9th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
Hello there Katy.
You probably want to use clear turtle wax. It’s what I’ve found to work best with the pig skin. You probably need to apply several times. You apply then let it dry, apply then let dry. If thy’re very dry you might need apply and let the wax get sucked in for a couple of days between applications. Good luck. Please let me know how it works for you. Enjoy!
AetnaJo Buitron
November 15th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Hi
How do you tell a good quality piece of equipales from a bad one?
Can you recommend the best workshop in Zacaoalco?
Amanda
December 8th, 2011 at 10:37 am
Hi. Sorry for the delay in responding. All equipale is or should be made of the same strong yet beautiful qualities. The following link will tell you how they’re made. Thanks for visiting… http://www.mexican-wholesale.com/making-of-equipales-mexican-furniture/
Enjoy!
AetnaJo B