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Nambé History
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Nambé (pronounced na:m'bei)
When Nambé was established in 1953, it was named after an ancient village not far from Santa Fe. Today, Nambé is a company recognized worldwide for its award-winning designs and admired for its dedication to both artistic integrity and everyday functionality.
TIMELINE
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s |
 Pauline Cable   1954 San Francisco Examiner advertisement  The original showroom  555 Square Platter  563 Salad Bowl |
1951 WINKLER MILLS Winkler Mills Craftsmen, Inc., located near the Nambé Pueblo, casts traditional bronze and copper cookware and gifts. The owner retires and offers the business to his secretary, Pauline Platt Cable. Pauline takes over the day-to-day operations of the business. 1953 NAMBÉ WARE Martin Eden, a former metallurgist with Los Alamos National Laboratories, develops an eight-metal alloy that retains hot and cold temperatures for long periods of time. Realizing the potential of this state-of-the-art alloy, Pauline Cable and her husband, Peter Cable, partner with Mr. Eden to form a new company--Nambe Mills. Pauline set to work with her foundry's designer, Richard K. Thomas, to create a collection of modern cookware and serveware. Esthetically pleasing and functional beyond anything the market had ever seen before, Nambé Ware was born. PAULINE PLATT CABLE A former member of the Dayton, Ohio, Junior League and mother of four, Pauline Cable leads an increasingly busy life, as the handsomely designed modern serveware produced at the mill is becoming increasingly popular. The alloy from which it is fashioned resembles silver, can be used for oven baking or stovetop cooking, and never needs polishing. As noted in an article, this practical metal retains temperature, when chilled "a salad can be carried to the table and remain cool for hours." 1954 EARLY PRESS "It looks like silver and it feels like silver... but...": The "Modern Living" section of the San Francisco Examiner is an early admirer of "Something new in budget tableware". Items featured in the article were designed by Richard K. Thomas. The article marvels at the utility and variety of shapes "available at a fraction of the cost of real silver." 1955 THE ORIGINAL SHOWROOM Located in Pojoaque, New Mexico, on US Highway 85. It is here you can shop from more than 40 different designs. 1956 MUSEUM RECOGNITION The Museum of Modern Art, New York, selects two pieces of Nambé Ware for the annual Good Design Show: the 555 Square Plate and the 563 Salad Bowl. The pieces are sent to Scandinavia and elsewhere abroad as part of an exhibition titled "Creative Skills Today in the U.S.A." The show represents progressive design in the U.S. at its best. Nambé Ware is considered an exceptional example of American style and craftsmanship. The exhibit is presented to discriminating audiences in museums across Europe. 1957 FIRE Fire destroys the original foundry. The foundry is reconstructed at the showroom site in Pojoaque. |
 1961 Denver Post article  Governor Tony Guiterrez and Martin Eden  1967 brings expansion  Pauline examines castings  Decorative castings |
1961 DENVER POST The Denver Post features Nambé Ware from an "obscure little foundry outside Santa Fe, New Mexico." Each item is cast in individually prepared molds made from black sand from the Chama River in New Mexico. The collection is now 57 items. 1964 LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION On the corner of U.S. Highway 64 and State Road 4, the Pojoaque Pueblo constructs a new building to house the Nambé Showroom. This is seen as a lucrative move on behalf of the Pueblo's governor, Tony Guiterrez. Nambé becomes much more visible for locals and tourists alike. More than 200 retail outlets nationwide proudly present Nambé. 1967 GROWING PAINS Martin Eden, co-owner and foundry superintendent, announces plans to double the production space in Pojoaque, New Mexico. In three years, the workforce had grown from seven employees to 26. The foundry is working on a seven-day work schedule to keep up with orders. The new space will have more than 12,000 square feet and will house the foundry, shipping and receiving, and the showroom. The plan is to have 46 employees. A goal at this time was to begin fine art casting for local artisans and sculptors. Bronze and alloy decorative castings will also be made available as line additions under the Nambé name. The number of retail outlets selling Nambé has grown to 450. |
 Nambé Chess Set  1972 fire  1976 ad in a local newspaper  Construction of the Santa Fe foundry starts in 1977 |
1971 NAMBÉ' CHESS SET Twenty-two-year-old Santa Fe sculptor Paul Rector designs a handsome chess set to be cast in Nambé alloy. The set features a terraced playing board and will be reproduced in limited quantities. WORD OF MOUTH Nambé Mills does not have an advertising campaign. Salesmen attend two gift shows in February, one is in New York and the other is in Los Angeles. Word of mouth publicity accounts for thousands of names from all over the world in the guest book at the Pojoaque Showroom. Nambé has become a New Mexico "must see" destination. 1972 FIRE A devastating fire destroys the Nambé foundry in Pojoaque; the foundry is reconstructed on the same footprint. 1976 LOOK ALIKE Nambé has grown in popularity and has inspired its share of imitators. An advertisement appears in the local paper to instruct the buying public how to differentiate between Nambé and it's lesser quality imitators. For the second time fire destroys the Pojoaque foundry. 1977 SILER ROAD The Nambé foundry is relocated to Santa Fe. A new foundry is constructed in the current location on Siler Road in Santa Fe. This represents a considerable expansion to more than 24,000 square feet. |
 Donald Wright  The Wright Collection in the Nambé Accents brochure  Wright Collection serving pieces  1989 Santa Fean advertisement  W670 Wedge Tray |
1981 PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE Demand for Nambé has grown beyond Pauline Cable's expectations. In an effort to do what is best for the company and all its workers, Pauline agrees to sell. The Hillenbrand family purchases Nambé Mills. Bronze production is discontinued and the family plans to expand the business significantly. The collection consists of 83 items. 1983 DONALD WRIGHT Sculptor and jeweler Donald Wright creates a collection of 18 items under the title Nambé Accents. Donald finds inspiration in nature; his work reveals a classic and timeless style synonymous with that of Nambé. All Donald Wright designs are marked with a "W" preceding the item number. 1989 SALES STRONG For eight years running, Nambé demonstrates record sales numbers. The collection now consists of more 100 items. Nambé is in high demand for bridal registries at many of the nations leading department stores and specialty retailers. |
 1994 Summit of the Americas  Karim Rashid  1999 Nambé Crystal  Brochure of collections  More 1990s collections |
1994 SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton select Nambé as their commemorative gift to the first families attending the 1994 Summit of the Americas. The 555 Square Platter was handsomely engraved with date of the summit and the presidential seal. The Nambé plate was selected as an outstanding example of U.S. craftsmanship and excellence in design. 1995 STUDIO Continuing in the tradition of quality craftsmanship and outstanding design. Nambé creates the studio collection. Award-winning designer Karim England Rashid is selected as the designer to inaugurate the Studio Collection. Rashid's initial focus is to create a stunning collection of contemporary gifts and accessories. This collection is the first to be fabricated using non-foundry methods. 1999 CRYSTAL "Dedicated to Design" becomes the Nambé Mantra. Designers Neil Cohen and Karim Rashid create a collection of 24 items. In search of perfect flawless shapes, Nambé collaborates with award-winning designers and master European glass blowers to create " a collection whose beauty flows from its inspired simplicity." Metal and crystal combined account for a collection of more than 180 items. |
 Elle Decor advertisement  2003 Metropolitan Home Modernism Award  2007 Mikko, one of 27 new patterns |
2000 A POLISHED IMAGE Nambé appears nationally in many of the best shelter and lifestyle publications. An evocative ad campaign titled "The Art of Giving" demonstrates a dedication to design and secures Nambé as the consummate source when gift giving. 2003 ACCOLADES ABOUND Nambé is awarded the 2003 Metropolitan Home Modernism Award. The award is in recognition of outstanding companies whose work exemplifies the spirit and originality of the great Modernist movement of the 20th century. 2007 FLATWARE Continuing to focus on innovative design, Nambé releases 27 patterns of flatware. This strengthens Nambé's position as the premiere destination brand in the luxury tabletop and gift market. The collection consists of more than 350 timeless designs. |
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