The importance of Ernest Batchelder as an Arts and Crafts tilemaker cannot be overstated.

This innovative designer began with a modest backyard venture in Pasadena, California in 1908, leaving a prestigious teaching position to establish a West Coast guild of craftspeople. By 1930, the Batchelder-Wilson Company had showrooms across major U.S. cities and representation nationwide. His architectural ceramics were installed in New York, Minneapolis, and Vancouver.

Batchelder remained the preeminent leader of handmade tiles in the West until the Depression forced his closure in 1932. His clients spanned from restaurants to churches to office buildings, though perhaps his most striking work remains in the many fireplaces adorning modest American bungalows throughout the country. His entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to Arts and Crafts principles make him a figure worthy of admiration by all generations.