Thomas Molesworth

Thomas C. Molesworth was a pioneering American furniture designer known for creating a distinct Western style using natural materials like hides, horns, and wood. His designs, influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement and Western American ranch aesthetics, helped popularize the “cowboy furniture” style. Molesworth ran the Shoshone Furniture Company in Cody, Wyoming, from 1931 to 1961, with his wife LaVerne. Born in Kansas and trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, Molesworth served in World War I before managing several furniture companies. His career took off in 1933 after receiving a major commission from publisher Moses Annenberg for the interior design of Ranch A, a Wyoming retreat. Molesworth also furnished numerous hotels, lodges, and private homes, including those of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. After his death, Molesworth’s work gained renewed attention through exhibitions, cementing his legacy as a key figure in Western design.