The Couroc Company

Formed by Guthrie Courvoisier, owner of Courvoisier Galleries in San Francisco the Couroc Company (1948-1990s) was a Monterey California company that produced many different types and shapes of trays, boxes, ashtrays and glassware. In the beginning the Courvoisier’s gained valuable experience with plastics while participating in the war effort.  Courvoisier soon began to put this experience to work - he and his wife began to tinker around with new techniques of producing household items with superior design.  The first generation of Couroc products were made of a heavy translucent material that was extremely prone to shattering. However, this did not deter the Courvoisier’s to label them with the Couroc name which was an amalgamation of their sir name, 'Cour'voisier, and 'rock' as in hard-as-a-rock.  The products in that first generation tended to be large bowls and cake trays.  After much experimentation, however, the Courvoisier’s created a proprietary formula of phenolic resin that was durable enough to form into trays.  This formula was extremely durable and resistant to alcohol and flame.  While this formula has changed over the years, that proprietary recipe served as the basis for several decades work.

Courvoisier’s wife, Moira Wallace, was a designer that was involved in designing manufacturing - sometimes even 'signing' her work.  Being located in a beautiful part of the Pacific coast had advantages; Couroc took advantage of the plentiful amount of natural design elements, especially coral and shells. In the early years, Courvoisier ran Couroc a little like an art-commune, employing many skilled artisans. During these early years, the artists carefully arranged bits and pieces of common metal items one might find at a hardware store into elements of the design. Items like springs, screws, glitter, safety pins and paper clips were commonly part of Couroc's best designs. The artisans also used pieces of brass and other metals and carefully bent them into shape.

Couroc often employed trendy or whimsical themes to design. Some of the most desirable trays are the aquatic scenes, mosaics, abstract "atomic" bird characters, Walt Disney Tiki Room, the 1950's Capitol Records Tray, mosaic, and Egyptian themes. The later Couroc years tended to rely less on the layout talents of artisans.   They show a greater reliance on larger pre-made designs during the later years.  While the early trays were much more individual and unique, later tray designs were far more standard.

Couroc's founder was involved with the arts until his death in the 1970's.  Afterwards the company was sold several times, at one point even being owned by RC Cola.  Later years there were many joint ventures in which Couroc produced trays for high-end Department stores such as Nieman-Marcus, Filine's and Macy's.  Several top universities had trays made that featured their school crest or landmark.  Couroc also worked with several trophy and award manufacturers to product many award items, especially for golf tournaments.  There also seems to have been more of a focus on regional sales for a while, lighthouses and train stations for example. 

Couroc not only followed design preferences but also influenced for four decades; that is one of the things that makes them particularly collectable. Popular during the 1960s and 1970s, Couroc products remain collectible today because of their lasting beauty and high quality.