Barbeque Island

The O.W. Lee Tradition

The Furniture At the California foundries of O.W. Lee, everything — from the ornate scrollwork to the decorative castings — is formed by hand. Their remarkably durable finish is the result of a five-step process that begins with sandblasting and ends with a UV-inhibiting, polyester overcoat. Accented with individually hand-sewn cushions, this classic, solid furniture is as beautiful as it is durable. Castings are poured and are cast from hand-carved dies, not machine stamped Scrollwork is forged by hand and formed on an anvil from red-hot, half-inch rods Welds are ground by hand for a smooth, flawless finish Each frame is powdercoated with a UV and corrosion inhibiting finish, rather than spray painted Custom seat and back cushions are individually hand-sewn

The Company
O.W. Lee Company was started in Pasadena, California in 1947 by Oddist W. Lee. Before World War II, Mr. Lee had worked as a welder for a company called Brown Williams — the predecessor to Brown Jordan Company.

Due to the difficulty of obtaining raw materials during the war, the Brown Williams company was disbanded, and plans were made to restart when the war was over. Plans changed, however, and Oddist went into business for himself making custom gates, railings, and furniture for the lovely estates in the Pasadena area. Eventually he started to sell to furniture stores and in 1954 incorporated under the name of O.W. Lee Company. In the 1950's, Oddist's son, Bob, joined his father, working after high school, eventually taking over the business when Oddist retired.

After fifty years, O.W. Lee Company is still family owned and operated. In all that time, O.W. Lee Company has maintained Oddist's commitment to quality with which he started the company. Much of the furniture is still hand forged, using the same methods as blacksmiths and artisans of centuries ago. O.W. Lee furniture is now sold throughout the United States and Europe. The O.W. Lee name stands for quality, and as a family owned business it is their pledge to keep it that way.