The Imperial Manufacturing Company of Los Angeles jumped into the Monterey craze started by the line of that name launched by Barker Brothers and made by the Mason Manufacturing Company for them. The Imperial line was a stiff competitor to Mason Monterey and produced many pieces that took directly from their designs. Imperial chose to differentiate itself by using mahogany wood instead of the softer Mason alder, and, as their line developed its own character, leaned more to the sobriety and elegance of the Arts and Crafts style while still incorporating the Spanish and Western influences that so strongly inform the Monterey style. Monterey, a wild success from the very start, was copied by several other companies (Del Rey, Coronado, Fiesta) but Imperial is considered the very best among all competitors in quality and craftsmanship. There are many who believe Imperial to be superior to the original Barker Brothers Monterey. Be that as it may, Imperial and original Monterey are the most coveted pieces among collectors of this entrancing style.