All Articles, Mid-Century Modern Designers, Paul McCobb

Ten Awesome Creations by Paul McCobb

The Planner Group Desk. The Modernist Movement and its emphasis on minimalism inspire the appearance of this desk. The left side of desk has two drawers; one medium sized drawer at the top, and one large drawer at the bottom. Each drawer has a singular round handle made of zinc. Underneath the drawers are two legs that are shaped like a peg. They are situated in the mid-central area. The right side of the desk features two long splayed out legs that resemble the spikes of a drafting compasses. As the legs reach the ground, their circumference becomes thinner until the bottom parts are pointed in appearance. The top surface is rectangular and smooth. The desk is built from maple wood.

The 1082 Arm Chair. Constructed from walnut, this chair has an interesting shape. The back of the chair resembles the silhouette of a cat’s ears or even the top half of a bow tie. Two stiles that can be bent near the armrest hold it up. The armrest is smooth and flat in appearance. The legs appear slightly bent, but also smoothed down. A checkered polyester cushion is situated on the chair’s seat. The wooden frame is painted with ebony to give it a sleek appearance.

Fiberglass Chairs. Geometrical shapes are the main focus of these chairs. The seat is hexagonal in appearance, meaning that there are six sides; two side in the front, two sides adjacent to the arms, and two sides against the back. The back of the chair is rectangular and bends outward towards the back, so it looks like the shape of an open book. The arms are also rectangular but slope downward from the back to the front. The top surface of the arms widens slightly towards the back. Four metal legs keep the chair in place. Some chairs do not include armrests. They come in a variety of colors including blue, orange, brown, and grey.

The Windsor Chairs. Here is another intriguing chair design. The most interesting part of the chair is the four long spindles that hold up a trapezoidal headrest. A rail that curves slightly, and a seat that has rounded corners in the back, but sharp and angular corners in the front support the spindles. The four legs are splayed and supported by three stretchers. Two stretchers are on each side, and one stretcher is positioned directly underneath the seat. The frame is constructed from birch wood and painted black.

The Bookshelf or Etagere. A brass frame supports the shelves and drawers that make up this piece of Paul McCobb designed furniture. The rectangular étagère is divided into two halves. One half holds only one singular shelf in the middle. The other half includes a shelf near the top and four drawers around the middle to bottom of the étagère. Each drawer has a singular round silver handle. The shelves and drawers are constructed from lacquered wood. Besides being a bookshelf, the étagère can be used as a room divider. It is light enough to be set on a coffee table.

The Delineator Series Bachelor’s Chest. Eight drawers and two cabinets make up the storage space of this mahogany, walnut, and oak constructed chest. Three small drawers with round silver handles are located on the top layer of the chest. Open spaces are provided below the drawers for storage or decoration purposes. The larger, bottom layer has two cabinets on each side with five drawers in the middle or in between the cabinets. These drawers and cabinets each have a narrow handle with two rods drilled into the wood. Eight legs support the entire chest.

The Planner Group Credenza. Large and rectangular in shape, this piece of furniture is fantastic for storing one’s belongings. Two sliding doors made of grass cloth take up the front of the credenza. Inside, there are four drawers on one side, and three shelves on the other side. The middle of each drawer is carved out to make it easy for opening. Outside, the glossy and smooth maple surface gives the credenza a regal appearance. Four small legs support the credenza’s frame.

The Tripod Cigarette Table. There are two main components with which this table has been constructed: glass and brass. The top has a circular glass surface that is colored white with a brass trim protecting the outline. The leg that holds the table is brass and is attached to a brass base with three prongs extending out to form the tripod.

The Sectional. This is a seating arrangement that combines lounge chairs, sofas, and ottomans into one functional piece of furniture. It curves slightly to form the shape of the letter “J”. Some sectionals contain sides that include armrests. Other sectionals are lacking in armrests. Leg frames can be wooden or metal. The cushions come in a variety of fabrics and colors. Sectional can seat around five people.

The Brass and Marble Lamps. These lamps can be manufactured as either floor lamps or table lamps. The lampshade is often white and cylindrical in appearance. Four long, thin rectangular brass rods make up the legs. Two, three, or four of these rods can support the lamp. The square base, which has a pink tone, is made of marble. A small brass square is placed in the center of the marble base to hold the rods steady. Three bulb fixtures comprise of the top section of the lamp.