Like so many artists and designers, husband and wife John McGuire (1920–2013) and Elinor Stevenson (1914–2005) became masters in their trade by accident. For the founders of McGuire Furniture Company, well, furniture wasn’t actually in the plans.
The couple met just before the start of World War II (during which John was in the U.S. Navy and Elinor was a navigation instructor) and got married after it ended. They settled down in San Francisco where John held a couple of jobs — among them selling newspaper ads for the San Francisco Examiner while Elinor worked for Boeing Aircraft. Soon, an old Navy buddy of John’s asked him to help sell a bunch of rattan furniture and, needing the money, John agreed. His side business became so successful that John decided to quit his ad-sales job and work full-time in design.
In 1948, McGuire Furniture Company was born. Alongside the mid-century modern furniture designs then gaining popularity in the United States, John introduced an unconventional idea: traditional armchairs, stools and tables made of natural materials such as bamboo, which was strong yet could be rendered pliable when steamed, that were intended for the indoors rather than the front porch.
The brand’s first success was the now famous Director’s X-Chair by Leonard Linden. The military-campaign-style solid oak folding chair launched in 1956 and saw rattan binded with rawhide strips and a high-grade leather slug seat and back that eliminated the need for a plush cushion. Elinor, too, designed some of the brand’s popular pieces, such as 1968’s Cracked Ice chair. With its rattan oval back a dazzling celebration of geometric forms that give it its charming moniker, the Cracked Ice chair was an instant classic and is one of the brand’s most recognizable designs.
Today, McGuire and another American furniture manufacturer, Baker Furniture Company, comprise Baker Interiors Group. McGuire remains true to the founders’ ideals and commitment to crafting the kind of organic modern furnishings that are synonymous with the warm and relaxed feel of California design. The company has collaborated with interior designers Steven Volpe, Orlando Diaz-Azcuy and Nicole Hollis, and, as of 2019, its luxury furnishings share a 16,500-square-foot showroom with Baker’s in San Francisco. Some of the earliest McGuire Furniture Company designs are part of the permanent collection at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.
Find a range of McGuire Furniture on 1stDibs.
Mid Century Modern Richard McCarthy for Selrite Style Glass Top Table & 4 Chairs
By Selrite
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Atomic Space Age Richard McCarthy for Selrite Style Forged Wrought-Iron and Oak Captain Chairs & Pedestal Base Glass Top Table ...
Wrought Iron
Mid Century Modern Heywood Wakefield 8 Piece Dining Set
By Heywood-Wakefield Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Heywood Wakefield 8 Piece Dining Set The Mid Century Modern Heywood Wakefield 8 Piece Dining Set is a timeless representation of mid-century design excellence. Th...
Fabric, Wood
MCM T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings For Widdicomb Klismos Style Extension Dining Table
By T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings For John Widdicomb French Walnut Klismos Style Dining Table with Two Extension Boards and 6 Chairs This exquisite Mid Century Modern dinin...
Walnut
MCM Dining Table & 6 Chairs Newly Reupholstered After Broyhill Brasilia
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Walnut Drop Leaf Dining Table and 6 Chairs Newly Reupholstered Styled After Broyhill Brasilia - 10 Piece Set This Mid Century Modern dining set features six dinin...
Upholstery, Walnut
Art Deco Glass Extending Dining Table with High Back Dining Chairs - 9 Piece Set
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Italian Art Deco Rectangular Glass Center Birdseye Maple and Black Lacquer Extending Dining Table with 6 High Back Dining...
Glass, Wood, Lacquer
MCM Cane Dining Chairs by American of Martinsville - Set of 6
By American of Martinsville
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Cane Dining Chairs by American of Martinsville - Set of 6 Vintage American of Martinsville cane-back dining chair set...
Fabric, Wood
McGuire 7 Pieces Bamboo Dining Set Round Glass Top Table Two Arm Chairs Leather
By McGuire
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-Century Modern round glass top dining table six chairs bamboo dining se by McGuire. Outstanding craftsmanship all bamboo parts are bonded with two differ...
Leather, Glass, Bamboo
20th Century American Dining Table & Four Chairs By McGuire
By McGuire
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Welcome to the timeless legacy of John and Elinor, the beloved founders of the iconic McGuire Furniture, a San Francisco-based institution that has been synonymous with craftsmanship and creativity since its inception in 1948. As a dynamic couple, their lifelong partnership laid the foundation for the distinctive McGuire style, a harmonious fusion of natural materials such as rattan and hide with the sleek lines inspired by Asian aesthetics. Discover the essence of their visionary work embodied in this exquisite dining table and matching chairs—a testament to their enduring impact on design. Crafted in the latter part of the 20th century, this McGuire dining set showcases the hallmark bamboo frame that is quintessentially McGuire. The table, adorned with a rectangular beveled glass top in pristine condition, stands as a testament to the timeless elegance of McGuire's craftsmanship. The bamboo base boasts a delightful warm hue, effortlessly infusing any modern interior with the inviting, relaxed ambiance reminiscent of California design. Immerse yourself in the classic beauty of McGuire Furniture, where each piece tells a story of innovation, craftsmanship, and the enduring allure of mid-century California style. Some history about the manufacturers: Like so many artists and designers, husband and wife John McGuire (1920–2013) and Elinor Stevenson (1914–2005) became masters in their trade by accident. The couple met just before the start of World War II (during which John was in the U.S. Navy and Elinor was a navigation instructor) and got married after it ended. They settled down in San Francisco where John held a couple of jobs — among them selling newspaper ads for the San Francisco Examiner while Elinor worked for Boeing Aircraft. Soon, an old Navy buddy of John’s asked him to help sell a bunch of rattan furniture and, needing the money, John agreed. His side business became so successful that John decided to quit his ad-sales job and work full-time in design. In 1948, McGuire Furniture Company was born. Alongside themed-century modern furniture designs then gaining popularity in the United States, John introduced an unconventional idea: traditional armchairs, stools and tables made of natural materials such as bamboo, which was strong yet could be rendered pliable when steamed, that were intended for the indoors rather than the front porch. The brand’s first success was the now famous Director’s X-Chair byLeonard Linden. The military-campaign-style solid oak folding chair launched in 1956 and saw rattan binded with rawhide strips and a high-grade leather slug seat and back that eliminated the need for a plush cushion. Elinor, too, designed some of the brand’s popular pieces, such as 1968’s Cracked Ice chair. With its rattan oval back a dazzling celebration of geometric forms that give it its charming moniker, the Cracked Ice chair was an instant classic and is one of the brand’s most recognisable designs. Today, McGuire and another American furniture manufacturer, Baker Furniture Company, comprise Baker Interiors Group. McGuire remains true to the founders’ ideals and commitment to crafting the kind of organic modern furnishings that are synonymous with the warm and relaxed feel of California design. The company has collaborated with interior designersSteven Volpe, Orlando Diaz-Azcuy and Nicole Hollis...
Glass, Fabric, Bamboo
Mid-Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Granada Dining Set - Unsigned
By Arthur Umanoff
Located in East Freetown, MA
Mid-century modern Arthur Umanoff Granada wrought iron dining set. Table has intricate wrought-iron base and glass top. With six wrought-iron ch...
Iron
Mid Century Cafe Dinette Set Inc. Table and Two Chairs Attributed to Umanoff
By Arthur Umanoff
Located in New York, NY
Charming three piece cafe style dinette set to include two chairs and a table. The chairs feature a dramatic scrolled arm, with backs that have a circular caned pattern...
Wrought Iron
Dining Room Set by Paul McCobb, Irwin Collection, Circa 1950s
By Paul McCobb
Located in Westport, CT
Elevate your dining experience with our exquisite seven-piece dining set, a vintage masterpiece designed by the renowned Paul McCobb for The Calvin Group, dating back to the illustri...
Brass
1950's John Salterini Dining Set
By John Salterini
Located in New York, NY
1950's Mid-Century Modern wrought iron dining set by John Salterini, newly painted with new glass top and new leather upholstery seats.
Iron, Wrought Iron
