Paul McCobb

Paul McCobb (June 5, 1917 – March 10, 1969) was a modern furniture and industrial designer.

McCobb was born in Medford, Massachusetts to Raymond and Winifred McCobb. Both his father and mother were born in Massachusetts although neither family originated there. His father's family being from Maine and his mother's family from Ireland. His father was employed in 1920 as a Salesman in "Men's Furnishings".[1]

Knowing from a very early age that he wanted to be an artist, McCobb studied art, drawing and painting at the Vesper George School of Art in Boston,[2] although he did not complete his course there.

McCobb enlisted in the Army as a Private on December 5, 1942 in Boston, MA.[3] While enlisted in the Army he was attached to the Camouflage Corps of the Army Corps of Engineers.[2] He only served in the military for a short time and was released on a medical discharge in 1943.[4]

McCobb first came to prominence in 1948 as a design and decorating consultant for Martin Feinman’s Modernage Furniture in New York City.[5] While employed at Modernage, McCobb met B. G. Mesberg, his later business partner in the Planner and Directional furniture lines.

Best known for his furniture designs he also designed radios and televisions for CBS-Columbia, Hi-Fi Consoles for Bell & Howell, along with other household items.[6]

His Planner Group, manufactured by Winchendon Furniture Company, was among the best selling contemporary furniture lines of the 1950s and was in continuous production from 1949 until 1964.

Other well-known furniture lines designed by McCobb include Predictor by O’Hearn Furniture, The Irwin Group by Calvin Furniture, The Connoisseur Collection by H. Sacks and Sons, The Calvin Group by Calvin Furniture, and Directional by Calvin Furniture.

Notes

  1. ↑ 1920 U.S. Census
  2. 1 2 Art Digest, September 15, 1952 p. 19
  3. ↑ U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
  4. ↑ Application to the Society of Industrial Designers, March 22, 1952
  5. ↑ NY Times Magazine, June 27, 1948 p. 31
  6. ↑ "Paul McCobb, Modern Designer, Dies". The New York Times. March 12, 1969.


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