Calvin Furniture
American
The Grand Rapids, Michigan-based company Calvin Furniture opened its doors in 1953 and became a sought-after contract manufacturer for the day’s top furniture designers and brands. Its appealing mid-century modern and Hollywood Regency offerings — nightstands, dressers and more — graced the showrooms of department stores all over North America during the 1950s and 1960s.
Calvin’s relationship with the work of Massachusetts-born designer Paul McCobb is well known to enthusiasts of mid-century modern furniture. McCobb, whose unadorned and efficient storage pieces, seating and desks drew on Shaker simplicity and Bauhaus minimalism, wasn’t exactly a designer for Calvin — in partnership with New York furniture salesman B.G. Mesberg, McCobb set up the Directional Furniture Company in Manhattan in 1949, and Calvin was one of the manufacturers contracted to produce the furniture he designed for Directional (and later, for pieces designed under his own name).
Among McCobb’s most acclaimed lines made by Calvin Furniture were the Calvin Group and the Irwin Collection. The travertine-topped sideboards and mahogany nightstands of those lines as well as the other Calvin-produced dressers, bookcases and chests of drawers designed by McCobb were elegant and spare, free of unnecessary embellishments.
Calvin also manufactured the very popular American Design Foundation line of furniture that Kipp Stewart and Stewart MacDougall designed. The Pennsylvania-born, California-raised MacDougall enjoyed a postwar collaboration with West Coast native Stewart that resulted in great success with manufacturers such as Glenn of California and Drexel Furniture. The duo’s celebrated Declaration line for the latter featured streamlined credenzas, dressers and more made in walnut with comely porcelain hardware. The dining chairs, tables and coffee tables manufactured by Calvin flaunt the pair’s signature clean lines, gentle curves and organic shapes.
In the late 1950s and early ‘60s, Calvin Furniture continued its business relationship with B.G. Mesberg National Sales and Directional Furniture. Calvin finally closed their doors during the early 1970s, but their legacy can be found in enduring pieces of modern furniture that remain popular today.
On 1stDibs, find a selection of vintage Calvin Furniture tables, credenzas, chairs and more.
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Creator: Calvin
Dealer: Select Modern
Paul McCobb Irwin Collection Brass and Travertine Coffee Table by Calvin
By Paul McCobb, Directional, Calvin Furniture
Located in Miami, FL
Large all original Paul McCobb mahogany and brass plateau table model 8705-L with travertine marble top from the Irwin Collection by Calvin Furniture. The Mid-Century Modern cocktail table features: rectangular Italian travertine top; three drawers with brass pulls; brass frame; label. 100% original finish and condition. The perfect vintage table to accent any decor. We have all the pieces (other coffee table and sectional sofa with loveseat...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Calvin Furniture
Materials
Travertine, Brass
Paul McCobb Irwin Collection Mahogany and Brass Credenza by Calvin
By Paul McCobb, Directional, Calvin Furniture
Located in Miami, FL
All original Paul McCobb mahogany and brass cabinet model C8506 with breakfront top model C8006, from the Irwin Collection by Calvin Furniture, which is part of the work the designer created for Directional. The two piece mid-century modern credenza with hutch features: a bottom sideboard (which can be used as a stand alone case piece) with five drawers; brass knobs; a folding door opening to an interior fitted with one shelf; brass base and stretchers; and a top etagere with four drawers with brass pulls; two glass shelves; brass dividers; two cabinet doors opening to an interior with a shelf; label. 100% original finish and condition. The perfect vintage piece to used as a bar cabinet, bookcase or as a server buffet. Part of a one owner collection of McCobb furniture exclusively presented by Select Modern; a truly rare time capsule! There are more pieces from this collection available in our storefront. A copy of the original 1956 purchase receipt for all the pieces from this collection is available. Works well in many different decors, from eclectic modern to more elegant or traditional ones.
Sideboard: 71.25 in (180.98 cm) W x 19.13 in (48.6 cm) D x 34.07 in (86.54 com) H
Hutch: 71.25" (180.98 cm) W x 14 in (35.56 cm) D x 49 in (124.46 cm) H
Literature: Fifties Furniture...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Calvin Furniture
Materials
Brass
Paul McCobb Irwin Collection Brass and Leather Credenza by Calvin
By Paul McCobb, Directional, Calvin Furniture
Located in Miami, FL
All original Paul McCobb mahogany cabinet or sideboard from The Calvin Group (earlier Irwin Collection) by Calvin Furniture, which is part of the work the designer created for Directional (model 1066). The mid-century modern credenza features: three drawers with brass knobs; two sliding leather doors with brass pulls and brass edges; interior fitted with two shelves, each adjustable to four different positions; brass X stretchers; label. 100% original finish and condition. The perfect vintage piece to use as a bar cabinet, a media console or a server buffet. Part of a one owner collection of McCobb furniture exclusively presented by Select Modern; a truly rare time capsule find! There are more pieces from this collection available in our storefront. A copy of the original 1956 purchase receipt for all the pieces from this collection is available. Works well in many different decors, from eclectic modern...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Calvin Furniture
Materials
Brass
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Paul McCobb Irwin Collection Brass and Travertine Coffee Table by Calvin
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Calvin furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Calvin furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Calvin furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Calvin were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Brown Saltman, Kipp Stewart, and Glenn of California. Prices for Calvin furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $350 and can go as high as $21,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,495.
Creators Similar to Calvin
Questions About Calvin Furniture
- Why is Calvin Klein so popular?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024Calvin Klein is popular for a few reasons. Known for his minimalist, comfortable womenswear as well as a range of sexually provocative ad campaigns that continue to generate conversation decades later, Klein led the designer jeans craze of the late 1970s. The brand’s skirts, jackets, day dresses and shirts, sold at modest prices and frequently created in soft fabrics and understated neutral hues, are still versatile components of everyday wear. Controversial marketing helped broaden the label’s reach, too. During the 1980s, Klein’s jeans were promoted in scandalous ads featuring Brooke Shields and others that were banned by television stations and challenged by politicians. More eye-catching ad campaigns with up-and-coming models and celebrities like Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg followed in the ‘90s, also bringing fresh attention to the brand. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Calvin Klein apparel and accessories.
- Why is Calvin Klein famous?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 26, 2024Calvin Klein is famous for his work as a fashion designer. He is known for his minimalist, comfortable womenswear. During the 1970s, the American designer helped lead the denim craze, and he became the youngest-ever recipient of the Coty American Fashion Critics' Award in 1973. His jeans continued to dominate the market during the 1980s, a decade that also saw the Calvin Klein brand expand into men's and women's underwear. The brand Klein founded remains one of the best-known American fashion labels today. Shop a range of Calvin Klein apparel and accessories on 1stDibs.
- Is Calvin Klein a good brand?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 13, 2024Yes, Calvin Klein is a good brand. Known for minimalist, comfortable womenswear as well as sexually provocative ad campaigns that continue to generate conversation decades later, Klein led the designer jeans craze of the late 1970s. The brand’s skirts, jackets, day dresses and shirts, sold at modest prices and frequently created in soft fabrics and understated neutral hues, are versatile components of everyday wear. Shop a range of Calvin Klein apparel and accessories on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024Yes, Calvin Klein is considered designer. Generally, a designer brand is any that features pieces produced by a particular fashion designer. Calvin Klein fits the definition, having been founded by designer Calvin Klein in 1968. Following Klein's retirement in 2004, other designers, such as Eric Sedeño and Jessica Lomax, have served as creative directors for Calvin Klein. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Calvin Klein apparel and accessories.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022The Calvin Klein brand is known for their sensual ads featuring well-known celebrities as well as for producing simple, understated fashions. Among the brand's most popular offerings are fragrances, men's underwear and jeans for men, women and children. Find a range of Calvin Klein apparel and accessories on 1stDibs.