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.
Midcentury McGuire Faux Bamboo Bar Cart
By McGuire
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Dynamic faux bamboo bar cart with well grained oak panels, reed wrapped corners, finished all around, recessed casters and slide out service space. Signed McGuire in the drawer.
Reed, Oak
$1,950
H 27.96 in W 28.75 in D 14.57 in
1950s Midcentury Regency Italian Wood, Brass and Mirror Dry Bar Cabinet Cart
By Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti, Vittorio Dassi, Ico & Luisa Parisi, Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Modern dry bar cabinet cart characterized by its original Asian themed painted front wood pull-out tilt door with interior part in mirror glass, standing on its antique brass wheels...
Brass
Bamboo Two Tier Bar Cart
Located in Bradenton, FL
A bamboo and rattan bar cart with bentwood bamboo corners. Two tray like shelves are made with bamboo pieces with bamboo sides. Corners are secured wi...
Bamboo, Rattan
Walnut burl bar cart, 1970s
Located in Bastia Umbra, IT
Bar cart made of walnut burl, Made in Italy, 1970s. Elegant Bar Trolley with fine walnut burl with brass-plated metal frame, refined design suitable for giving a touch of modernist e...
Metal
Danish Modern Flip-Top Bar Cart
Located in Atlanta, GA
Danish modern Flip-Top bar cart, Denmark, circa 1960s. Constructed of teak with a low maintenance black laminate top.
Laminate, Teak
John Kapel for Glenn of California Expandable Bar Cart Cabinet
By John Stuart
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This unique Mid-Century bar cabinet features an expandable formica top with raised edges, spacious storage shelves, and a wide drawer for organizin...
Wood
$1,520Sale Price|20% Off
H 27 in W 34.5 in D 18.5 in
Vintage Midcentury Danish Jens Risom Teak Glass Bar Cart
By Jens Risom
Located in Pasadena, TX
Jens Risom emigrated from Europe to the U.S. when he was just 23 years of age. Like other Scandinavian designers such as Josef Frank and Kaare Klint, Risom continued to honour tradition in modern design, combining old and new in highly original ways. Jens Risom's career has spanned nearly sixty years. He began his study of design in the Copehagen workshop of Kaare Klint in 1935 and joined Ernst Kuhn's architectural office in 1938, where he designed furniture and interiors. In 1939, Risom emigrated to the U.S. and in 1941 designed the first chair manufactured by Knoll. Risom described the chair as "very basic, very simple, inexpensive, easy to make." The chair was constructed with a birch wood frame and, because of wartime materials constraints, cheap but strong army surplus webbing and has inspired countless imitations. Vintage Midcentury Jens Risom teak...
Teak
Mid-Century Hollywood Regency Faux Bamboo Brass and Glass Bar Cart
By Mastercraft
Located in Elkhart, IN
A gorgeous Mid-Century Hollywood Regency faux bamboo brass and glass rolling bar cart USA, Circa 1960s Measures: 27"W x 19.5"D x 33.5"H. Lower shelf height: 4.5"; Upper shelf heig...
Brass
Vintage Brass Two Tiered Bar Cart
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Vintage Mid Century Brass Two Tiered Bar Cart. The cart has been completely restored and newly polished. With a sleek design and the striking contrast between the black glass shelves...
Brass
$1,490
H 25 in W 34.5 in D 21.5 in
Mid Century Boho Chic Tiki Bamboo and Glass 2 Tier Rolling Bar Cart
Located in Pasadena, TX
This is a fun and unusual piece. It was made in the 70's. This rolling bar cart is made of Bamboo and is on casters. It is 2 tiered and has frosted glass shelves. There's room for 4 ...
Bamboo, Glass
$2,500
H 29.75 in W 43.75 in D 20.5 in
Glenn of California Hostess Bar Cart in Walnut and White Formica
By John Kapel
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A great Mid-Century Modern Glenn of California Drop Leaf / Expandable Hostess Bar Cart designed by John Kapel extended - 63 long x 20 1/2 deep. Lower shelf...
Walnut
$4,200
H 32.75 in W 37 in D 20.75 in
Stunning Bleeched Mahogany and Cork Server / Bar Cart attrib Robsjohn Gibbings
By Widdicomb Furniture Co., T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
Located in Buffalo, NY
Stunning Bleeched Mahogany and Cork Server / Bar Cart attributed to T.H. Robsjohn- Gibbings for Widdicomb.. Wonderful original cork top. Amazing patina ,co...
Brass
$512Sale Price|20% Off
H 34 in W 38 in D 20.5 in
Vintage Bamboo & Glass 2 Tier Dry Bar Serving Cart Trolley Palm Beach Coastal
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details Below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and ...
Bamboo, Glass