Thayer Coggin Furniture
Few friendships last a lifetime, but Milo Baughman (1923–2003) and Thayer Coggin (1922–2003) were united by their desire to craft American furniture with timeless heirloom appeal. Today vintage Thayer Coggin sofas, coffee tables, alluring chrome-framed chairs and other furnishings are recognized as masterpieces of good design and remain highly sought after by collectors near and far.
Having both served in the military during World War II and coming from humble backgrounds — Coggin from Denton, North Carolina, and Baughman from Goodland, Kansas (but raised in California) — they shared a passion for simple, modern design in home furnishings. In 1953, after showing his prescient designs to a number of companies (who turned him down) in the furniture center of High Point, North Carolina, Baughman decided to pay a last-minute visit to Coggin, who had just founded his eponymous brand. After a nearly hour-long meeting in which Coggin shot out of his seat exclaiming he had never seen anything like Baughman's work, the two men shook hands. They would be friends and collaborators for the next 50 years.
Coggin let Baughman pursue his singular vision, while the Thayer Coggin company benefited from its close relationship with the ever more prominent Baughman, the manufacturer’s lead designer and an architect of California modernism who also collaborated with Drexel Furniture, Glenn of California and others during his career.
In 1968, New York Times critic Rita Reif hailed Baughman’s work for its elegance and sophistication. “With this furniture,” she wrote of his new collection, Environment 70 produced by Thayer Coggin, “who needs a decorator?” Baughman’s name became synonymous with sleekly modern, comfortable furniture the whole family could enjoy — stylish seating upholstered with impossibly cozy bouclé fabric and dashing case pieces that reflected the venturesome sensibility associated with mid-century modernism as well as the functionality of the Bauhaus.
Although its founder died in 2003, Thayer Coggin remains an esteemed family-run brand in High Point. Each item of furniture is bench-made by a single craftsperson to ensure “continuity among related pieces,” the company says, and comes in a vast array of upholstery fabrics, wood and metal finishes. Like the friendship that defined it, Thayer Coggin furniture is built to last.
Find a unique collection of new and vintage Thayer Coggin furniture today on 1stDibs.
1990s American Post-Modern Thayer Coggin Furniture
Textile, Upholstery, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thayer Coggin Furniture
Leather, Wood
Late 20th Century Thayer Coggin Furniture
Chrome
1970s American Post-Modern Vintage Thayer Coggin Furniture
Fabric
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thayer Coggin Furniture
Bronze
1970s American Post-Modern Vintage Thayer Coggin Furniture
Fabric
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thayer Coggin Furniture
Silver Leaf
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thayer Coggin Furniture
Fabric, Rosewood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thayer Coggin Furniture
Chrome
Early 2000s American Modern Thayer Coggin Furniture
Leather, Maple
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Thayer Coggin Furniture
Bronze
Thayer Coggin furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to Thayer Coggin
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Milo Baughman designed for many companies over the course of his life. Some of the companies the American designer worked for include Arch Gordon, Directional Furniture, Drexel, George Kovacs, Glenn of California, The Inco Company, Mode Furniture, Murray Furniture of Winchendon and Pacific Iron. You'll find a collection of Milo Baughman furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022One way to know if a piece of furniture is a Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin is to consult the visual catalog of his pieces on the Thayer Coggin official website. Many of the chairs he produced for the brand feature metal bar or pedestal bases. In addition, he created many drum tables for Thayer Coggin. You'll find a large collection of expertly vetted Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin pieces on 1stDibs.