Set of Four McGuire Furniture Director's X Campaign Chairs
View Similar Items
Set of Four McGuire Furniture Director's X Campaign Chairs
About the Item
- Creator:John and Elinor McGuire (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 33 in (83.82 cm)Width: 23.5 in (59.69 cm)Depth: 17 in (43.18 cm)Seat Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 4
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1980-1989
- Date of Manufacture:1980s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:St. Louis, MO
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU82027278953
John and Elinor McGuire
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 wide range of vintage John and Elinor McGuire furniture on 1stDibs.
- Vintage 80s McGuire Antalya Directors Style Dining or Occasional Chairs RawhideBy John and Elinor McGuire, McGuireLocated in St. Louis, MOPair of Classic 1980s directors style McGuire dining or occasional armchairs with lattice style rawhide seats and backs. These rattan framed chairs with backrest and seat woven in ra...Category
Vintage 1980s Philippine British Colonial Armchairs
MaterialsHide, Rattan
- Vintage set of 6 Tropical Vibe McGuire Rattan & Cane Dining Chairs c. 1970sBy McGuire, John and Elinor McGuireLocated in St. Louis, MONice late 1970s vintage set of 6, California casual designed McGuire San Francisco dining chairs made of bent rattan and caning with loose upholstered seat. Feature a barrel back, X ...Category
Vintage 1970s Philippine Hollywood Regency Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Cane, Rattan
- Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin Set of 8 1970s Chrome & Rattan Dining ChairsBy Milo Baughman, Thayer CogginLocated in St. Louis, MOSleek Mid-Century Modern set of eight chrome & cane back side dining chairs designed by Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin circa 1970s. Each chair having a thin simplistic chrome frame ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Set of 4 Milo Baughman for Thayer-Coggin Cantilever Dining or Game Table ChairsBy Milo Baughman, Thayer CogginLocated in St. Louis, MOSet of four Milo Baughman for Thayer-Coggin cantilevered armless dining chairs, model #1060 with chrome frames. These chairs were used around a Leo Rosen for...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Set of 4 William Billy Haines Style Dining or Game Chairs - Modern Cabriole legsBy William Billy HainesLocated in St. Louis, MOSet of four William Billy Haines style dining or game table chairs with sculpted modern cabriole legs and tufted faux green leather backs. The backside of the chair has nice inset ma...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
MaterialsMahogany, Upholstery
- Pair of Harvey Probber Arch Back Side ChairsBy Harvey ProbberLocated in St. Louis, MOPair of high arch back side chairs in dark mahogany with beige upholstery.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Mahogany
- Set of Four McGuire Campaign Style Cerused Directors ChairsBy McGuire, Leonard LindenLocated in Rio Vista, CARare set of four midcentury Campaign-style directors chairs by Leonard Linden for McGuire. The chairs feature a whitewashed or Cerused finish on the oak. Embellished with leather raw...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- Paolo Mahogany and Canvas Folding Director's ChairBy Brett PaulinLocated in Toronto, OntarioThe Paolo Director's Chair is crafted from solid mahogany wood, paired with vintage style heavy loomed canvas. The chair is in the spirit of the c...Category
2010s Canadian Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
MaterialsCanvas, Mahogany
$1,400 / item - Vintage Needlepoint Director’s Chair Folding Black Brown White GeometricLocated in Topeka, KSAwesome black wood folding director’s chair with a handmade black, brown, and white geometric pattern needlepoint sling seat and back. It is in wonderful vintage condition. The wood has a new coat of black paint. The needlepoint is all intact and has been carefully cleaned. Please see photos, circa 1960s-1970s. Now this is a director’s chair!! I fell totally in love...Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Campaign Side Chairs
MaterialsTextile, Wood
- Vintage director's chairLocated in Bastia Umbra, ITThis BEAUTIFUL vintage DIRECTOR'S CHAIR dates back to 1940. It was made of wood and fabric, closable by metal joints. Purchased already in good condition, it has been restored; the ...Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Cotton, Wood
- Pair of McGuire Campaign Style Oak Directors ChairsBy McGuireLocated in Rio Vista, CARare pair of campaign style folding directors chairs made by McGuire. The chairs feature an oak frame instead of the more common rattan pole construction McGuire is known for. The oa...Category
20th Century American Campaign Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- 1960s Director's Chair by McGuire Wood and Black LeatherLocated in ITDirector's chair by McGuire from 1960s with black leather seat and brass details. Great conditions, conservative restoration.Category
Vintage 1960s Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood