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Midcentury McGuire Writing Desk with Cane Drawer Fronts and Brass Pulls

Name: Midcentury McGuire Writing Desk with Cane Drawer Fronts and Brass Pulls
Brand: McGuire
Price: 4828.36 CHF
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (59 reviews)

$5,995

£4,533.65

€5,193.04

CA$8,400.44

A$9,170.45

CHF 4,828.36

MX$109,851.32

NOK 61,752.89

SEK 56,381.41

DKK 38,793.23

About the Item

This elegant midcentury writing desk by McGuire exemplifies the brand’s refined approach to natural materials and relaxed modern design. Constructed with a warm-toned wood frame and slender, gently tapered legs, the desk has a light, architectural presence that feels both tailored and understated. The apron is fitted with three drawers, each featuring woven cane fronts that introduce texture and visual warmth while keeping the overall silhouette clean and uncluttered. The drawers are accented with simple brass pulls, adding a subtle note of contrast without overpowering the design. Inside one of the drawers, the original McGuire label is present, confirming the maker and period. The proportions are particularly successful: the desk is wide enough to function comfortably as a workspace while remaining visually light, making it well suited to a home office, bedroom, or living area. The open clearance beneath the apron (24.5"H) allows for generous legroom, reinforcing its practicality for everyday use. The wood surfaces show natural grain variation and a softly aged finish, consistent with McGuire’s emphasis on craftsmanship and materials rather than high gloss or ornament. The combination of wood, cane, and brass gives the piece versatility, allowing it to sit comfortably in midcentury, coastal, or more eclectic interiors. Overall, this is a well-balanced and authentic McGuire desk that offers both functionality and quiet sophistication, with materials and details that age gracefully over time.

Creator:
McGuire (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 29.5 in (74.93 cm)Width: 48 in (121.92 cm)Depth: 24 in (60.96 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Cane,Wood,Woven
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1950
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Good vintage condition with light surface wear to the wood and cane drawer fronts, minor marks and patina consistent with age and use. Please refer to the various additional photos for further condition details and contact us with any questions.
Seller Location:
Atlanta, GA
Reference Number:
Seller: A 65441stDibs: LU836747926642

Shop All McGuire

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.

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Midcentury McGuire Writing Desk with Cane Drawer Fronts and Brass Pulls

About the Item

McGuire

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