Paul McCobb "Cigarette" Table, circa 1955
View Similar Items
Paul McCobb "Cigarette" Table, circa 1955
About the Item
- Creator:Paul McCobb (Designer),Directional (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 21.5 in (54.61 cm)Diameter: 20 in (50.8 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1955
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Providence, RI
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU943016478161
Paul McCobb
You could call Paul McCobb a man of parts. As a furniture designer, his work combined the attributes of many of his now better-known peers. Like Bauhaus designers such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, McCobb's furniture had purity of form and line. Like the designs of Florence Knoll and George Nelson and his associates, McCobb’s work was efficient and purposeful. And even like George Nakashima, he was adept at interpreting traditional forms, in particular those of chairs, for the 20th century.
More than any other designer beside Russel Wright, with his ubiquitous ceramic tableware, McCobb was arguably responsible for the introduction of modern design into middle-class American households — if for no other reason than that he designed the 1952 set for the original Today show. McCobb also designed cohesive lines of furnishings, such as his best-known Planner Group, that gave homes an instant “look.” McCobb designed for several companies, most notably Directional, the New York firm that also produced designs by other legends, such as Paul Evans and Vladimir Kagan.
The signal aesthetic attribute of McCobb designs is that he completely forsook ornament — his pieces have no flourishes. And yet, because they are honest — the chairs, desks and tables are made of solid wood, usually maple or birch, often paired with frames and legs of wrought iron; the cabinets are traditionally scaled; the seating pieces have historic antecedents such as the Windsor chair — McCobb’s mid-century modern work has warmth and presence.
As you can see from the offerings on 1stDibs, vintage Paul McCobb designs are the pin-striped suit, or the little black dress, of a décor: an essential.
Directional
A brand known to vintage mid-century modern furniture collectors everywhere, Directional Furniture opened its doors after American furniture designer Paul McCobb created the high-end Directional Modern line of sofas distributed by the New York–based Modernage Company.
In his pivotal introduction of postwar modernism to the mass market, the revered Massachusetts-born McCobb had established several lines, from the affordable and refined Planner Group for Winchendon to the swooping and unexpected arms of the Symmetric Group for Widdicomb, a Shaker-inspired collection that included a sofa and a lounge chair. Like all of McCobb’s designs, the Directional pieces for Modernage are defined by a sleek aesthetic in which the focus is on elegant functionality, frequently using fine materials such as brass and walnut. In 1949, in partnership with New York furniture salesman B.G. Mesberg, McCobb set up the Directional Furniture Company.
The pair’s first pieces were upholstered chairs, intended to harmonize with the modular Multiplex pieces designed by Martin Feinman. McCobb then designed an array of furniture including storage, dining, seating, desks and other pieces with details such as leather tops, wood finishes and Roman Travertine surfaces. While Directional stopped production of McCobb’s work in the early 1960s, it still released numerous pieces by leading designers manufactured by a variety of companies.
Designer Paul Evans led the factory for a time after joining in 1964. His provocative work for the company often reflected his understanding of materials from his early training as a silversmith, such as the popular Cityscape series — a milestone in brutalist design — with its blocky forms accented with brass and chrome. At his shop in Lambertville, New Jersey, he collaborated with a design team to clad furniture pieces in metallic surfaces, like the Argente line that began production in 1968 and involved an acetylene torch to give its aluminum material a textural quality. He also worked on the Sculpted Bronze series with hand-formed resin shaped over plywood or steel that was then coated with atomized bronze.
Other Directional designers included Vladimir Kagan, who contributed biomorphic sofas and swivel chairs; Milo Baughman, who created tables and dressers inspired by Scandinavian modernism; and Jack Lenor Larsen, who covered sofas in dynamically patterned fabric.
Find authentic Directional Furniture seating, tables, case pieces and storage cabinets from top sellers around the world on 1stDibs.
- Paul McCobb Cigarette TablesBy Paul McCobb, DirectionalLocated in Brooklyn, NYPair of occasional tables, model no. 1094, designed by Paul McCobb for Directional. Graceful pedestal base is elevated on three angular legs. Round table top is fitted with the orig...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsBrass
$11,500 - Paul McCobb for Directional Brass and Vitrolite “Cigarette” Table, 1954By Paul McCobb, DirectionalLocated in Round Rock, TXOffered is a rare design from Paul McCobb that doesn’t come to market often. Commonly referred to as the “cigarette” table, model no. 1094 from Directional was only produced for a sh...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
MaterialsBrass
- 23.5 Early Production Paul McCobb Cigarette TableBy Paul McCobbLocated in Pasadena, TXPaul McCobb`s furniture and interior designs of the 1950s rank alongside Russell Wright, Gustav Stickley, and Heywood-Wakefield as marked staples in modern design. Paul McCobb`s Directional Designs furniture line exhibits the low-cost, functional, and versatile furniture components, storage units, and interiors that earned McCobb the title of "America`s decorator" during the mid-twentieth century. Rare Paul McCobb Cigarette Table...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsIron
- Paul McCobb Cigarette Side Table for DirectionalBy Paul McCobbLocated in San Francisco, CAPaul McCobb design "Cigarette" side table for Directional, Model 1094. Sophisticated looking tripod brass frame with a vitrolite top, perfect for drinks etc. Iconic Mid-Century moder...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Paul McCobb Brass and Mahogany "Cigarette" Table for Directional, 1950sBy Paul McCobbLocated in Coronado, CAPaul McCobb Model '1094' "Cigarette" table produced by Directional in the 1950s. These tables were produced in very small numbers for only a brief time. Solid brass tripod form with ...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Evans Cityscape Side TableLocated in East Hampton, NYRare side table by Paul Evans for the Cityscape series. Brass with walnut top. Side table or accent table.Category
Vintage 1970s Side Tables
MaterialsBrass