Paul McCobb Fiberglass Chairs

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—01. Designed for St. John Seating Co., NY.

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Affectionately referred to as the 'Origami Chair' because of its folded appearance, this design by Paul McCobb is my favourite of the many mid-century fiberglass options. The Charles and Ray Eames 'Shell Chair' might be more recognizable but it's become quite ubiquitous, with knock-offs and copies running rampant. The faceted angles of McCobb's design, however, really stand out and it is a rare gem that proves much more elusive.  

—Available on 1stdibs

Paul McCobb Planner Group

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—01. Vintage advertisement for the Planner Group series.

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US born Paul McCobb as been a household name since the Planner Group series came to prominence in the 1950s. I learned about him recently when I asked Kyle Garner about some of his favorite designers, and the chairs in this series came up. My curiosity combined with an increasing interest in furniture lead me to some reading and the rest of the Planner Group series. It's a beautiful selection of pieces from the chairs to the storage units. The angles and round shapes he used makes them just as appealing today as they were 61 years ago when they came out. While they do go for a decent price, you can still find reasonable deals in bigger cities and even through eBay.

—Selection of McCobb's designs

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