Paul McCobb  (American, 1917-1969) 

Paul McCobb (American, June 5, 1917–March 10, 1969) was a furniture designer and decorator who was well-known for his contributions to modern furniture design. He was born in Medford, MA, and developed a taste for art from a young age. Even though he studied at the Vesper George School of Art in Boston, he did not complete his studies. On December 5, 1942, he enlisted in the army. He served for a short time and was discharged in 1943. It was then that his interest in furniture design developed. He moved to New York where he was employed by Martin Feinman's Mordernage Furniture. While working there he met his future partner B.G. Mesberg. In 1945, he managed to establish an industrial design company of his own, Paul McCobb Design Associates.

By 1948, McCobb had made a name for himself in the industry. He and Mesberg went on to form the Planner Group in 1950. He was responsible for the designs, while his partner acted as the distributor. Together, they introduced a line of home furnishings that proved very popular. McCobb's designs targeted the post World War II middle-class community. The furniture was simple, practical, and affordable. Planner Group released more collections after that, such as the Directional, Predictor Linear, and Perimeter lines. These made McCobb a household name. The company ventured into other products such as wallpaper and lighting. McCobb also designed television sets, radios, and hi-fi consoles.

Between 1950 and 1955, McCobb received the Good Design Award five times from the Museum Of Modern Art in New York, NY. In 1959, the Philadelphia Museum of Arts also honored him with the Contribution to Better Design Award. He went on to act as a design consultant to a number of corporations including Singer and Columbia records. His designs were put on exhibit at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, and at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, NY. McCobb died on March 10, 1969.