McGuire
Also called McGuire Furniture, McGuire Furniture Company, McGuire San Francisco
A San Francisco maker founded in 1948, known for handcrafted rattan furniture bound in signature rawhide.
California Modernism Crafted in Rattan and Rawhide
Founded in San Francisco in 1948 by John and Elinor McGuire, McGuire Furniture helped define West Coast casual luxury. The brand turned natural materials—steam-bent rattan, solid oak, bamboo, and teak—into sculptural, durable silhouettes for indoor and outdoor living. Collaborations with notable designers, including Barbara Barry, Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, and Thomas Pheasant, alongside classic house designs like Elinor’s 1968 Cracked Ice chair, established their signature aesthetic.
McGuire’s defining technical hallmark is its patented rawhide binding. Artisans wrap wet rawhide strips tightly around dowelled rattan joints; as the rawhide dries, it shrinks to create a tight structural bond that resists loosening over decades. Authentic pieces are recognizable by this distinct binding, as well as an engraved brass plaque marked "McGuire / San Francisco" affixed to the frame, or burnt-in maker stamps and serial numbers underneath.
Because these frames rely on steam-bent solid woods, steel cores, and shrinking leather joins rather than simple glue, pre-owned McGuire pieces retain their structural integrity, flexibility, and relaxed charm through generations of daily use.