Tabago Furniture

Mid Century Canadian furniture maker Tabago Furniture Ltd has left a lasting legacy of striking, graphic and highly unique work. For a company that has crafted some of the most memorable furniture of the 1960's it's surprising that very little is known about its history or designers. Most Tabago Furniture isn't stamped with a makers label only 'Made in Canada', so it can be difficult to identify. Also the furniture was promoted and sold into the American market so is often assumed to be made by an American company.

Tabago furniture designs are often described as brutalist in style but likely take a lot of inspiration from the graphic art craft aesthetic of progressive mid century American designers like Paul Evans and Phillip Lloyd Powell. The designs range from highly geometric external motifs to softer organic forms with a Scandinavian influence, each design has it's own distinct personality.

After reviewing some of the prominent Canadian furniture and interior design publications of the 1970's it seems that Tobago Furniture was set up in Quebec the early 1970's and was in operation until the mid 1980's. In 1974 Tabago set up a permanent presence in High Point, North Carolina, which at the time was known as 'The furniture capital of the world'. Here the company would have been exposed to some of the most progressive designers and furniture makers including Milo Baughman and Thayer Coggin.

While established in High Point, Tabago worked closely with four other premium Canadian furniture makers to promote and celebrate Canadian design. These furniture makers were Impact 2000, Rougier, R.S. and Treco. The advert in Decormag proudly proclaims that "These firms are considered to be leaders in the design field in Canada, having won no less than 52 Furniture Trophies since the creation of these awards in 1966".

Due to the lack of information available it seems that Tabago furniture is often mistakenly named 'Tobago' furniture on mid century design websites like 1stdibs and Chairish. Tobago Brutalist Furniture.