Modernism is all around us, yet its history is disappearing in plain sight.
In the decades following World War II, American Modernism transformed our homes, interiors and the objects of everyday life. Today, Modernist buildings are demolished, objects are separated from their histories, company archives disappear and the people who created them pass away. In their place, incomplete records, repeated misattributions and increasingly AI-generated information are rapidly transforming speculation into accepted history. But how do we know what is actually true?
Using Modeline, Paul McCobb, and the Laurel Lamp Company as case studies, three panelists will examine how Modern design history is researched, challenged, corrected and ultimately preserved. Through archival discoveries, disputed attributions and exhumed company records, they will share the inherent challenges of reconstructing design history and separating evidence from assumption.
Along the way, they’ll explore how collectors, dealers, researchers, families and enthusiasts can all play a role in preserving the Modern design record.
Nick Ferrell, owner of Esthetic Vintage and author of Modeline of California: Pioneer of Modern Lighting (Schiffer Publishing, 2025) has spent years uncovering the history of Modeline and highlighting its influence on Modern lighting design. IG @estheticvintage
Samuel Hildreth has assembled an extensive archive devoted to Paul McCobb, bringing the designer’s work and legacy to new audiences through museum exhibitions and through the re-introduction of Paul McCobb's designs back into production.
Greg Weiss, a fourth-generation descendant of lighting pioneer Max Weiss and President of the Laurel Lamp Foundation, has built a nonprofit organization dedicated to archiving the history of the Laurel Lamp Company and preserving its legacy. laurellampfoundation.com