Sam Farber
Sam Farber | |
---|---|
Born | November 16, 1924 |
Died | June 16, 2013 |
Nationality | American |
Education | B.A. Harvard University |
Occupation | Businessman |
Spouse(s) | Joan Levine (divorced) Betsey Wells Kriegsman |
Children | 4 |
Samuel Farber (November 16, 1924 – June 16, 2013) was an American
Farber and his son, John Farber, co-founded
Early life
Sam Farber was born on November 16, 1924, in New York City, though he was raised in nearby Yonkers, New York,[2] the son of Rose (née Winograd) and Louis Farber.[3] His father founded the Sheffield Silver Company and Farber Brothers, which sold serving ware; and served as the president of the Jewish Community Center of Yonkers.[3] He had one brother, Israel Farber.[3] His uncle, Simon Farber, founded Farberware, which manufactures kitchen appliances and cookware.[1]
Farber served in North Africa and
Career
Copco
In 1960, Farber founded Copco, which manufactured
OXO
Farber founded OXO as a result of improvements he made to an everyday
Farber unveiled the new line at the Gourmet Products Show in San Francisco, California, in 1990.[2] He named his company "OXO" for its "backward, upside-down and vertical graphic symmetry."[2] Farber's OXO products were more expensive than competitors', but the line proved a hit with consumers, who were willing to pay more for the new, easier-to-use utensils.[2]
The Farber family sold OXO to General Housewares Corporation in 1992. OXO is currently owned by Helen of Troy Limited, as of 2013.[1]
Mario Batali products
Sam and John Farber later created a line of products sold by chef Mario Batali.[1]
Boards
An art collector, Farber served on the board of directors for the American Folk Art Museum in Manhattan.[1]
Personal life
He was a longtime resident of Manhattan but lived in Lexington, Massachusetts, during his later years.[2]
Farber was married twice. His first marriage to Joan Levine[5] ended in divorce;[6] they had two sons, John Farber (born c. 1976, married in 1996 to Wendyll Brown)[7] and Thomas Farber,[2] a criminal court judge in New York.[7] In 1985, he married Betsey Wells Kriegsman, an architect, in a nondenominational ceremony in New York City;[6] he has two stepchildren from her previous marriage, Mark Kriegsman and Sue Kriegsman.[2]
Death
Farber died in East Meadow, New York of complications from a fall on June 16, 2013, at the age of 88.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Samuel Farber, developer of kitchen utensils, dies at 88". United Press International. June 22, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Fox, Margalit (June 21, 2013). "Sam Farber, Creator of Oxo Utensils, Dies at 88". The New York Times. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Louis Farber of Hallandale, Fla., a founder and former president of the Sheffield Silver Company and Farber Brothers in New York City, died Sunday in White Plains Hospital. He was 90 years old". The New York Times. September 7, 1976.
- ^ Cagan, J., and Vogel, C. (2002) Creating Breakthrough Products, Prentice-Hall, Inc. pp. 14–18.
- ^ "obituaries - Sam Farber - IIT Institute of Design Board of Overseers" (PDF). Illinois Institute of Technology Magazine. Fall 2013. p. 42.
- ^ a b "Mrs. Kriegsman, Architect, Is Wed". The New York Times. March 17, 1985.
- ^ a b Brady, Lois Smith (February 18, 1996). "VOWS; Wendyll Brown and John Farber". The New York Times.