| Sam Farber | |
| Birth Date: | November 16, 1924 |
| Birth Place: | New York City |
| Death Date: | June 16, 2013 |
| Nationality: | American |
| Education: | B.A. Harvard University |
| Occupation: | Businessman |
| Children: | 4 |
| Spouse: | Joan Levine (divorced) Betsey Wells Kriegsman |
Samuel Farber (November 16, 1924 – June 16, 2013) was an American industrial designer and businessman.
Farber and his son, John Farber, co-founded OXO, a manufacturer of kitchen utensils and housewares.[1] [2] Farber is credited with revolutionizing the kitchen utensil industry by developing and introducing a line of utensils with plastic-coated black handles through OXO. While more expensive than traditional utensils, the new soft, black handled utensils proved to be a success with consumers.
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 Turkey during World War II as a member of the Army Air Forces.[1] He received a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University in 1946.[1]
In 1960, Farber founded Copco, which manufactured enamel-coated, cast iron cookware.[1] He sold Copco in 1982, largely retiring from the industry at the time of the sale.[1]
Farber founded OXO as a result of improvements he made to an everyday vegetable peeler.[1] While vacationing in a rented home in southern France, his wife, Betsy Farber, who suffered from arthritis, was trying to peel apples, which proved difficult using a peeler with a standard design.[1] [2] The difficulties presented by available peelers (and their handles) sparked an idea for Sam for a more inclusive design. He and his son, John, hired Smart Design, an industrial design firm based in New York City, with whom they created a new product line of kitchen utensils fitted with soft plastic-coated black handles, which made them easier to hold and utilize, and more aesthetically appealing than other utensils.[4]
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]
Sam and John Farber later created a line of products sold by chef Mario Batali.[1]
An art collector, Farber served on the board of directors for the American Folk Art Museum in Manhattan.[1]
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]
Farber died in East Meadow, New York of complications from a fall on June 16, 2013, at the age of 88.[1]