The
concept of "modularity" wasn't in the popular lexicon when Charles and
Ray Eames designed their innovative Storage Units (1950) that can be
configured to fit a space or need. Suitable for office and residential
use, these units were designed as storage and display spaces, with two
color schemes. The design resulted from work the Eameses did for a 1949
exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the molded plywood and
wire supports echo other items designed by the Eameses, such as their
wire base tables and chairs. The "multi" color scheme includes birch
fronts and a blue side panel. The "natural" color scheme includes birch
fronts and a tan side panel. The shelves in both color schemes are
black. The nylon glides are easy on floors.
Materials:
Zinc-coated
steel supports and perforated panels; nylon foot glides; dimpled
plywood cabinet fronts; molded plywood drawer fronts and shelves;
painted hardboard case sides and back panels.
A product introduced before its time, the Eames Desk Unit is emblematic
of the grace and vision Charles and Ray Eames used in solving home
furnishing problems.
A result of work they had done for a 1949 exhibition at the Detroit
Institute of Arts, Eames Desk Units and Storage Units reveal the
"machine aesthetic" and Japanese influences important to the Eameses at
the time. Long before "modularity" and "high tech" entered the
language, Charles and Ray combined standardized parts in many ways to
create practical furnishings that suit a variety of uses at home and
the office.
The wire cross supports used in Eames Desk Units echo other classic
Eames designs, including Eames Storage Units, wire chairs, and
wire-base tables.
Dimensions:
H 29" W 60" D 28"
Materials:
Plywood; painted hardboard sides and panels; zinc-coated steel; nylon glides.
This classic table's top and legs are shaped by molding thin wood
veneers under heat and pressure--the same breakthrough process Charles
and Ray Eames used to create their molded plywood chairs.
The coffee table first came to Herman Miller's attention when George
Nelson, design director, saw it and other Eames molded plywood products
at a showing in the Barclay Hotel in New York City in the mid-1940s.
Nelson contacted the Eameses and soon afterward, they were designing
for Herman Miller. These imaginative tables are an enduring landmark of
modern, functional design.
Using the same technology that led to the invention of their iconic
molded plywood lounge chairs, the Eameses designed their Plywood Coffee
Table (1946) to have a lean, shaped form that was durable yet
lightweight. Its "saucer"-like top and curved legs first caught the eye
of Herman Miller; design director George Nelson during a one-man
furniture exhibition at the MoMA in 1946. Herman Miller has been
faithfully manufacturing the table for over 50 years. Compact and
lightly scaled, it is a versatile coffee table for both traditional and
modern spaces. Able to single-handedly convey the spirit of Eames
design with its warm, molded plywood and personable shape, it is
further complemented by the Eames; Molded Plywood Lounge Chairs. Made
in U.S.A. Simple assembly is required.
Dimensions:
H 15.5" Diameter 34" Materials:
Natural ash veneer; maple inner ply; 8-ply base; 5-ply tabletop.
Characteristically, the Eames; Wire-Base Table is remarkable for the
elegance achieved using simple, practical materials. Its scaled-down
profile shows the influence of Japanese forms and households based on
an aesthetic ideal of simplicity, serenity and restraint. In fact, the
Eameses used these wire-base tables in their home during a tea ceremony
that included Isamu Noguchi and Charlie Chaplin. Just 10" high, the
table provides a handy surface for a stack of books or a place to rest
a drink.
In the late 1940s, Charles Eames noted all the "fantastic things being
made of wire." That fascination led Charles and Ray Eames to develop a
mass-production technique for simultaneously welding wire rods. One
result was the wire-base table introduced in 1950. Their work yielded
many other breakthrough products--including wire chairs, storage units,
and elliptical tables.
The wire-base tabletop cosists of seven layers of Baltic birch plywood,
beveled at 20 degrees and sandwiched between ash veneer or
high-pressure laminate in black or white. The base is available in a
powder-coat white, black or zinc.
n the late 1940s, Charles Eames noted all the "fantastic things being
made of wire." That fascination led Charles and Ray Eames to develop a
mass-production technique for simultaneously welding wire rods. One
result was the wire-base table introduced in 1950. Practical in so many
milieus, the tables gave the Eameses the perfect place to serve
chanoyu, the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, to special guests, such
as sculptor Isamu Noguchi and film star Charlie Chaplin. Today these
lightweight, diminutive tables stand on their own, next to beds and
chairs as an accompanying surface, or on top of each other in a
convenient stack.
Dimensions:
H 10" W 15.5" D 13.25" Materials:
Laminate top; seven-ply Baltic birch core; wire base.
Charles and Ray Eames spent many years experimenting with wire rods,
work that yielded a number of breakthrough products in the 1950s. They
considered many shapes for this large table introduced in 1951, but
their final choice was elliptical. It reminds some of a surfboard.
That's fitting, given that the Eameses enjoyed commanding views of the
Pacific Ocean from their California home and studio.
Nicknamed the "surfboard table", this elongated Elliptical Table (1951)
exemplifies the delightful playfulness that enlivened the work of
Charles and Ray Eames. It also reveals the couple's practical side;
their desire to create furniture that would become a part of a life
lived with simplicity and beauty. Thus, the seven and half foot table
sets the stage for a bowl of fresh flowers, a special work of art or a
big picture book. Representing a whole new design language when it
appeared in 1951, the table was re-issued by Herman Miller; in 1994.
Its light wire base and long lean silhouette look just as refreshingly
modern today as then.
Charles and Ray Eames considered many shapes for this large table
introduced in 1951, but their final choice was elliptical. It reminds
some of a surfboard. That's fitting, given that the Eameses enjoyed
commanding views of the Pacific Ocean from their California home and
studio.
Charles and Ray Eames spent many years experimenting with wire rods,
work that yielded a number of breakthrough products in the
1950s--including the wire-rod base for this table, Eames wire-base
tables, Eames wire chairs, and other products.
Dimensions:
H 10" L 89" D 29.5" Materials:
7-ply Baltic birch core; high-pressure laminate top and backer; zinc plated base.
Wide selection. Inch-thick Eames table tops come in 36 sizes and four shapes: oval, rectangular, square, and round.
Modular bases. The Eames segmented-base table is an assembly of modular
elements that can be configured to support table top sizes from 30
inches to 22 feet long.
In 1964, the office of Charles and Ray Eames designed a table with a
single segmented base, constructed of modular units, that could support
tops of different lengths and widths. The strength and versatility of
the lean and simple base design makes it possible to produce tables in
a wide range of sizes.
Like all fine works of art, Eames tables endure through the decades.
Like all Herman Miller products, Eames tables purchased today have the
strength and durability to provide reliable performance for decades to
come.
Genuine innovation is rare. And perhaps no one has achieved it as often
as Charles and Ray Eames. Their inventive design for this dining table
makes functionality beautiful with an uncluttered profile well suited
to both traditional and contemporary interiors. To give the table
maximum strength and stability, Charles and Ray created a design that
securely affixes the base to the 1-inch-thick tabletop; adjustable
glides keep things on a even keel.
Originally developed as a
special project for a private residence being designed by Eero Saarinen
and Alexander Girard.
Was first conceived as a challenge for Charles and Ray to
develop a high-quality seating product for outdoor use. After a short time the product moved exclusively inside.
The seat-back suspension was a new technical achievement and was a departure from the concept of the chair as a solid shell.
The chair explored the newly affordable aluminum on the market. This
resulted in the design of a lightweight, corrosion-resistant and
die-cast frame
The seat frame was initially designed to support a stretched fabric (woven saran-mesh). Although the
mesh was discontinued shortly after its introduction. Herman Miller
recently (2001) reintroduced a new mesh material for the Aluminum Group.
Managment: H 31-34" D 23" W 23" Seat H 17-20"
Arm H 26-29"
Side Chair: H 34" W 23" D 23" Seat H 18.5"
Lounge: H 37" D 32.5" W 26" Seat H 15"
Ottoman: H 20" D 22" W 21.75"
Available in Side | Management | Executive | Lounge models and was the precurser to the Soft Pad version shown below.
Charles and Ray Eames designed Eames executive chairs in 1960 to grace
the lobbies that they designed for the Time-Life Building in New York
City. That's why some people call them Time-Life chairs.
Was originally referred to as the 3474 Tilt-Swivel chair.
Developed to meet the need for a comfortable chair that was smaller
than the Eames lounge chair.
In 1972, chess grand master Bobby Fischer specifically requested the
Eames executive chair while he competed in the World Chess Championship
in Reykjavik, Iceland. He said he could concentrate well in the chair.
When opponent Boris Spaasky saw it, he refused to play until he was given one as well.
By 1970, Herman Miller changed the designation of this chair. What was
known here as the "3474" chair was given a new "name" in 1970 and
thereafter: the "ES 104 adjustable tilt swivel chair." You can see one of the original promotional brochures HERE .
Motivated by the urgent need for low-cost housing and
furnishing designs in the immediate postwar period, MoMA sponsored the
"1948 International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design." Charles
made prototypes of "La Chaise" for this competition
the seat was inspired by Gaston Lachaise, the floating figure
sculpture.
This model was reproduced around 1990 by Vitra.
Philippe
Starck and Woo Bajolyodin are two of the fans of this model, which they
proudly display in thier homes.
Dimensions: H 34.25" D 35.5" W 53"
Seat Height 15.5"
Materials:
Chromed steel legs; fiberglass shell; solid oak base.
Just 18 inches wide, this lightly scaled chaise fits in a study, an
office - even a hallway. Its soft foam cushions rest atop a gently
sloping frame and two loose cushions give added support under the neck,
back or legs. Remarkably comfortable, the development of the chaise was
inspired by Hollywood director Billy Wilder. In a conversation with
friends Charles and Ray Eames, Wilder mentioned that he often took his
afternoon nap on a foot-wide plank slung between two sawhorses in the
Nova Scotia lighthouse where he was filming "The Spirit of St. Louis."
Wilder's unique solution stayed with the Eameses, who introduced their
beautifully sculpted chaise in 1968.
Dimensions:
H 29.5" D 76.5" W 18"
Materials:
Black leather upholstery; 2-inch-thick urethane foam cushions with
polyester fiber batting; nylon supporting sling. Die-cast aluminum
frame coated with eggplant-colored, electrostatically applied nylon;
high-impact, black nylon glides.
The light-scaled Eames sofa compact gives all the comfort usually
associated with long, low, heavy sofas. Two horizontal foam pads form
the sofa's comfortably high back. A black enameled steel frame and
chrome-plated tubular steel legs provide the foundation. It fits well
where bulkier, traditional sofas don't and is perfectly scaled for
tight spaces in executive suites, lounges and homes. The sofa has been
in continuous production by Herman Miller since 1954.
The sofa compact's striking profile and crisp, light scale evolved from
a built-in sofa that Charles and Ray Eames designed for the living room
of their Pacific Palisades home. Knowing this makes the name "compact"
seem less curious for a sofa that's over 6 feet long and provides such
comfortable support from shoulders to knees.
Designed in 1954, the Eames; Sofa Compact, another landmark of
pared-down modernist design, is a luxuriously comfortable sofa that
fits where most sofas won't. A mere 30" in depth, it occupies perhaps
half the space of a traditional sofa. Its trim profile makes it ideal
for reception areas, foyers, the executive office or any interior where
space is tight and elegance is required.
Dimensions:
H 35" D 30" L 72.5" Materials:
Chromed steel frame; fabric reinforced rubber web suspension; stainless steel glides; 100% polyester crepe upholstery.
The Eames sofa is the last piece of furniture produced by the Eames
Office, which completed the design after Charles Eames died in 1978. It
went into production in 1984 and has been manufactured by Herman Miller
ever since.
With its emphasis on beautiful materials and simplified forms, the
Eames sofa exemplifies the best in modern furniture design. Its angled
profile and clean planes showcase a harmonious combination of rich
walnut or teak, soft leather, and polished aluminum. Equally fitting
for the contemporary home or office, it's a luxurious place to settle
back and relax. Available with two or three seats.
Dimensions:
H 33" D 30" W 56"
Materials:
Leather upholstery; solid walnut frame and back; die-cast polished aluminum legs and arm supports
Charles and Ray Eames originally designed their tandem sling seating
for Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in 1962 to address the need
for comfortable, attractive, and sturdy public seating. They based the
design on the sling system developed for their aluminum group chairs.
To test the strength and durability of tandem sling seating, Herman
Miller tested a prototype by dropping a 100-pound weight on a seat pad
15,000 times at a height of 5 inches. In real life, tandem sling
seating has proven its durability under the most grueling conditions
every day, around the clock.
A study in beautiful contrasts, this sofa has a clean, angled profile
that showcases its fine materials - rich walnut, soft leather, polished
aluminum. Back panels are fashioned from solid walnut, hand-finished
with gunstock oil. Seat cushions rest on fabric-reinforced rubber
webbing for resilient body support and comfort. The design was nearly
complete when Charles Eames died in 1978; the Eames Office finished the
design, and Herman Miller began manufacturing this last Eames piece in
1984. This original is an authentic,
Fits the Space
Configuration freedom. Up to 7 seats or tables attach in any order to
the polished-aluminum support beam; seats can also be arranged back to
back.
Light appearance. Complements a public space without overwhelming it.
Serves the Public
Comfort for travelers. Seats are wide and padded; open seat-to-back angle.
Room for baggage. The support-beam design leaves plenty of space under the seats.
Built for 24-7 Use
Joint-free. Continuous die-cast aluminum chair frames and support beams provide maximum strength.
Foam pads. Pressed and sealed between two layers of vinyl for a durable, wrinkle-free surface.
Easy Care
No stitch lines. Dust can't gather.
On-site maintenance. Seat and back pads are the same size and
interchangeable; along with arm pads, they can be replaced on site.
This flexible plywood screen consists of thinner plywood
units. This product varies in height and in the number of plywood units
used. At first, plywood screens were also created in red, black, and
other colors. Screens could be made to order, and examples of these
include a huge screen comprised of tens of panels. Its design shows the
influence of Alvar Aalto, whom Charles respected.
n their early experiments in molded plywood, Charles and Ray Eames were
intrigued to see if they could create structures stable enough to
stand. This idea soon became reality in a portable, foldable way to
divide space, known as the Molded Plywood Folding Screen (1946).
Standing almost six feet tall, the screen is made up of six U-shaped
panels that have natural face veneers and lightweight walnut inner
plies. These panels were originally held together with canvas hinges
and a synthetic adhesive developed during WWII. Today, the screen is
made with a polypropylene mesh that's more flexible and longer lasting.
Shift the footprint of the undulating panels to fit the space needed,
and when not in use, fold the screen for compact storage.
Charles and Ray Eames noted that U-shaped cross sections of plywood
from their early molding experiments were stable enough to stand alone.
To make their screen, they joined the sections with canvas hinges and a
synthetic adhesive developed during World War II. Today, a
polypropylene mesh held securely by a new process ensures a longer life
without compromising the integrity of the 1946 design. You get a
portable, foldable, enjoyable way to divide space and give privacy.
The molded plywood folding screen features six panels connected by
woven polypropylene mesh. The hardwood inner ply is sandwiched by
natural face veneers available in your choice of four finish options.
Dimensions:
H 68" W 60" D 2.25" Materials:
Molded plywood sections; natural face veneer in ash, ebony, walnut or cherry; walnut inner plies; woven polypropylene mesh.
The famous icon
of American Modernism, design by Charles and Ray Eames for the U.S.
Government to transport wounded soldiers off the field. The precursor
to the early plywood furniture.
Produced for the United States Navy
by the Evans Products Company, Molded Plywood Division for injured
servicemen. These splints are truly beautiful and an important
milestone on the Eames journey.
A little bit of history:
The
last thing the landlord expected when he rented a modest Richard
Neutra-designed apartment on Strathmore Avenue in the Los Angeles
suburb of Westwood to a newly married couple in 1941 was for the spare
bedroom to be turned into a workshop. No sooner had Charles and Ray
Eames moved in than they kitted out that room with a home-made moulding
machine into which they fed the woods and glues that Charles sneaked
home from his day job as a set architect on MGM movies like Mrs Miniver.It
was on this machine - dubbed the "Kazam!" after the saying "Ala Kazam!"
because the plywood formed in the mould like magic - that the Eames
produced for the Navy, their first mass-manufactured product, a plywood
leg splint based that kept an injured leg stable during transport, on a
plaster mould of Charles' own leg. The splint is beautiful, elegant,
simple, and functional, and it solved a problem in a way that worked
for everybody. One of the most important things about that object is
that when you see it, you immediately know what it is. The design makes
it instantly recognizable. Too often, we confuse design with
marketability -- a product with a label that tries to tell us that the
product is a "good" design.
A year later, the US Navy placed an
order for 5,000 splints and the Eames moved their workshop out of their
apartment into a rented studio on nearby Santa Monica Boulevard.
The
Eames splint is recognizable by its simplicity -- a three-dimensional
outline of a space created by a leg. It achieves its intent and its
function with no extraneous moves; it's anti-rococo. But simplicity
does not mean simplistic -- something that's simplistic is made without
thought.
During World War II, the U.S. Navy called upon Charles and Ray Eames to
create a lightweight, inexpensive leg splint. The resulting design is a
highly sculptural yet functional device that could be mass-produced
and, being modular, conveniently and inexpensively transported. Access
to military technology and manufacturing facilities allowed the Eameses
to perfect their technique for molding plywood, which they had been
working on for several years. In its three-dimensional, biomorphic
form, the leg splint suggests the Eames' subsequent, highly influential
plywood furniture designs.
manufactured by Evans Products, Molded Plywood Division
The first product to reach the production line was a leg splint,
somewhat unlikely for one of the twentieth century’s greatest product
designers, but timely to say the least. In 1943 the US Navy placed an
order for 5000 leg splints, enabling the Eames to move out of their
apartment and into ritzier territory on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Dimensions:
H. 42 1/4 in. (107.3 cm), W. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm), D. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
To celebrate the 100th birthday of Charles Eames, Vitra is introducing
a limited anniversary edition of the Eames Plywood Elephant, a
legendary furniture sculpture that was designed in 1945 but never
produced for general distribution and sale. Of the two known
prototypes, only one remains in the Eames Family Archives.
Charles and Ray Eames were fascinated by elephants. Many images of
these gentle giants are found in Charles' photographic documentations
of Indian culture and the circus world. The Plywood Elephant was
designed as a toy for children, but also as a striking sculptural
object that makes a statement in any environment with its vigorous
curves and delightful character.
To commemorate Charles Eames' 100th birthday June 17th, Vitra is
producing one of the animals, the elephant, in a limited series of
1,000,
During the early 1940s Charles and Ray Eames developed a successful
technique for molding plywood into three-dimensional shapes, which led
to the creation of a variety of furnishings and sculptures. The Plywood
Elephant, in particular, has attained legendary status among
collectors. Designed in 1945, this piece requires complex fabrication
methods. Only two prototypes were produced, both of which were
subsequently displayed in an exhibition at the New York Museum of
Modern Art. Today only one known model remains in the possession of the
Eames Family.
Charles and Ray Eames were fascinated by elephants. Many images of
these gentle giants are found in Charles' photographic documentations
of Indian culture and the circus world. The Plywood Elephant was
designed as a toy for children, but also as a striking sculptural
object that makes a statement in any environment with its vigorous
curves and delightful character. There is a playful charm in the way
that the Eames’ used juvenile motifs to create a vibrant, cheerful
idiom that appeals to adults as well as children.When the Japanese design magazine Casa Brutus ran an all-Eames issue in
2001, it included a papercraft version of the Plywood Elephant that was
so popular, they reprinted it. A couple of years later, an
Eames-related mook came out with the papercraft elephant, too. [The mook is 1260 yen at Amazon JP; you can still get Casa Brutus for $20 from EamesGallery.com.]
In the mid-1940s, the Eameses began to design toys and furniture for
children, including molded plywood animals, colorful building blocks
and whimsical masks. This brightly colored hang-it-all holds jackets,
caps, skates, backpacks and almost anything else. Includes hardware
package with drywall anchors and screws.
Beginning in the mid-1940s and continuing throughout their careers,
Charles and Ray Eames designed a variety of whimsical toys and
furniture pieces specifically for children, including this 1953 piece
for Tigrett Enterprises Playhouse Division.
Why children's products? For purely personal reasons: Charles and Ray
wanted to give them to their own grandchildren and to the children of
friends.
The Hang-It-All--along with molded plywood animals, small-scale chairs
and tables, elaborate cardboard-and-paper masks, and brightly colored
building blocks--were all given the same careful design consideration
as the couple's furniture designs.
To achieve the Hang-It-All's spidery base, the Eameses used the
mass-production techniques for welding wires that they developed for
their wire-base tables and wire chairs.
Dimensions:
H 14.625" W 19.75" D 6.5" Materials:
Steel rod frame with white powder coat; painted solid maple balls in nine colors.
It was selected as "best design of the century" by Time magazine in 1999.
The chair is in the permanent
collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.
In the early 1940s, when Charles Eames was working on MGM set designs,
he would return to the small apartment where he and his wife, Ray, were
experimenting with wood-molding techniques that would have profound
effects on the design world. Their discoveries led to a commission from the U.S. Navy in 1942 to
develop plywood splints, stretchers, and glider shells molded under
heat and pressure.
After World War II, they adapted this technology to create inexpensive,
high-quality chairs that could be mass-produced. The process eliminated
the extraneous wood needed to connect the seat with the back, which
reduced the weight and visual profile of the chair.
Other designers like Swedish designer
AlvarAalto, had
employed bent and laminated plywood in their modern furniture designs
earlier, it was the Eameses process that allowed for sculptural and
organic compound curves in their
plywood designs.
In 1941 the Museum of Modern Art held a competition organized by Eliot
Noyes to discover imaginative designers for contemporary living. Prizes
were awarded to Eames and Saarinen for these chairs and storage pieces,
by a jury that included Edgar Kaufmann Jr., Alfred H. Barr of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Eliot Noyes, Marcel Breuer, Frank Parrish,
and architect Edward Durrell Stone.
The chairs were shown in 1946 in a Museum of Modern Art exhibition, New Furniture Designed by Charles Eames. At the time of the exhibit, the chairs had only three legs, and problems of stability discouraged mass production.
Designs with four wooden legs were first produced in 1946 by Evans
Products Company (Eames' wartime employer) and distributed by the
Herman Miller Furniture Company.
Later versions with metal legs were produced in 1951, including the LCM
(Low Chair-Metal) and DCM (Dining Chair-Metal) models. Matching dining
and coffee tables were also produced. The line was produced until 1957,
then re-issued in 1994.
Earned the nickname "the potato chip chair" for it's organic looking plywood seat and back.
Sometimes referred to as
the "most famous chair of the century,"
Materials:
Molded 5-ply seat and back; 8-ply legs and back brace; rubber shock mounts; self-leveling nylon glides.
Is widely considered one of the most significant designs
of the 20th century, it is featured in the permanent MOMA collection .
Correctly titled the 670 for the lounge, and 671 for the ottoman.
Designed using the molded plywood technology that the Eames pioneered in the 1940's.
In continuous production since its introduction in 1956, for Herman Miller, made its public
debut on Arlene Francis' Home show, which later became the Today show.
The current models looks exactly the same as the originals. They remain
unupholstered, in keeping with the Eameses requirement that materials
be expressed honestly and unselfconsciously. In fact, these were the
first one-piece plastic chairs to be left uncovered.
At the same time, the chairs are better than ever. For example, the
shell is now manufactured using more environmentally friendly,
high-impact plastic.
The first successfully mass-produced molded plastic chairs, these
were molded in fiberglass reinforced polyester and designed by Charles
Eames (1907-1978) in 1948.
They were introduced in 1951 by the Herman
Miller Furniture Company and were produced in a variety of individual
variations through 1995.
This DAR (dining and desk chair) model illustrated has a lightweight
structural wire base, often called the "Eiffel Tower". The RAR version
had birch wood rockers on the bottom. Other standard models (DAX, LAX
and SAX) had more traditional bent metal legs, some with swivel seats.
This design was originated by Eames in a similar organically-shaped
one-piece stamped metal bucket seat in his winning design in the Museum
of Modern Art's international competition for Low Cost Furniture Design
in 1948. The competition was in collaboration with furniture retailers
like Herman Miller, who agreed to produce the winning designs
commercially.
In 1946, Eames' original molded plywood chairs had been made by
Evans Products Company and distributed by Herman Miller. In 1947 George
Nelson (1908-1986) bought the tooling for Herman Miller, which then
continued production until 1957. In 1994, they were re-introduced.
PAW:
This is also the plastic armchair manufactured by Zenith. The steel
rods support the wood legs ("dowel legs") with a swivel. As this
wonderful model illustrates, Charles was particularly skillful at
combining different kinds of materials. Because the wood legs break
easily, very few of these Plastic Armchairs remain in complete and good
condition.
The
chair bases were made of metal rods that were resistance-welded for
stability. Like most of the Eames' furniture, the bases aquired funny
descriptive names from consumers, names like cat's cradle, X-base, and
the Eiffel Tower. The Eames' fiberglass chairs were eventually offered
with over two-dozen different bases that rocked, swiveled, rolled,
adjusted, or just "sat" there.
RAR:
This plastic armchair on a rocker-base comprised of wood rockers and
steel rod legs was manufactured by Zenith. This model is rare, for it
was only produced during the first year of the Eames rocker-based
chairs, and subsequent models had a slightly different rod
configuration. The rocker version of the Plastic Armchair was produced
for commercial sale until 1968. Until 1984, Herman Miller gave this
chair as a gift to everyone of his employees who became a parent.
The Eames Molded Plastic Rocker (1948), often known as the RAR (rocking
armchair rod), was out of production for 30 years before being brought
back with the blessings of the Eames Office. Originally manufactured in
fiberglass-reinforced plastic, this classic rocker was updated in
durable and environmentally friendly molded polypropylene. This molded
shell has a deep seat pocket, integrated armrests and a high backrest.
The waterfall seat edge promotes comfortable seating for extended
periods of time by reducing pressure on the backs of thighs. The iconic
Eames wire base is set atop two maple runners for a smooth rocking
motion that brings enjoyment to contract and residential settings. This
original is an authentic, fully licensed product of Herman Miller, Inc.
Eames is a licensed trademark of Herman Miller, Inc.
Dimensions:
H 26.5" W 24.5" D 27" Seat H 16" Arm H 23.5" Materials:
Batch-dyed polypropylene shell; chromed steel base; hard maple runners with clear laquer finish.
Plastic Armchair: PAC, DAT
(pivot armchair on cast base)
(dining height armchair tilt swivel base)
DAT:
Manufactured by Herman Miller, the height of this armchair can be
adjusted by a tilting unit located under the shell. The base with full
swiveling casters is common to all Eames chairs designed for office
use. The die-cast aluminum foot pieces are characteristic of the works
after the Aluminum Group (1958). The rather Spartan design of this base
has a very different charm from the earlier chairs.
Commonly referred to as Eiffel chairs, the Eames Molded Plastic
Armchair and Side Chair (1948) were the first industrially manufactured
plastic chairs. In creating these classic pieces, the Eameses honed two
techniques with which they had been grappling for years: the use of a
bent and welded wire base and a sculpted plastic shell seat. The
results are supremely comfortable and timeless. Originally made with
fiberglass-reinforced plastic, these chairs now take advantage of the
benefits of more eco-friendly polypropylene. The molded shell seat has
a high, flexible back and a deep seat pocket. The waterfall seat edge
promotes comfortable seating for extended periods of time by reducing
pressure on the backs of thighs. For residential and commercial use.
Dimensions:
H 32" W 24.5" D 23.5" Seat H 16.5" Arm H 26" Materials:
Polypropylene; chrome-plated steel base; plastic glides.
Plastic Side Chair: DSR, DSG, LSR, DSS-TA
(dining height side chair r-wire base)
(dining height side chair wall guard base)
(lounge height side chair r-wire base)
(dining height side chair stacking table base)
n
1950, the Eameses developed the first model of the "armless" side shell
chair manufactured by Zenith Plastics, makers of the earlier bucket
shell chair.
Bases available for this side
chair were rod-legged, cast aluminum pedestal, swivel, wire strut which
is known as the "Eiffel-tower" base, wood-legged, or wood rockers on
wire struts. The later production model of this chair had a lighter
seat and new H-base leg configuration. It also used the sturdy first
generation self-leveling glides for the new, hollow leg configuration.
The shells themselves have not changed their sculptural shape in over
50 years of production, having maintained their visual appeal as
originally designed.
Commonly referred to as Eiffel chairs, the Eames Molded Plastic
Armchair and Side Chair (1948) were the first industrially manufactured
plastic chairs. In creating these classic pieces, the Eameses honed two
techniques with which they had been grappling for years: the use of a
bent and welded wire base and a sculpted plastic shell seat. The
results are supremely comfortable and timeless. Originally made with
fiberglass-reinforced plastic, these chairs now take advantage of the
benefits of more eco-friendly polypropylene. The molded shell seat has
a high, flexible back and a deep seat pocket. The waterfall seat edge
promotes comfortable seating for extended periods of time by reducing
pressure on the backs of thighs. For residential and commercial use.
Dimensions:
H 31.5" W 18.5" D 22" Seat H 17.5" Materials:
Polypropylene; chrome-plated steel base; plastic glides.
Stacking Chair: DSS (dining height side chair stacking base)
Wire or four-legged base
18.5" w | 22" d | 29.87" h
Stacks up to 14 chairs high.
Design Charles & Ray Eames, 1960.
Solid walnut. Made by Herman Miller®.
Perfectly self-contained objects of beauty, these solid walnut stools
can act as a low table or a simple seat; hold a stack of books or
coffee cups; live in modern or traditional surroundings. Charles and
Ray Eames first designed the stools in 1960 for the lobby of the Time
Life Building in New York City, but they soon became popular products
and with time, one of the more charming classics of modern design.
Today, these finely crafted lathe-turned pieces bring an animated
personality to the office, home or commercial space.
center section of the stool comes in three distinctively sculpted
profiles. The top surface and the smaller bottom surface are both
concave.
Ray Eames drew on her training as a sculptor to design a new kind of
occasional piece for the lobby of the Time-Life Building in New York
City. Eames walnut stools became her favorite seats and were liberally
scattered about the Charles and Ray Eames home in Pacific Palisades.
Made of solid walnut, these stools can be used anywhere and are
beautifully versatile. Besides being places to sit, they also serve as
low tables, display surfaces, or simply objects of art to be admired.
A museum curator once ordered two of these stools for his son and
daughter. "Graduation gifts?" he was asked. "No," he said, "the kids
are only five and three. But I want them to have the experience of
growing up with something truly good that they can keep all their
lives."
Dimensions:
H 15" W 13.25" Seat Height 15" Materials:
Solid walnut.
