Charles and Ray Eames, who pioneered modern chair design in the 1940s and '50s, were responsible for some of the most innovative chairs of the 20th century. Their chairs were fabricated from wood, fiberglass, plastic, and metal mesh. Eames chairs have been widely imitated, but originals are highly sought-after by collectors because they are considered breakthroughs in both design and technology. In 1940, Charles Eames met Ray Kaiser at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, which was also home to architect and Eames collaborator Eero Saarinen and furniture designer Harry Bertoia. The couple married a year later and moved to Los Angeles to continue their work in molded plywood. By 1945, the couple had figured out how to create compound curves in molded plywood. One of their first pieces was a birch child’s chair and stool manufactured by the Molded Plywood Division of Evans Products — production was limited to just 5,000 pieces. Evans also produced about 1,000 LCW chairs (which stands for Lounge Chair Wood) before the Eameses began a long collaboration with the Herman Miller Furniture Company, which produced and distributed a number of chairs for them, including the DCM (Dining Chair Metal), in which two pieces of plywood are secured to a solid-rod chromed frame with rubber shock mounts.
In 1951, Herman Miller was selling 2,000 of these chairs a month (examples with wooden legs were less popular, making them more collectible today). Molded fiberglass chairs in a variety of bright colors — with or without arms, with or without a rocking base — came next. Serious Eames connoisseurs look for chairs from this period, 1950-1953, with a "Miller-Zenith" label on their undersides. The ones with wooden bases (DAW, PAW) are less common and thus more sought-after than the ones with metal legs (DAR, LAX, LAR, RAR). Around the same time, the couple designed chairs made from sturdy wire mesh, with covers available in leather, vinyl, and fabric by designer Alexander Girard. These were the chairs that the Eameses produced for the mass consumer. By 1956, well-heeled customers could order a Lounge Chair and Ottoman, whose molded rosewood plywood form embraced rich leather upholstery. The chair is still available today from Herman Miller in cherry and walnut. In 1958, the couple launched a chair collection called the Aluminum Group, which included a desk chair and a lounge chair — the armless models of the latter are most prized today.
In 1960, Eames designed several chairs and a trio of stools for the new Time-Life Building in New York. One was an Executive Desk Chair, the other an Intermediate Desk Chair, which was a smaller version of the Executive that did not sell as well, making it the more prized of the two today. Steven Cabella's personal homage to Charles and Ray Eames. This site is as clean and visually appealing as the Eame… [read review or visit site] Work of Charles and Ray EamesThis Library of Congress microsite is an overview of the postwar modern design work of Charles (1907-78) and Ray (1… Herman Miller Consortium CollectionThis website showcases several hundred pieces of furniture, held by thirteen museums, that were designed for Herman… ModernismThis archived overview produced by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts offers thumbnail sketches of the design moveme… Buffalo Architecture and HistoryChuck LaChiusa's wonderful guide to the architecture and history of Buffalo, NY, also happens to host an impressive…
The Mid Century ModernistStephen Coles' really visual blog dedicated to the Modernist era of design from 1940 to 1970 (aka Mid-century Moder… ChipstoneThis beautiful site showcases the collection of Stanley and Polly Stone of Fox Point, Wisconsin, consisting of earl… Kentucky Online Arts ResourceThis huge online database from the Speed Art Museum is a rich trove of beautiful photos and reference information o… Classic ModernGet a taste of how homes were lit in the 50s, 60s, and 70s with the Danish retro-style lighting designs featured on… [read review or visit site]By using this site you agree to the use of cookies.The page you were looking for could not be found. If you followed a link on this site to get here, please contact the administrator so it can be corrected. Real Estate Sales TrendsWe’re hoping this year’s Presidential Debate stages will be as well-furnished as the ones in 1976. When Governor Jimmy Carter debated President Gerald Ford on October 22, 1976, they each had Eames drafting chairs at their respective podiums.
The EC117 Adjustable Stool Swivel Arm Shells were manufactured by Herman Miller, a Michigan-based company that the Eames Office still works with today. You can see examples of the drafting chair in a page from one of Herman Miller’s 1970s catalogs. Like other Eames designs, the EC117 grew in popularity and was eventually exported all over the world for people to enjoy. Eames shell chairs are timeless and have always looked at home in a variety of environments, which is one reason you can find them anywhere from Laundromats and classrooms to modern homes and museum collections. While the EC117 is no longer in production, another one of Charles and Ray’s shell designs would be just as fitting on this year’s debate stages as the drafting chair was 40 years ago: the new Eames Counter Stool. The design offers the same height, comfort, and durability as the EC117, but it is lighter in weight. Eames shell chairs by Herman Miller are built to last and designed to bring you comfort for generations to come.
Made in America by highly-skilled American workers, the chair’s components are sustainably sourced and, depending on the finish selected, 63-100% recyclable. The Eames Counter Stool may be configured with or without upholstery. Seat colors included Parchment, Lemon Yellow, Green, Black, Seal Brown, Ultramarine Blue, and, most fitting for this political season, Navy Blue and Red-Orange. We encourage everyone to get out and vote this November; in the meantime, take a seat and watch the 1976 Presidential Debate here. greetings all- I'm sure this one has been tossed around on here before but any ideas about pricing on used Eames lounge chairs these days? I know that original ones are always expensive - especially the rosewood versions- but I'm wondering what fair price is for one these days? I don't feel like ebay is great indicator as everything seems to just get inflated on there with auction frenzy or something... But ebay or craigslist seems about only avenue to find one unless you're incredibly lucky at a garage sale or something.
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