Charles Eames Armchairs
American, 1907-1978
The legacy of Charles Eames looms large in design. In partnership with his wife, Ray, Charles was at the forefront of pioneering innovation in the use of molded plywood for furniture making. The Eameses’ cheerful and inviting work has endured among the most important advancements in the history of 20th-century design.
Together, visionary mid-century modern duo Charles and Ray Eames introduced a wide range of renowned furniture to the postwar market, including iconic designs such as the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, the wildly colorful birch plywood-and-plastic-laminate Eames storage unit, the Eames compact sofa and more. The designers were trailblazers in molded plywood furniture and brought lively organic form to metal and plastic.
Charles Eames studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. He traveled to Mexico and Europe, and experienced firsthand the work of designer-architects Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In 1930, upon returning to Missouri, Eames opened an architecture practice with Charles M. Gray but later moved to Michigan in 1938. He received a fellowship at Cranbrook Academy of Art, which would become a breeding ground for the stars of mid-century design. Eames continued his architecture studies at Cranbrook and also taught in the design department.
In 1940, Eames met his future wife, artist and designer Beatrice Alexandra "Ray" Kaiser, who was studying at Cranbrook under Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofmann. Charles teamed up with another Cranbrook instructor, Finnish-American designer Eero Saarinen, to explore the possibilities of plywood for use in furniture design.
With support from Ray, Charles and Eero created chairs and case pieces and submitted them to the “Organic Design in Home Furnishings” competition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City — among them was the groundbreaking organic Side chair made of molded plywood with maple legs. It was upholstered by Heywood-Wakefield. This exhibition is considered critical by many to the popularization of what is known as mid-century modernism. Eames and Saarinen won first place for their submissions to the competition.
Charles and Ray were married in 1941 and soon after moved to Los Angeles, California, and lived in an apartment building designed by architect Richard Neutra. Charles worked on set design at MGM, and at night, in a humble workshop they established in the guest bedroom, he and Ray experimented with molded plywood on a homemade device they called the “Kazaam!” machine. In 1942, the couple won a U.S. Navy contract to create molded plywood leg splints that would be used to support wartime medical efforts. Soon, the Evans Product Company was making the splints and the Eameses opened the famed Eames Office and studio.
The Eameses’ innovative use of wire framing, molded plywood and applied fabrics caught the attention of many notable figures in interior design and architecture, including George Nelson, director of design at Herman Miller, a now-legendary modern furniture manufacturer. The company enlisted the Eameses’ talents and was eventually home to the couple’s classic pieces such as the Eames DCW chair and the DCM chair.
Find an extensive array of vintage Charles Eames seating, tables and case pieces on 1stDibs.
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Creator: Charles Eames
Restored Pair of 1960 Herman Miller No1 Hardwood Eames Lounge Armchairs Ottomans
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer extremely rare and important pair of fully restored, original, Herman Miller No1 & Herman Miller Hillie circa 1958-1960 black leather and Rosewood lounge armchairs and ottomans
These are pretty much the most iconic and well known armchair and ottoman ever made, exhibited countless times, displayed in the V&A, Metropolitan Museum of Art, winners of countless awards these are the simply put the finest suite around
They have been on a journey, I’ve had all pieces stripped to the bare shells, the frames have been washed back and traditionally French polished, the leather all restored and hand dyed the original nero black, they are the finest example pair anywhere in the world today
One suite has the black Herman Miller No1 label, the other, the earlier redish Herman Miller Hillie label
Condition wise, the restoration has been done in such a way to keep all the original charm and patina but make them gallery ready, they will have age and use related patina marks here and there but mostly they are in very fine order
Dimensions armchairs
Height:- 80.5cm
Width:- 85cm
Depth:- 86.5cm
Seat height:- 41cm
Dimensions ottomans
Height:- 42cm
Width:- 65.5cm
Depth:- 53.5cm
Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point,
MUST READ!
The Eames Lounge Chair and ottoman are furnishings made of molded plywood and leather, designed by Charles and Ray Eames for the Herman Miller furniture company. They are officially titled Eames Lounge ( 670 ) and Ottoman ( 671 ) and were released in 1956 after years of development by designers. It was the first chair that the Eameses designed for a high-end market. Examples of these furnishings are part of the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.
Design
Charles and Ray Eames sought to develop furniture that could be mass-produced and affordable, with the exception of the Eames Lounge Chair. This luxury item was inspired by the traditional English club chair. The Eames Lounge Chair is an icon of Modern style design, although when it was first made, Ray Eames remarked in a letter to Charles that the chair looked "comfortable and un-designy". Charles's vision was for a chair with "the warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt." The chair is composed of three curved plywood shells covered with veneer: the headrest, the backrest and the seat. The layers are glued together and shaped under heat and pressure. The shells and the seat cushions are essentially of the same shape, and composed of two curved forms interlocking to form a solid mass. The chair back and headrest are identical in proportion, as are the seat and the ottoman.
The products have changed in various ways over time. Beginning in 1956 and running through the very early 1990s, the shells were made up of five thin layers of plywood which were covered by a veneer of Brazilian rosewood. The use of Brazilian rosewood was discontinued in the early 1990s, and current production since then consists of seven layers of plywood covered by finishing veneers of cherry, walnut, palisander rosewood (a sustainably grown wood with similar grain patterns to the original Brazilian versions), and other finishes. Small changes include the sets of spacers between the aluminum spines and the wood panels, originally of rubber, later hard plastic washers, and the number of screws securing the armrests, originally three, changed to two in second-series models, while the "domes of silence" (glides/feet) on the chair base originally had thinner screws attaching them to the aluminum base than those on later chairs, and the zipper around the cushions, either brown or black on early models, was later black only. Further, early ottomans had removable rubber slide-on feet with metal glides, and early labels are of oblong foil.
History
The Eames Lounge Chair first...
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Hardwood
Herman Miller Aluminum Group Management Chair by Charles Eames, c. 1965
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Belmont, MA
Eames Aluminum Group for Herman Miller Task Chair, Zeeland, Michigan, c. 1965, aluminum, leather, Herman Miller manufacturer's label, ht. 30, wd. 23...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Aluminum
RAR Rocking Chair Eames yellow original vintage - Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Authentic Armchair RAR (Rocking Arm Chair) shell Eames original and vintage edition Herman Miller Designed by Charles EAMES - 1950
Original fiberglass hull in pale young color. Trac...
Category
1950s American Scandinavian Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Steel
1950s Eames 1st Generation Rope Edge Shell Armchair by Zenith/Herman Miller
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in West Reading, PA
This is an early 1950s Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller/Zenith fiberglass arm chair. The piece retains its original checkerboard Zenith label, dating the chair to between 1950...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Fiberglass
2021 Charles Eames & Eero Saarinen Organic Chair by Vitra in Dark Green Fabric
By Charles Eames, Vitra
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an Organic chair designed by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen as part of their submission for the Organic Designs in Home Furnishings exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in...
Category
2010s German Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Dat-1 Swivel Desk or Office Armchair by Charles Eames for Herman Miller, 1960s
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in WIJCKEL, NL
Classic Mid-Century Modern office or desk armchair, model DAT-1 on castors and tilt swivel in off-white with molded fiberglass shell on a chrome base.
Tilt s...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Charles Eames Lounge Chair, Brown Leather, Light Walnut, Herman Miller, 2007
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Lejre, DK
The Charles Eames Lounge Chair in brown leather and light walnut, produced by Herman Miller. Designed in 1958 and brought to life in 2007, this iconic piece of furniture represents t...
Category
Early 2000s Danish Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Walnut
LAR Armchair by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller 1960s
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in WIJCKEL, NL
Charles and Ray Eames Low Armchair Rod (LAR) for Herman Miller.
Molded off-white fiberglass, chrome-plated steel, rubber.
Signed with manufacturer’s mark und...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Pair of Early 2nd Generation Eames Fiberglass LAX Lounge Chairs in Elephant Gray
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A classic pair Herman Miller fiberglass lounge chairs designed by Charles Eames from the early 1950's. These feature very desirable elephant hide grey fiberglass on lower sitting ste...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Chaise de Bureau “PAC” Par Charles & Ray Eames Pour Herman Miller, 1960
By Charles Eames
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Fauteuil de bureau modèle “PAC” par les designers Charles & Ray Eames pour Herman Miller, 1960.
Matériaux : fibre de verre, métal.
Couleur : blanc...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Stainless Steel
Pair of Charles and Ray Eames Padded Arm Shell Chairs, Two-Tone /Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Classic pair of Mid-Century Modern padded arm shell chairs,Designed by Charles and Ray Eames, for Herman Miller. Beautiful two-tone, chairs are in really ni...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Aluminum
Mid-Century Charles Eames & Eero Saarinen for Vitra Organic Dining Chairs Pair
By Charles Eames, Vitra, Eero Saarinen
Located in Secaucus, NJ
The iconic classic organic chair was designed by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen in 1940 as a joint entry to the "Organic Design in Home Furnishings"
A competition organized by the ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Ash, Oak
Charles Eames Chair EA-108 with Black Hopsak Fabric
By Charles Eames
Located in Herlev, 84
12. chairs in stock! Eames EA-108 swirl-chair from around the year 2000, appears in good condition with some signs of wear.
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Fabric
Mid-Century Charles Eames for Herman Miller Fiberglass Dining Chairs in Orange
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Here we have an iconic design classic from the Mid-Century Modern period. This vintage fiberglass shell chair was designed by Charles Eames and produced by Herman Miller, circa 1972....
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Early Pair of Charles Eames Fiberglass Arm Shell Chairs "Elephant Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early pair of Charles Eames fiberglass arm shell chairs "Elephant Hyde Grey" Herman Miller. Nice original condition, retains original ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Early Pair of Charles Eames Fiberglass Arm Shell Chairs "Crimson" Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early pair of Charles Eames fiberglass arm shell chairs "Crimson" orange, Herman Miller. Nice original condition, retains original gel...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Early 2nd Generation X Base Arm Shell Lounge Chair by Charles Eames
By Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early 2nd generation X base elephant gray arm shell lounge chair by Charles Eames for Herman Miller. Amazing condition, featuring early solid iron X base, .Amazing color. Elephant gr...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Iron
1st Generation Charles Eames Zenith/Herman Miller Plastic Rope Edge Chair
By Herman Miller, Zenith, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Rare, early set of 4 Charles and Ray Eames Fiberglass arm shell chairs, extremely rare "Raw Umber" color, all 4 chairs retain original...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Sofa "Tandem" 3 Seater Design Charles Eames for Herman Miller 60s
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in taranto, IT
Rare three-seater chair with side table, designed in 1962 by charles eames for herman miller and often used in the most famous airports in the world
structure in die-cast aluminum o...
Category
1960s European Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Other, Metal, Aluminum
Second Generation "Ochre" X-Base Fiberglass Arm Shell Chairs, Charles Eames
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Second Generation "Ochre" X-base fiberglass arm shell chairs. Charles Eames manufactured by Herman Miller. Nice early versions. Seldom seen light ochre color, retaining original gel ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Rare Pair of "Kleinhans" Chairs, circa 1939 Charles Eames/Eero Saarinen
By Charles Eames, Eero Saarinen
Located in Buffalo, NY
Iconic "Kleinhans" armchairs, designed by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen, early chair, collaboration of two modern masters, designed for the Mary Seaton room at Kleinhans music hall...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Birch, Plywood
First Edition Charles Eames "Paw Chair" Swivel Fibre Glass Shell Dowel Leg Birch
By Charles Eames
Located in Hamburg, DE
First production / first generation 1949-1950 Zenith Herman Miller / Charles Eames PAW rope swivel chair in color grey elephant / dowel legs in birch / all original parts / the awesome dowel base reads Seng Chicago...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Charles Eames Parchment Arm Shell Chair, Herman Miller
By Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Super clean example of this classic fiberglass arm shell chair, designed by Charles Eames, manufactured by Herman Miller. Beautiful parchment white color, ex...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Early Eames Rope Edge Fiberglass Bucket Chair
By Charles Eames
Located in New York, NY
Eames rope edge fiberglass bucket chair. This example is in very good condition, no chips, cracks or discoloration save some minor bleed at ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Charles Eames Alexander Girard Shell Chairs in Two-Tone Checkerboard
By Charles Eames, Alexander Girard
Located in Chicago, IL
A good pair of orange and yellow Charles Eames and Alexander Girard chairs for Herman Miller. Custom order label on underside. Dated May 6, 1974. More pics to come.
Upholstery is in...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Fiberglass
First Edition Charles Eames "Paw Chair" Swivel Fibre Glass Shell Dowel Leg Birch
By Charles Eames
Located in Hamburg, DE
First production / first generation 1949-1950 Zenith Herman Miller / Charles Eames PAW Rope Swivel chair in color salmon (faded) / dowel legs in birc...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Charles Eames "PAW Chair" Swivel Fiber Glass Shell Dowel Leg aCa
By Charles Eames
Located in Hamburg, DE
Second series after 1950 Zenith Herman Miller / Charles Eames PAW Swivel chair in color salmon (faded) / dowel legs in birch / all original parts / the awesome dowel base reads Seng Chicago...
Category
Mid-20th Century Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Steel
First Edition Charles Eames Paw Chair Swivel Fibre Glass Shell Dowel Leg Walnut
By Charles Eames
Located in Hamburg, DE
First production/first generation 1949-1950 Zenith Herman Miller/Charles Eames PAW Rope Swivel chair in color lemon yellow parchment/dowel legs in walnut/all original parts/the awesome dowel base reads Seng Chicago...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Herman Miller Charles Eames Shell Chair Is a Nice Orange on Taupe Fiberglass
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Chicago, IL
A very nice color combination of a popping upholstered color on a understated neautral Taupe-ish grey color.
need to confirm dims on this chair.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Fiberglass
Early Pair of Charles Eames Shell Chairs in Beautiful Light Coral
By Charles Eames
Located in Chicago, IL
This is a fine early matched pair of possibly Evans or early production years with Herman Miller. They have solid wrought iron X-bases. Large Shock Mounts. Wonderfully faded red fibe...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Fiberglass
Charles Eames for Herman Miller Early Pair of Dax Transitional Shell Chairs
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Chicago, IL
Excellent early example of a pair of Transitional Herman Miller Dax red/orange armshell chairs. All original. Early black X-base with large shock mou...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Fiberglass
Time Life Desk Chair by Charles Eames for Herman Miller, 1984, Signed & Dated
By Charles Eames, Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This rare color-way in beautiful red leather is the Time Life Executive Chair (Model ES-104) by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, originally designed in 1960 for the Time Life...
Category
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Aluminum
Pair Charles Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group Office Chair Black Leather
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A classic pair of Aluminum Group office chairs designed by Charles Eames for Herman Miller. They feature cast aluminum frames with black l...
Category
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Armchairs
Materials
Aluminum
Charles Eames armchairs for sale on 1stDibs.
Charles Eames armchairs are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of plastic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Charles Eames armchairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original armchairs by Charles Eames were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider armchairs by Paul McCobb, Adrian Pearsall, and Widdicomb Furniture Co.. Prices for Charles Eames armchairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $860 and can go as high as $45,335, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,200.
Creators Similar to Charles Eames
Questions About Charles Eames Armchairs
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Charles and Ray Eames are famous for their chair designs. The couple released their first iconic Eames Lounge and Ottoman in 1956 and went on to create more chairs that changed the idea of comfortable seating. In addition to being great furniture designers, Ray and Charles were also graphic and textile designers, architects and film-makers. Shop a collection of Eames chairs from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024Charles and Ray Eames were related by marriage. Charles studied architecture and industrial design. Ray (née Bernice Alexandra Kaiser) was an artist who studied under painter Hans Hofmann. They met in 1940 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Detroit and married the next year. Shop a selection of Charles and Ray Eames furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2024Yes, Charles Eames chairs are comfortable. The Eameses — Charles and Ray — were fascinated by ergonomics and designed chairs with comfort in mind. The legendary mid-century modernist designer-couple famously called their Eames lounge chair and ottoman “a special refuge from the strains of modern living” and described their design as having the “warm receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt.”
While the couple’s DCW chairs, introduced in the 1940s, prioritized ease of production and affordability of materials, the Eames lounger, which debuted in 1956, was Charles and Ray’s interpretation of luxury furniture. And to the Eameses, luxury meant, above all, comfort.
Find vintage Charles and Ray Eames furniture on 1stDibs. - 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Charles and Ray Eames have been recognized as the 20th century’s most influential designers and are best known for their highly recognizable chairs. The Eames lounge chair and ottoman are an iconic duo in modern-styled furniture, and some of the first Eames items to emerge from Herman Miller are now classics: the LCW, or Lounge Chair Wood, and the DCM, or Dining Chair Metal, supported by tubular steel. Find vintage Charles and Ray Eames furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022For Charles and Ray Eames’ chairs designed for Herman Miller, molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, bent and welded wire mesh, and cast aluminum were used in production. You can shop a collection of Eames furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Rosewood was the favorite wood of famed American designers Charles and Ray Eames. Rosewood made its way into some of the duo’s most celebrated designs, including the iconic Eames lounge chair. On 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of genuine Eames furniture from some of the world’s top sellers.
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