Charles Eames and Ray Eames were the embodiment of the inventiveness, energy and optimism at the heart of mid-century modern American design, and have been recognized as the most influential designers of the 20th century. The Eameses were lovers of folk craft who had a genius for making highly original chairs, tables, case pieces and other furniture using traditional materials and forms.
As furniture designers, filmmakers, artists, textile and graphic designers and even toy and puzzle makers, the Eameses were a visionary and effective force for the notion that design should be an agent of positive change. They are the happy, ever-curious, ever-adventurous faces of modernism.
Charles Eames (1907–78) studied architecture and industrial design. Ray Eames (née Beatrice Alexandra Kaiser, 1912–88) was an artist, who studied under the Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofmann. They met in 1940 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Detroit (the legendary institution where Charles also met his frequent collaborator Eero Saarinen and the artist and designer Harry Bertoia) and married the next year.
His technical skills and her artistic flair were wonderfully complementary. They moved to Los Angeles in 1941, where Charles worked on set design for MGM. In the evenings at their apartment, they experimented with molded plywood using a handmade heat-and-pressurization device they called the “Kazam!” machine. The next year, they won a contract from the U.S. Navy for lightweight plywood leg splints for wounded servicemen — vintage Eames splints are coveted collectibles today; more so those that Ray used to make sculptures.
The Navy contract allowed Charles to open a professional studio, and the attention-grabbing plywood furniture the firm produced prompted George Nelson, the director of design of the furniture-maker Herman Miller Inc., to enlist Charles and (by association, if not by contract) Ray in 1946. Some of the first Eames items to emerge from Herman Miller are now classics: the Eames chair, the LCW, or Lounge Chair Wood, and the DCM, or Dining Chair Metal, supported by tubular steel.
The Eameses eagerly embraced new technology and materials, and one of their peculiar talents was to imbue their supremely modern design with references to folk traditions.
Their Wire chair group of the 1950s, for example, was inspired by basket weaving techniques. The populist notion of “good design for all” drove their molded fiberglass chair series that same decade, and also produced the organic-form, ever-delightful La Chaise. In 1956 the Eames lounge chair and ottoman appeared — the supremely comfortable plywood-base-and-leather-upholstery creation that will likely live in homes as long as there are people with good taste and sense.
Charles Eames once said, “The role of the designer is that of a very good, thoughtful host anticipating the needs of his guests.” For very good collectors and thoughtful interior designers, a piece of design by the Eameses, the closer produced to original conception the better, is almost de rigueur — for its beauty and comfort, and not least as a tribute to the creative legacy and enduring influence of Charles and Ray Eames.
The original Eames furniture for sale on 1stDibs includes chairs, tables, case pieces and other items.
Walnut Aluminum Group Coffee Table by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 2018. Walnut top with aluminum group base.
Aluminum
"La Fonda" Marble Top Coffee Table by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in San Diego, CA
A gorgeous "La Fonda" coffee table designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller with original Botticinno marble top and polished aluminum base, circa 1970s. This rare table wa...
Marble, Aluminum
Herman Miller Eames Elliptical Table (Etr) Surfboard Mid-Century Modern
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a Herman Miller Eames Elliptical Table (ETR) with a white laminate top and wire base, often called the "surfboard table...
Formica
Charles & Ray Eames Early "OTW" Coffee Table for Evans Products, 1946
By Evans Products Company, Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Coronado, CA
An early and all original "OTW" coffee table designed by Charles and Ray Eames and manufactured by Evans Products in 1946. The table features molded, 5-layer birch plywood constructi...
Steel
Herman Miller La Fonda Coffee Table by Charles and Ray Eames, Marble Top
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Chicago, IL
"La Fonda" coffee table by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller 1975 The La Fonda table was part of the "La Fonda Group" Furniture line for Alexande...
Marble, Chrome
Vitra Occasional Table TLR Charles Ray Eames Couchtisch Beistell
By Charles and Ray Eames, Vitra
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten einen wunderschönen kleinen Couch-/ Beistelltisch von Vitra zum Verkauf an. Das Tischchen wurde von Charles & Ray Eames entworfen und trägt den Modellnamen "Occasional...
Steel, Chrome
2006 Herman Miller Ray & Charles Eames CTW Round Coffee Table Wood in White Ash
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a 2006 production CTW (coffee table wood), designed by Ray and Charles Eames, produced by Herman Miller. This example was specified in white ash and came from an a...
Wood, Ash
Early Production "CTW" Molded Plywood Coffee Table by Charles & Ray Eames
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Coronado, CA
A delightful early production molded plywood "CTW" coffee table by Charles & Ray Eames circa mid 1950s. A wonderful, lightweight design with curvy contours and an overall soft and ge...
Plywood
Herman Miller for Eames Surfboard Table
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-Century Modern black top coffee table with Eiffel metal base. (Please confirm item location - NY or NJ - with dealer).
Leather
Eames CTW-3 Coffee Table by Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Highland, IN
This early vintage coffee table by Charles and Ray Eames is an important and iconic design. The result of the couple's experiments in molded plywood, the table is visually and physic...
Ash
Charles and Ray Eames three legged pre production ctw rare and unique piece
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Forest, BE
This is a very interesting and unique table I bought in my early years of collecting 15 years ago. It’s a pre production of the famous and acclaimed classic CTW. The difference is th...
Plywood
691 coffee table by Eames for Herman Miller, USA 1950s
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in ECHT, NL
Eames 691 coffee table by Herman Miller, USA 1958 Mid century design coffee or side table. Designed in the 1950s by Ray and Charles Eames and produced by Herman Miller in the 1970s. ...
Aluminum
Eames Coffee Table by Herman Miller, White Marble, Mid-Century Modern
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Step into design history with this thoughtfully reintroduced icon: the coffee table Charles and Ray Eames designed in 1949 for their Pacific Palisades home. Artisanally reimagined fo...
Marble, Metal, Aluminum
Eames Palisades House Anniversary Coffee Table by Herman Miller, 1999
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Miami, FL
Charles and Ray Eames Palisades House coffee table, anniversary edition. Rare and collectible; numbered 98/500. In the late 1990s, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Eames house in Pacific Palisades, California, a limited edition of 500 Eames anniversary...
Brass, Gold Leaf
Charles Ray Eames Evans Plywood Company CTW1 OTW Oblong Table Wood Walnut Birch
By Charles and Ray Eames, Evans Products Company
Located in Forest Grove, PA
A rare Charles and Ray Eames CTW1 coffee table. An early version of the OTW (Oblong Table Wood) coffee table. The CTW1 was introduced in the 1940s and was first produced by Evans Ply...
Plywood
Early ETR "Surfboard" Coffee Table by Charles & Ray Eames, 1950s
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in New York, NY
An early edition of the 'ETR' (Elliptical Table Rod base) known as the 'Surfboard' coffee table. Design by Charles & Ray Eames in 1951 for Herman Miller. Black laminated table top. U...
Metal
Eames Rectangular Coffee Table by Charles and Ray Eames, 1990s
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1990s Charles and Ray Eames Rectangular Coffee table for Herman Miller. White top with walnut legs. In good vintage condition with some light signs of use commensurate with age. Ov...
Walnut
Eames Original ETR Coffee Table
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Napa, CA
Elliptical Table Rod (ETR) - Original Eames Elliptical Table with Rod base often referred to as the Surfboard table due to its elongated shape a...
Steel, Zinc
'Surfboard' Coffee Table by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This 7 foot long coffee table is perfect for your modern four seat sofa, with simple and timeless design. Black laminate top set on layered wood, with a polished chrome base. Designe...
Chrome
1970s Herman Miller Eames Girard La Fonda End Coffee Table w/ Round Slate Top
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a La Fonda end or coffee table, produced by Herman Miller and designed by Ray and Charles Eames. This series was designed for the La Fonda restaurant, designed by ...
Aluminum, Chrome
Charles Ray Eames Marble Coffee Side Table Aluminium Group Couch Table
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Telgte, DE
Charles Ray Eames marble coffee side table Aluminium Group couch table An Eames Aluminum Group couch table with original marble top and an old four-foot ...
Marble, Aluminum, Steel
Coffee table Lafonda by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller - 1970s
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Uccle, Bruxelles
Magnifique table basse imaginée par Charles et Ray Eames pour Herman Miller dans les années 1970. Cette table basse dispose d'un pied dit Lafonda car ils ont été développés lors de...
Marble
American Mid Century Charles & Ray Eames Contract Base Coffee Cocktail Table
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in San Diego, CA
A rare example of an Eames Contract base coffee table with marbelized, grey laminate top over wood with cast aluminum base and lacquered steel great condition. part of the Aluminum g...
Aluminum
1946 Eames Evans Herman Miller OTW Coffee Table in Birch Plywood with Black Top
By Charles and Ray Eames, Evans Products Company
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original OTW Coffee Table, designed by Charles and Ray Eames and manufactured by the Evans Products Company in 1946. The acronym OTW stands for Oblong (O) Table (T) with a...
Steel
Eames Herman Miller Evans OTW 1946 Coffee Table Maple Cinema Prop
By Charles and Ray Eames, Evans Products Company
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is an original maple Eames OTW coffee table, produced by Evans approx. 1946. This particular example is all original. The table has been well...
Maple, Plywood
Charles & Ray Eames Early ETR "Surfboard" Coffee Table, 1950s
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Coronado, CA
An early and rare edition of the 'ETR' (Elliptical Table Rod base) known as the 'Surfboard' coffee table. Design by Charles & Ray Eames in 1951 for Herman Miller. Black laminated tab...
Steel
Charles & Ray Eames for Vitra – CTM Coffee Table in Black Ash
By Vitra, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Dronten, NL
An elegant study in proportion and material, the CTM coffee table by Charles & Ray Eames reflects the designers’ enduring commitment to structural clarity and refined simplicity. Pro...
Steel, Chrome
2010s Herman Miller 36" Eames Coffee Table in Black Laminate 2x Available
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an Eames Universal Base Coffee Table, originally designed by Ray and Charles Eames in 1961. These particular examples were produced by Herman Miller in the USA in the 2010s. ...
Aluminum
White ETR coffee table designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1950s
By Vitra, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Athens, Attiki
Herman Miller white ETR coffee table designed by Charles and Ray Eames,1951. ETR was the abbreviated name of the Elliptical (E) Table (T) on a Rod (R) base. Long really means long in the case of ETR (226cm). But because it’s just under 75cm wide it doesn’t overwhelm the room.It stands very low and has a very distinctive shape which helped coin the alternative name of the Eames ‘Surfboard’ table...
Metal, Steel
Mid Century Modern Elliptical Surfboard Coffee Tables by Herman Miller for Eames
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Elliptical Surfboard Coffee Tables by Herman Miller for Eames Mid Century Modern Eames Surfboard Coffee Table has a b...
Metal
Charles & Ray Eames Early ETR "Surfboard" Coffee Table, 1950s
By Charles Eames, Ray Eames, Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Coronado, CA
An early and rare edition of the 'ETR' (Elliptical Table Rod base) known as the 'Surfboard' coffee table. Design by Charles & Ray Eames in 1951 for Herman Miller. Black laminated tab...
Steel
Charles Eames for Herman Miller Rectangular White and Black Side Table
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
This refined Eames table embodies the crisp modernist logic for which Charles and Ray Eames are celebrated. Every detail — from the stark black-and-white contrast to the molded plywood base beneath the laminate top — is the product of thoughtful design, executed with clarity and intention. Constructed in Hermann Miller’s tradition of precision craftsmanship, the table features a durable laminate surface (white top balanced by black accents) set upon a sculptural base. The base, molded with subtle curvature, gives the piece an elegant tension: the top seems to float just above the structure, while the form remains grounded and stable. The black-and-white juxtaposition yields a quietly dramatic presence, sophisticated without ever becoming ostentatious. In terms of proportion and scale, the table is built to integrate seamlessly in both residential and commercial settings. While modest in size, it carries architectural ambition: the interplay between horizontality (tabletop) and vertical support (base) is calibrated to maintain visual lightness and structural confidence. Dimensions: Width (side to side): 22.88 in (58.1 cm) Depth (front to back): 29.75 in (75.6 cm) Height: 17.75 in (45.1 cm) Collectors and design connoisseurs will appreciate this table not merely as a utility, but as an exemplar of mid-century modern refinement. It bridges functional minimalism with sculptural wit, making it a focal point in any interior. In a collector’s environment, it stands proudly among other modern icons — an understated yet resolute statement of design pedigree. This listing is for the side table alone. The chair and accessories pictured are NOT INCLUDED. Condition: Original vintage condition with exceptionally clean table top. We also have a 32 inch square Eames table. A white marble Eames coffee table is also available. Complete your office with Charles Pollock Executive chairs (sold separately) in blue velvet...
Marble, Metal, Aluminum
American mid-century modern coffee table ETR by Eames for Herman Miller, 1960s
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in MIlano, IT
American mid-century modern coffee table ETR by Eames for Herman Miller, 1960s Coffee table mod. ETR with oval wooden top covered in black laminate. The elongated top is reminiscent ...
Metal
2012 Herman Miller Eames Aluminum Group 36 inch Coffee Table Wood Top 1x Avail
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an Eames Aluminum Group coffee table designed by Ray and Charles Eames. This particular example was produced by Herman Miller...
Aluminum
RARE Eames Evans Experimental Molded Plywood Coffee Table 1945 Pre Herman Miller
By Evans Products Company, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a very rare and early Evans plywood coffee table, produced by Evans Molded Plywood Division and designed by and with Charles and Ray Eames. Two or so of these tab...
Plywood
1970s Herman Miller La Fonda Coffee / End Table by Ray & Charles Eames in Marble
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a rare and original La Fonda coffee / end table, designed by Ray and Charles Eames as part of their work for the La Fonda Del Sol restaurant by Alexander Girard. T...
Marble, Metal