Skip to main content

Charles Eames Furniture

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.

180
23
to
10
129
70
203
203
203
178
13
1
1
2
178
23
144
25
1
13
52
37
12
4
2
145
74
68
61
61
170
165
23
12
3
101
4,881
3,941
2,468
2,234
Creator: Charles Eames
LKR cats cradle chair Charles & Ray Eames Herman Miller Alexander Girard Bikini
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames, Charles Eames
Located in Vorst, BE
The Eames LKR 'Cats Cradle' Wire Side Chair, was one of most memorable and unusual designs of Eames. It was available with removable upholstery, a full coveri...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Steel

Herman Miller Eames Rosewood 670/671 Lounge Chair and Ottoman, 1975
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Dronten, NL
Early Lounge Chair and Ottoman designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, marked with date of delivery 11/7 1975 on the label at the bottom of the ottoman. Since the produc...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Herman Miller Eames Rosewood & Leather Lounge Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in San Diego, CA
Authentic and iconic Herman Miller / Eames rosewood and black leather lounge chair) model 670 circa 1990's. The chair is lightly worn and in great original vintage condition. This ch...
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Leather, Rosewood

Charles & Ray Eames Early DCW Red aniline dye Ash Dining Chair for Evans Plywood
By Herman Miller, Evans Products Company, Charles and Ray Eames, Charles Eames
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Iconic and early DCW dining chair designed by Charles & Ray Eames and manufacture by Evans Products Company, Molded Plywood division and distributed by Herman Miller late 40ties. Red...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Ash, Plywood

Herman Miller Eames Soft Pad Desk Chair, Low Back, Tilt and Swivel, model EA435
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Herman Miller low back soft pad desk/office chair from the Eames Aluminium Group series, model EA435. Black leather padded back and seat on aluminium frame and 5-star universal base...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Set of Eight Charles Eames Herman Miller Aluminum Group Office Chairs, Burgundy
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Philadelphia, PA
One of the most iconic works of the mid century era, this chair was designed in the 1950s by Charles Eames for Herman Miller. This design set the bar for luxury office seating for ov...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Charles & Ray Eames vintage LCW Lounge Chair in Ash Plywood for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames, Charles Eames
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Iconic LCW lounge chair in ash plywood. The veneer and chair is in good condition with nice patina and wood grain. Light signs of wear and slight discoloration backrest. The chair is...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Ash, Plywood

Eames for Herman Miller High Back Leather Chairs
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group chairs in premium plush black leather with high-backs. An icon of Mid Century Modern design that continues to be produced today. Manual heig...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

Rare 1st Generation Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Brazilian Rosewood, Leather
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Rare 1st generation Charles Eames lounge chair and ottoman, Brazilian rosewood, leather. Manufactured by Herman Miller. Highly -coveted, part livable investment, part functional furn...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Charles and Ray Eames Early DCW Ash Plywood Dining Chairs for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames, Charles Eames
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Iconic set of 4 DCW dining side chairs in ash plywood. Early Herman Miller production from the fifties (4-2-5 screw configuration), just after Herman Miller took over production from...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Plywood, Ash

Pair Charles Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group Office Chair Black Leather
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
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 Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Charles & Ray Eames EA117 Office Chair in Black Leather and Chrome, Vitra
By Charles Eames, Vitra, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Iconic office chair EA117 belonging to the famous Aluminum Series designed by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller (US) / Vitra (EU). Exceptional comfort is gu...
Category

1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

Eames 50th Anniversary Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Cherry and Black Leather 2006
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Rare and collectable Charles and Ray Eames 670 and 671 lounge chair and ottoman. To commemorate the 50th anniversary (1956-2006) of the design of the...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Charles & Ray Eames Lemon Yellow RAR Rocking Armchair by Herman Miller
By Charles Eames, Charles and Ray Eames, Zenith, Herman Miller
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Iconic RAR rocking armchair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller / Zenith Plastics. Molded fiberglass shell in the colour Lemon Yellow with rope edge. Assembled on original zinc plated steel rocker...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Steel

Charles & Ray Eames DSX Side Chair Multicolor Set for Herman Miller
By Charles Eames, Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Iconic side chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Molded fiberglass shells in the colours: Navy Blue, Ochre Light, Seal Brown and Oli...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Metal

Second Generation Zenith Armchair by Charles and Ray Eames
By Charles Eames
Located in San Mateo, CA
Second generation Zenith fiberglass armchair by Charles and Ray Eames. This chair is lemon yellow. The chair is missing one glide. The scre...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Iron

Charles and Ray Eames Second Generation Zenith Armchair
By Charles Eames
Located in San Mateo, CA
Second generation Zenith fiberglass armchair by Charles and Ray Eames. This chair is elephant hide grey. The chair is missing one glide. The screws are likely not original. There are...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Iron

Charles & Ray Eames DSX Side Chair Blue Multicolor Set for Herman Miller
By Charles Eames, Vitra, Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Iconic side chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller / Vitra. Molded fiberglass shells in the colours: Parchment, navy blue, elephant hide grey and ocean blue. Asse...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Steel

Eames for Herman Miller High Back Aluminum Group Chairs
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Ask for custom shipping quote An icon of Mid-Century Modern design that continues to be produced today. Manual height and tilt. 50th anniversary addition premium black leather that ...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

Eames Mahogany Leg Splint for Evans Products Plywood Division
By Charles Eames, Charles and Ray Eames, Evans Products Company
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Must have for the Eames addicts a leg splint in mahogany plywood. Produced and signed by Evans Products Company, Molded Plywood division. Very good original condition and in an uncom...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Plywood

Pair Charles Eames D C W 'dining chairs' Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Classic pair of early production plywood chairs, second generation, Designed by Charles and Ray Eames manufactured by Herman Miller, Amazing original condition, wonderful color, patina.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Plywood

Set 4 Early Eames Fiberglass DSR Chairs on Eiffel Tower Bases
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nice early gray patina on a set of 4 Charles and Ray Eames fiberglass shell chairs. Wonderfull exposed fibers, earlier production with...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Metal

Aluminum Group Desk Chairs by Charles Eames for Herman Miller, Signed
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
We have 8 of these stylish 'Aluminum Group' executive desk chairs by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Signed underneath seat with Herman Miller labels and production date (9/...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Charles Eames & Eero Saarinen “Organic Chair” Model No. A3501, 1950, USA
By Eero Saarinen, Charles Eames
Located in Biebergemund, Hessen
Very rare and collectible Eames & Saarinen "Organic Chair", winner of Organic Design competition at MoMa. First manufacture from the early 1950s, laminated and moulded wooden seat shell, foam upholstery which was covered with textile fabric designed by Marli Ehrman. A special patented joint holds the wood legs firmly to the shell. Originals of the organic from the 1950s are collector's items and exhibited in museums. They are also traded on art auctions, where one was sold in 1999 for $ 120.000 in bed condition. (take a look at the picture) Designed for the “Organic Design” competition by Museum of Modern Art in New York on 1 October 1940. The competition was initiated by Elliot Noyes, the first curator of this newly installed department. The goal was to motivate architects and companies to develop and market modern furniture for a modern lifestyle. Their participation in the MoMa competition was the first collaboration between Eero Saarinen and Charles Eames, and they won first prize. Besides the chair, their submission comprised a high-back chair, an armchair, a sofa, and office furniture, which they presented in the form of several drawings. No true-to-scale prototypes were produced for the competition. Production of the “Organic Chair” only started in 1950 and was terminated after a short while. The original design had envisaged aluminium legs. This idea was discarded because the material was scarce during the war, and wood was used instead. New technologies were also involved in the production of the seat shell, which was composed of strips of veneer and was to ensure utmost stability and comfort while using as little material as possible and being extremely lightweight. Later on, Eames based...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Plywood

Classic Set of 4 Charles Eames Fiberglass Scoop /Side Chairs 1950s Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Classic set of 4 Charles Eames fiberglass scoop /side chairs 1950s Herman Miller. Nice early group dated 1958-1959, 2 lemon yellow, 1 crimson orange, 1 elephant hide grey, all 4 in n...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Metal

1st Generation Eames RKR Rocker by Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Charles and Ray Eames designed their fiberglass and wire chairs to be fitted with a wide variety of bases to offer a range of heights, uses, and aesthetics. One of the most desirable...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Metal

Charles Eames LCW Lounge Chairs
By Charles Eames
Located in San Francisco, CA
Rare pair of early production (5 x 2 x 5 screw mounts) Charles Eames design LCW (lounge chair wood). Original analine black finish in very good original condition. One rear shock mo...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Ash

Charles Eames RAR Rope Edge Zenith Rocker
By Charles Eames
Located in San Francisco, CA
First edition pink/salmon fiberglass RAR rocker designed by Charles Eames for Zenith products. Very good condition early production rope edge rocker completely original, label.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Steel

Early LCM Red Aniline Dyed by Charles Eames for Herman Miller Right One SOLD
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Hudson, NY
1950s easy lounge chairs play wood backs and seats on solid steel bases, Early production.
Category

1940s American Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Plywood

Charles Eames furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Charles Eames furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Charles Eames furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Charles Eames were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Russell Woodard, Arthur Umanoff, and Selig. Prices for Charles Eames furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $142 and can go as high as $133,498, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,352.
Questions About Charles Eames Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Charles and Ray Eames were a married couple, best remembered for their innovative furniture designs in the middle of the 20th century — specifically the famous Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. They are also known for their early experimentations with plywood. Shop a collection of Eames furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Charles 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, 2024
    Charles 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, 2022
    Charles 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 s​ome 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, 2022
    For 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, 2022
    Rosewood 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.

Recently Viewed

View All