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.

to
6
4
2
6
4
2
1
3
1
2
4
4
2
2
1
5
1
6
6
6
92
26
17
16
14
Creator: Charles Eames
Dealer: Metro Retro Furniture MCM Furniture
1 Herman Miller Eames Conference or Dining Table
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Pasadena, TX
1 Herman Miller Eames 48" conference or dining table. Charles Eames was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1907. Ray Kaiser Eames was born in Sacramento, Cali...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary North American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

One Charles Eames Herman Miller Aluminum Group Chair
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Pasadena, TX
One Charles Eames Herman Miller aluminum group chair 1970s Charles and Ray Eames aluminum group side chair, EA330 office confe...
Category

1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Charles Eames for Herman Miller Dining Table
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
36" Eames for Herman Miller dining table Laminated top with contract aluminum 4 star base. Great for dining or conference room ...
Category

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

Materials

Aluminum

1 Herman Miller Eames Aluminum Group Table
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
1 Herman Miller Eames 42" aluminum group table. Charles Eames was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1907. Ray Kaiser Eames was born in Sacramento, California ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary North American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

1 Mid-Century Eames H Miller Fiberglass Arm Shell Chair Walnut Moderna Stool
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Pasadena, TX
Charles and Ray married in 1941 and moved to California where they continued their furniture design work with molding plywood. During the war they were commissioned by the Navy to produce molded plywood splints, stretchers and experimental glider shells. In 1946, Evans Products began producing the Eameses' molded plywood furniture. Their molded plywood chair was called "the chair of the century" by the influential architectural critic Esther McCoy. Soon production was taken over by Herman Miller, Inc .,who continues to produce the furniture in the United States to this day. Another company, Vitra International, manufactures the furniture in Europe. The Eameses continued to create new furniture designs into the 1970s. 1 (1) Herman Miller Eames Fiberglass Arm Shell on Walnut Swivel Bar Stool...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Fiberglass, Walnut

1 Herman Miller Parchment Shell Fiberglass RAR Rocker by Eames
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
1 Herman Miller parchment shell fiberglass RAR rocker by Eames Manufactured in the 1960s-1970s this rocker is one of the most iconic designs from Cha...
Category

1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Fiberglass

Related Items
Contemporary Solid White Oak Dining or Conference Table
By Klein Agency
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dinners are our favorite. We love having them, hosting them, laughing around during them, cleaning up after them. This is what our dining table is and means to us. The solid white oak...
Category

2010s American Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Wood, Oak

Herman Miller Eames Fiberglass Elephant Hide Gray Shell Chairs, Five
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames, Ray Eames
Located in Garnerville, NY
A set of five fine Eames for Herman Miller Elephant Hide Gray fiberglass side shell chairs with the original H aluminum bases, mounts and glides...
Category

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

Materials

Aluminum

French Travertine Dining Table or Conference Table, circa 1980
Located in Labrit, Landes
Conference table or dining table in travertine, French, circa 1980 Can also be used as a conference table Measures of the table top: 31.5 in (80 cm) at the ends 47.24 in. (120 cm) in...
Category

1980s French Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Travertine

Eames Herman Miller Black Leather Office Chair Aluminum Group
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Detroit, MI
The Aluminum Group Management height office chair designed by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller is from the Eames Aluminum Group Collection. These distinctive chairs resulted fro...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Original Vintage Charles & Ray Eames RAR Rocking Chair for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precision. With over 17 years of artisanal exper...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Iron

Herman Miller Eames Aluminum Group Office Chair in Coffee Leather
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Wilton, CT
These beautiful authentic Mid-Century Modern Eames Herman Miller Executive Aluminum Group chairs by Knoll are upholstered in Coffee Leather and are suitable for home, office or studi...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Dining or Game Table by Charles Eames for Herman Miller
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A square dining or game table with an ash top, on folding steel legs. Model DTM.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Steel

Eames Seafoam Rocking Chair for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A rare seafoam green molded fiberglass rocking chair with black metal wire base mounted on birch runners . This iconic piece was designed by the husband and wife team of Ray and Char...
Category

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

Materials

Wire

Eames for Herman Miller Table Post Modern Look
By Ettore Sottsass, Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
A post modern take on a classic design. Eames Aluminum group dining or conference table with an 80's take. Stunning cork laminate top with almond edge banding makes this table very d...
Category

1990s American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Original Charles & Ray Eames Herman Miller Upholstered Fiberglass Arm Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Chicago, IL
Charles and Ray Eames DAX swivel padded arm shell chair in two-tone with dark gray exposed fiberglass shell. Rusty orange woven wool fabric cover, black piping, four-star aluminium b...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Eames For Herman Miller Mid Century Yellow Fiberglass Shell Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Countryside, IL
Eames For Herman Miller Mid Century Yellow Fiberglass Shell Chair The chair measures: 24.75 wide x 22 deep x 31.25 high, with a s...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Midcentury Eames Aluminum Group Managment Chairs for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
For your consideration are a set of 6 Eames side chairs upholstered in gorgeous fabric. Elegance and comfort separates this iconic chair from the rest. The upholstery is in wonderful...
Category

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

Materials

Aluminum

Previously Available Items
12FT Herman Miller Eames Aluminum Group Conference Table
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Pasadena, TX
12FT Herman Miller Eames Aluminum Group Conference Table 12ft aluminum base dining or conference table designed by Charles and Ray ...
Category

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

Materials

Aluminum

Set of Six Eames Herman Miller DCM Dining Chairs
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Pasadena, TX
The Eames Molded Plywood dining chair (1946) began as an experiment in the California apartment of Charles and Ray Eames and quickly became a favorite of artists and designers around the world. The body-friendly molded shapes and springy rubber shock mounts of the original chair bring ergonomic comfort and classic mid-century style to the table today. This plywood dining chair with metal base...
Category

1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

1 Charles Eames Herman Miller Aluminum Group Side Task Chair
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Pasadena, TX
1 charles Eames Herman Miller Aluminum group chair 1970s Charles and Ray Eames aluminum group side chair, EA330 office conference chair in bl...
Category

1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

1 Herman Miller Eames Fiberglass Vinyl Shell Chair on Castors
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
Classic Mid-Century Modern office chair on swivel base in black vinyl with molded fiberglass shell on aluminum base. Adjustable seat height from: 17.5"-20.5" See restored Aluminu...
Category

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

Materials

Fiberglass

1 Vintage Herman Miller Eames Executive Soft Pad Task Chair
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
Similar in design to the aluminum group series of chairs, the soft pad group offers the same aesthetic with the addition of plush, individually upholstered cushions to the seat and b...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Eames Herman Miller Walnut Conference Table
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
Charles and Ray married in 1941 and moved to California where they continued their furniture design work with molding plywood. During the war they were commissioned by the Navy to pr...
Category

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

Materials

Aluminum

Midcentury Eames Herman Miller Drafting Stool
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
Charles and Ray married in 1941 and moved to California where they continued their furniture design work with molding plywood. During the war they were commissioned by the Navy to pr...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Fiberglass

'1' Midcentury Herman Miller Eames EC-178 Shell Management Chair
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
Charles and Ray Eames Charles and Ray married in 1941 and moved to California where they continued their furniture design work with molding plywood. During the war they were commissioned by the Navy to produce molded plywood splints, stretchers and experimental glider shells. In 1946, Evans Products began producing the Eameses' molded plywood furniture. The influential architectural critic Esther McCoy called their molded plywood chair “the chair of the century”. Soon production was taken over by Herman Miller, Inc., who continues to produce the furniture in the United States to this day. Another company, Vitra International, manufactures the furniture in Europe. The Eameses continued to create new furniture designs into the 1970s. Examples include the molded plastic or fiberglass chairs from the early 1950s and the famous Lounge Chair and Ottoman from 1956. Sturdy, comfortable and elegant office furniture was created in the 1960s, as well as seating designed for Dulles and O’Hare Airports. This Tandem Sling Seating is still in use in airports around the world today (1) Charles & Ray Eames EC...
Category

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

Materials

Aluminum

1 Midcentury Eames Herman Miller Fiberglass Arm Shell Chair Stool
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
Charles and Ray married in 1941 and moved to California where they continued their furniture design work with molding plywood. During the war, they were commissioned by the Navy to p...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Fiberglass, Walnut

Vintage Herman Miller Eames Rosewood Conference Table
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
Charles and Ray married in 1941 and moved to California where they continued their furniture design work with molding plywood. During the war they were commissioned by the Navy to produce molded plywood splints, stretchers and experimental glider shells. In 1946, Evans Products began producing the Eameses' molded plywood furniture. Their molded plywood chair was called "the chair of the century" by the influential architectural critic Esther McCoy. Soon production was taken over by Herman Miller, Inc ., who continues to produce the furniture in the United States to this day. Another company, Vitra International, manufactures the furniture in Europe. The Eameses continued to create new furniture designs into the 1970s. Examples include the molded plastic or fiberglass chairs from the early 1950s and the famous Lounge Chair and Ottoman from 1956. Sturdy, comfortable and elegant office furniture was created in the 1960s, as well as seating designed for Dulles and O`Hare Airports. This Tandem Sling Seating is still in use in airports around the world today. Vintage midcentury 10ft rosewood conference dining table Vintage 10-foot conference table...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Rosewood

Pair of Vintage Fully Restored Eames Leather Aluminium Chair
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
Charles and Ray Eames gave this chair an innovative suspension that creates a firm, flexible "sitting pocket" that conforms subtly to the body's shape. They created that suspension b...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles Eames Furniture

Materials

Chrome

7FT Vintage Midcentury Eames Herman Miller Dining Conference Table
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
7 ft Italian Verde green marble-top with a Herman Miller Eames Base  Classic and elegant segmented H base with 1.5" Italian Verde green marble-top. Measur...
Category

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

Materials

Marble

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 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 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 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, 2024
    Yes, 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 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
    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