Skip to main content

Charles And Ray Eames Fiberglass

2
to
58
920
539
1,453
1,191
387
318
206
165
23
20
15
7
4
2
2
2
1
1
1,269
894
159
55
36
Sort By
Charles and Ray Eames Fiberglass Shell Bench
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Münster, DE
Bench, 3 fiberglass seat shells, Charles & Ray Eames design, metal frame with chrome-plated sled
Category

Vintage 1970s European Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Metal

Charles and Ray Eames Fiberglass Shell Bench
Charles and Ray Eames Fiberglass Shell Bench
H 31.5 in W 64.97 in D 21.66 in
Charles and Ray Eames Fiberglass Shell Bench
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Münster, DE
Bench, 4 fiberglass seat shells, color Parchment, design Charles & Ray Eames, metal frame with
Category

Vintage 1970s European Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Metal

Charles and Ray Eames Fiberglass Shell Bench
Charles and Ray Eames Fiberglass Shell Bench
H 31.5 in W 87.41 in D 21.66 in
Pair of Eames Fiberglass DSR Chairs on Eiffel Tower Bases
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Ferndale, MI
Nice golden patina on a pair of Charles and Ray Eames fiberglass shell chairs. Earlier production
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Steel

1st Generation Charles Eames Zenith/Herman Miller Plastic Rope Edge Chair
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller, Zenith
Located in Buffalo, NY
Rare, early set of 4 Charles and Ray Eames Fiberglass arm shell chairs, extremely rare "Raw Umber
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Metal

6 Eames for Herman Miller DSS Stackable Naugahyde Fiberglass Shell Chairs
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
quantity. Eames stackable fiberglass shell chairs with original brown naugahyde pads. The famous Charles
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Charles and Ray Eames RAR
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An early Lemon yellow rocker with its original base. Manufacturer's Label and Date Stamp.
Category

Vintage 1950s North American Rocking Chairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Charles and Ray Eames RAR
Charles and Ray Eames RAR
H 27 in W 25 in D 27 in
Charles and Ray Eames Vintage Fiberglass LAR Armchair Cat´s Cradle 1970s
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Münster, DE
, design Charles & Ray Eames, manufacturer Herman Miller, "Cat's Cradle" base chrome-plated 2 chairs
Category

Vintage 1970s European Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Metal

1958, Ray & Charles Eames, Herman Miller, PSCC Fiberglass Office Desk Chair
By Charles and Ray Eames, Vitra
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
This chair is part of the private collection of Casey Godrie and is situated in his private house. Ask him for competitive shipping quotes. His incredible Dune Villa, Amsterdam Beac...
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Metal

Office Chair By Charles And Ray Eames For Herman Miller - Fiberglass - Ca 1960
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Office chair by American designers Charles and Ray Eames produced by Herman Miller in the 1960s
Category

Vintage 1960s American Industrial Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Steel

Mid-Century Modern White Vintage Fiberglass Chair by Charles & Ray Eames, 1950s
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid Century Modern vintage model DSS-N fiberglass chair was designed by Charles & Ray Eames and
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Vintage Set of 6 Cherry Red Fiberglass Dowel Chairs by Charles & Ray Eames
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Geneva, CH
Set of 6 vintage cherry red fiberglass dowel side chairs by Charles & Ray Eames, Vitra ca. 1970's
Category

Vintage 1970s Swiss Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fiberglass, Walnut

Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller MCM Fiberglass Wheeled Shell Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Countryside, IL
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller mid-century fiberglass wheeled shell chair. This chair
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Metal

Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller MCM Fiberglass Wheeled Shell Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Countryside, IL
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller mid century fiberglass wheeled shell chair This chair
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Metal

Herman Miller Fiberglass Chairs, Charles and Ray Eames, Olive Green, 1960's
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Round Rock, TX
A wonderful set of four fiberglass armchairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Steel

Six Stacking Chairs, Charles & Ray Eames, Herman Miller, Red Fiberglass, 1974.
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Hausmannstätten, AT
A set of six stackable dining room chairs by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, manufactured in
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Set of 10 Eames for Herman Miller Stacking Brown Naugahyde DSS Shell Chairs
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Chattanooga, TN
. Eames stackable fiberglass shell chairs with original brown naugahyde pads. The famous Charles and Ray
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Pair of Charles and Ray Eames Adjustable Swivel Chairs
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nice pair of adjustable height swivel chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames,, Retain original
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

18 DSS Stacking Chairs, Charles & Ray Eames, Herman Miller, Orange Fiberglass
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Hausmannstätten, AT
One of 18 stackable dining room chairs by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, manufactured in
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Charles & Ray Eames RAR Rocking Chair “Zenith”
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Seattle, WA
Known as the RAR rocking chair designed by Charles & Ray Eames, this chair has Zenith checker label
Category

Vintage 1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs

Materials

Metal

Zenith Charles Eames DAR Fiberglass Shell Chairs
By Charles and Ray Eames, Zenith
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Introducing the Zenith Charles Eames DAR Fiberglass Shell Chairs – Iconic Design, Unmatched Comfort
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Set of LAR Chairs by Charles and Ray Eames
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A rare set of 4 original LAR upholstered fiberglass lounge chairs on a wire frame base. Original
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Upholstery, Fiberglass

22 DSS Stacking Chairs, Charles & Ray Eames, Herman Miller, Red Fiberglass, 1974
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Hausmannstätten, AT
One of 22 stackable dining room chairs by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, manufactured in
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Chrome, Metal

Early 2nd Generation Charles and Ray Eames Arm Shell Chair
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
Classic Mid-Century fiberglass arm shell chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames, 2nd year
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Iron

RAR Rocking Chair by Charles & Ray Eames, 1950s
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Brussels, BE
This emblematic rocking chair designed by Charles & Ray Eames in the fifties is well known for its
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

RAR Rocking Chair by Charles & Ray Eames, 1950s
RAR Rocking Chair by Charles & Ray Eames, 1950s
H 29.93 in W 25.99 in D 27.17 in
Set of 4 Ray & Charles Eames Fiberglass Side Chairs Herman Miller / Vitra, 1960s
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Rosendahl, DE
Set of four multicoloured side chairs by Charles and Ray Eames. The chairs have been produced by
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

1960's Fiberglass Chair DSX Charles & Ray Eames Herman Miller H-Base Design
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
1960's fiberglass chair DSX Charles & Ray Eames Herman Miller H-Base design Object: chair
Category

Vintage 1960s Central American Chairs

Materials

Metal

1950's Vintage Charles Eames Fiberglass Shell Armchairs for Herman Miller-A Pair
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in New Orleans, LA
A pair of Charles Eames molded fiberglass shell arm chairs for Herman Miller, in a parchment color
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Metal

1950, Ray & Charles Eames for Herman Miller Set DSS Fiberglass Stacking Chairs
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
This chair is part of the private collection of Casey Godrie and is situated in his private house. Ask him for competitive shipping quotes. His incredible Dune Villa, Amsterdam Beac...
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Metal, Chrome

DAX Armchair by Charles & Ray Eames
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A rope edge fiberglass "Zenith" shell chair with a brushed steel X-base, in elephant grey.
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

DAX Armchair by Charles & Ray Eames
DAX Armchair by Charles & Ray Eames
H 31.5 in W 24 in D 24 in
EA178 Loose Pad Chair by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Chicago, IL
Fiberglass shell with upholstered frame, loose cushion. Extremely rare and hard to find. Aluminum
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Herman Miller DAT Executive armchair Designed by Charles & Ray Eames
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Offenburg, Baden Wurthemberg
Herman Miller DAT fibre plastic armchair on office base, Designed by Charles & Ray Eames in 1948
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Molded Swiveling Chairs by Charles and Ray Eames
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A vibrant group of swiveling armchairs having organically shaped seats with their expressive original red upholstery floating on lacquered stems rising from early four-pronged bases.
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Steel, Aluminum

Impeccable Molded Swiveling Armchair by Charles and Ray Eames
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impeccable molded swiveling armchair by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Contractor base
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Steel

Charles and Ray Eames DAX armchair by Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Athens, Attiki
thus a realisation of the chair concept created by Charles and Ray Eames in the 1950s. Thanks to its
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Impeccable Molded Swiveling Armchair by Charles and Ray Eames
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impeccable molded swiveling armchair by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Contractor base
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Steel

1st Generation Charles and Ray Eames Dar Chairs, Pair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
edge! Read the history of the iconic fiberglass shell armchair and how Zenith was so important to
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Fibreglass La Fonda Chair by Charles & Ray Eames for Vitra, 1960s
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Bruxelles, BE
La Fonda chair, designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Alexander Girard’s La Fonda del Sol
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Early Rope-Edge Fiberglass Armchair by Charles Eames for Zenith/Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Dorchester, MA
Designed by Charles and Ray Eames and manufactured between 1951 and 1952 by Zenith Plastics for
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Original Mid Century Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller DAX Chair Labelled
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Original Iconic Mid Century Modern Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller DAX Chair Branding Under
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Chrome

Armchair by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, 1970s
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Lasne, BE
Swivel chair on casters in metal and fiberglass. Wear due to time and age of the chair (see photo
Category

Vintage 1970s Central American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

DTM2 by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Saint Paul, MN
This beautiful Vintage DTM2 Table by Ray and Charles Eames is a stunning addition to any home or
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Game Tables

Materials

Walnut

Pair of Vintage Eames Fiberglass Armshells
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage Eames armshells in light ochre/yellow fiberglass. Designed by Charles and Ray Eames for
Category

Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Steel

Charles and Ray Eames DAX chair by Herman Miller, 70s
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Athens, Attiki
The fully upholstered DAX chair is part of the Eames plastic armchairs collection, first presented
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Aluminum Group EA 116 Chair by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, USA, 1990s
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Deland, FL
'Aluminium Group'. Designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1958, the aluminum chair is one of the most
Category

1990s American Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Herman Miller Charles Ray Eames Authentic RAR Rocking Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Baltimore, MD
Authentic rare Mid-Century Modern early RAR rocking chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Mid-Century Black Leather Dax Armchair by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, made in the USA 1960's. Dark grey / black leather on cream white
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

2005 La Chaise Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames for Vitra Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Vitra
Located in Philadelphia, PA
developed as a fiberglass prototype during the life of Charles and Ray Eames. The prototypes and drawings
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Chaise Longues

Materials

Fiberglass

Charles & Ray Eames "Rar" Brown Original Rocking Chair, 1977
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in The Hague, NL
Mid-Century Modern molded RAR rocking chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs

Materials

Metal

Vintage 1950s Lemon Yellow DAX Chair Charles+Ray Eames Zenith Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Hyattsville, MD
as, '2nd generation.' These were also shipped from the Venice Eames Office like the 1st iterations of
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller La Fonda Chairs, Pair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
USA, 1961 Molded fiberglass, cast aluminum, rubber, plastic Measures: 25in W x 22in D x 28.5in H.
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Fiberglass

Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller Mid Century Wheeled Shell Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Countryside, IL
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller Mid Century Wheeled Shell Chair This chair measures: 18.5
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Metal

Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller Mid Century Wheeled Shell Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Countryside, IL
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller Mid Century Wheeled Shell Chair This chair measures: 18.5
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Metal

Early Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller Midcentury Rope Edge Armchair
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Countryside, IL
Early Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller midcentury rope edge armchair This chair measures
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Metal

Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Millerr Midcentury Rocking Chair 1960s
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
American Mid-Century Modern design rocking chair designed by Charles & Ray Eames and produced by
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs

Materials

Metal

Orange Eiffel Shell Chair By Charles And Ray Eames For Herman Miller, 1960s
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Zohor, SK
Original 1960s orange fiberglass shell chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller
Category

Vintage 1960s British Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Classic Modernist Charles and Ray Eames Arm Shell Lounge Chair, Zenith
By Herman Miller, Zenith, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Buffalo, NY
First generation, circa 1950 Charles and Ray Eames. Museum quality, sea foam green arm shell lounge
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Zinc

Charles and Ray Eames "DAR" Armchair by Zenith for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames, Zenith
Located in Highland, IN
The earliest fiberglass Eames chairs were produced by Zenith Plastics and came in a limited palate
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Steel

Pair of Charles and Ray Eames Swivel Padded Arm Shell Chairs, Two-Tone
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Buffalo, NY
Pair of Charles and Ray Eames swivel padded arm shell chairs, unusual color combination, early
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

12 DSS Stacking Chairs Charles & Ray Eames Herman Miller, Blue Fiberglass, 1960s
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Buffalo, NY
One of 12 stackable dining room chairs by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, manufactured in
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Metal

1977 Eames Herman Miller EC175 Upholstered Fiberglass Shell Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a rare and marvelous EC175-8 chair, designed by Charles and Ray Eames, produced
Category

Vintage 1970s American Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Fiberglass

  • 1
  • ...
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Charles And Ray Eames Fiberglass", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Charles And Ray Eames Fiberglass For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal piece of charles and ray eames fiberglass for your home. Was constructed with extraordinary care, often using fiberglass, plastic and metal. There are 1040 variations of the antique or vintage item from our selection of charles and ray eames fiberglass you’re looking for, while we also have 4 modern editions of this piece to choose from as well. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect choice in our collection of charles and ray eames fiberglass — we have versions that date back to the 19th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. Each object in our assortment of charles and ray eames fiberglass bearing Mid-Century Modern, Modern or Industrial hallmarks is very popular.

How Much is a Charles And Ray Eames Fiberglass?

Prices for a piece of charles and ray eames fiberglass can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $150 and can go as high as $28,400, while the average can fetch as much as $1,600.

Charles and Ray Eames for sale on 1stDibs

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.

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 (1907–78) studied architecture and industrial design. Ray (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 — they 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 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 collection of original Eames furniture on 1stDibs includes chairs, tables, case pieces and other items.

A Close Look at mid-century-modern Furniture

Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.

ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.

Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively. 

Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer

Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.

The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.

As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.

Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.

As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.

Materials: plastic Furniture

Arguably the world’s most ubiquitous man-made material, plastic has impacted nearly every industry. In contemporary spaces, new and vintage plastic furniture is quite popular and its use pairs well with a range of design styles.

From the Italian lighting artisans at Fontana Arte to venturesome Scandinavian modernists such as Verner Panton, who created groundbreaking interiors as much as he did seating — see his revolutionary Panton chair — to contemporary multidisciplinary artists like Faye Toogood, furniture designers have been pushing the boundaries of plastic forever.

When The Graduate's Mr. McGuire proclaimed, “There’s a great future in plastics,” it was more than a laugh line. The iconic quote is an allusion both to society’s reliance on and its love affair with plastic. Before the material became an integral part of our lives — used in everything from clothing to storage to beauty and beyond — people relied on earthly elements for manufacturing, a process as time-consuming as it was costly.

Soon after American inventor John Wesley Hyatt created celluloid, which could mimic luxury products like tortoiseshell and ivory, production hit fever pitch, and the floodgates opened for others to explore plastic’s full potential. The material altered the history of design — mid-century modern legends Charles and Ray Eames, Joe Colombo and Eero Saarinen regularly experimented with plastics in the development of tables and chairs, and today plastic furnishings and decorative objects are seen as often indoors as they are outside.

Find vintage plastic lounge chairs, outdoor furniture, lighting and more on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right seating for You

With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.

Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.

Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.

The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.

Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.

With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.

Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.

No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.

Questions About Charles and Ray Eames
  • 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.