Charles, Ray Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Herman Miller, 50th Anniv., Ltd Ed
View Similar Items
Charles, Ray Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Herman Miller, 50th Anniv., Ltd Ed
About the Item
- Creator:Herman Miller (Maker),Charles and Ray Eames (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 31.5 in (80.01 cm)Width: 32.75 in (83.19 cm)Depth: 32.75 in (83.19 cm)Seat Height: 15 in (38.1 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2006
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. very good vintage condition. No major condition issues apparent at time of listing. Age appropriate wear and patina is possible.
- Seller Location:Brooklyn, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU4190321462432
Charles and Ray Eames
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.
Herman Miller
No other business of its kind did more than the Herman Miller Furniture Company to introduce modern design into American homes. Working with legendary designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson and Alexander Girard, the Zeeland, Michigan-based firm fostered some of the boldest expressions of what we now call mid-century modern style. In doing so, Herman Miller produced some of the most beautiful, iconic and, one can even say, noblest furniture ever.
Founded in 1923, Herman Miller was originally known for grand historicist bedroom suites: heavily ornamented wood furniture that appealed to a high-minded, wealthier clientele. The company — named for its chief financial backer — began to suffer in the early 1930s as the Great Depression hit, and D.J. De Pree, the company’s CEO, feared bankruptcy. In 1932, aid came in the form of Gilbert Rohde, a self-taught furniture designer who had traveled widely in Europe, absorbing details of the Art Deco movement and other modernist influences. After persuading De Pree that the growing middle-class required smaller, lighter household furnishings, Rohde set a new course for Herman Miller, creating sleek chairs, tables and cabinetry that were the essence of the Streamline Moderne style.
Rohde died suddenly in 1944. The following year, De Pree turned to George Nelson, an architect who had written widely about modern furniture design. Under Nelson’s leadership, Herman Miller would embrace new technologies and materials and audacious biomorphic forms. Some of the pieces the company produced are now emblems of 20th century American design, including the Eames lounge chair and ottoman and Nelson’s Marshmallow sofa and Coconut chair. As you can see on 1stDibs, such instantly recognizable furnishings have become timeless — staples of a modernist décor; striking, offbeat notes in traditional environments.
- Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller DKX-1 Chair, Black Leather, H-Base, 1955By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Brooklyn, NYCharles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller DKX-1 chair, black leather, H-base, circa 1954, Boot glides .Pricing is per chair. Please change quantity to 4 to purchase entire set. The ab...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller DKX-1 Chair, Black Leather, H-Base, 1955By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Brooklyn, NYCharles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller DKX-1 chairs, set of four, black leather, H-base, circa 1954, Boot glides The abbreviated Eames DKX chair, part of the Wire Mesh Series, stood for Dining (D) height, K-Wire (K) chair on X-base (X). As with all the mesh series, the numbers represented the upholstery cut, with 1 meaning the full chair cover and 2 the two-part ‘bikini’ version. The X in the name of the DKX, LKX and MKX stands for the X-base, an original patterned base with a clear criss-cross where the base joins the top. This base was developed for the plastic series and was later utilized for the wire mesh chairs...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Charles & Ray Eames DAR Eiffel Rope Edge Chair, 1st Generation, 1950By Charles and Ray Eames, Zenith, Herman MillerLocated in Brooklyn, NYCharles Eames (1907-1978) & Ray Eames (1912-1988) for Zenith Plastics / HermanMiller DAR Eiffel rope-edge chair Venice, California / Zeeland, Michigan, 1950 fiberglass, enameled steel early sticker label Measures: 24 7/8" W x 23 5/8" D x 31 3/8" H All original parts, including rare first gen. feet, which date the piece to the first batch of production (1950). Labelled. Gorgeous museum worthy piece. Quite possibly one of the most famous and iconic chairs ever, the Eames DAR would most commonly become known as the ‘eiffel chair’ due to its sculptured wire base resembling that of Europe’s most notorious landmark. The very first generation of the Eames DAR Eiffel Chair was recognizable not only for the ‘rope edge’ shell but also due to the protruding ‘1st gen’ feet as opposed to boot glides or later plastic feet. The abbreviated Eames DAR Chair stands for the Eames Dining (D) height, Arm (A) Chair, on Rod (R) Base released in the first year of arm chair production of the fiberglass series developed to the marketplace in 1950. The early success of the Eames arm chairs, released in 1950, was a co-ordinated effort between the Eames . Office (Designers), Zenith Plastics (Manufacturers) and Herman Miller (Distributors). The chair series was always designed to have interchangeable bases and the DAR was one of the ‘original 5’ alongside the DAX X-base, LAR cats cradle...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Tommi Parzinger Originals Modern Armchair and Ottoman, Club Chair, 1958By Tommi Parzinger, Parzinger OriginalsLocated in Brooklyn, NYTommi Parzinger lounge chair and ottoman, ebonized frame, charcoal grey upholstery. Copy of the original purchased receipt included from Parzinger Originals Inc., dated January 15, 1958 Dimensions: 27" H x 28 1/2" W x 31" D and 15" H x 28" L x 16" Tommi Parzinger was born in Munich and received professional design training there at the school of art and craft, Kunstgewerbeschule. He began his career as a freelance designer of ceramics, wallpapers, lighting, textiles, furniture. He traveled and worked in Germany and Austria, becoming familiar with the modern movements of the day including the Wiener Werkstätte, the Jugendstijl, and the Bauhaus. As a professional designer in Germany he created porcelain for the German firm KPM, as well as posters, textiles, interiors and wallpapers. In 1932 he came to the United Stated as a prize for winning a poster contest for North German Lloyd...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsTextile
- Warren Platner Grey Leather Easy Chair and Ottoman Set of Three, Knoll, 1966By Warren Platner, KnollLocated in Brooklyn, NYWarren platner grey leather easy chair and ottoman set of three, Knoll, 1966. Knoll Models 1705L and 1705Y. Please see last image for proper dimensions. Warren Platner for Knoll gr...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsStainless Steel, Nickel
$14,880 Sale Price / set40% Off - Warren Platner Gray Leather 1705 Easy Chair and Ottoman Set of Two, Knoll, 1966By Warren Platner, KnollLocated in Brooklyn, NYWarren platner gray leather easy chair and ottoman set of two, Knoll, 1966. Knoll Models 1705L and 1705Y. See final two images for proper dimensions...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsStainless Steel, Nickel
- Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller 670 Rosewood Lounge Chair and OttomanBy Herman Miller, Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Philadelphia, PACharles and Ray Eames 670 Rosewood Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Black leather with down filled cushions. Wood grain on this example is really nice! ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsAluminum
- MCM Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group High Back ChairBy Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Topeka, KSMarvelous vintage MCM (a.k.a. Mid-Century Modern) Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group high back chair. Comprised of aluminum frame, 4 prong aluminum base, nylon feet, black swivel shaft, black powder coated aluminum arms, & has been reupholstered in an aubergine or eggplant faux suede. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that this is vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear. There are some minor scratches on the arms. Please see photos and zoom in for details. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Design Date, 1958. circa, 1960-1978. (We currently have three currently available but priced separately.) I can’t think of anything better than a vintage Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group high back chair!!! Except maybe a purple one!! Aubergine Eggplant, Purple whichever!! WOW!!! It is comprised of an aluminum frame, 4 prong aluminum base with nylon feet, black swivel shaft, black powder coated aluminum arms, and it has been reupholstered in a lovely aubergine or eggplant faux suede fabric. Can we just say Design EXCELLENCE!!!! And not to mention extraordinary comfort! The dynamic design duo of husband and wife team Charles & Ray Eames focused on every detail and combined ergonomics, flexibility, constructive elements, highest quality materials, and attention to superior style which created a masterpiece that is highly sought after still today. The design was introduced in 1958 and is still in production! This vintage beauty will be phenomenal at a desk in an office setting, next to your bed or in the dressing area of your bedroom, or extra seating in the sitting room. It is versatile enough to blend in with many décor styles, but it’s bursting with Mid-Century Modern magnificence!! This treasure is exactly what the designer ordered! Charles Eames was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1907. Ray Kaiser Eames was born in Sacramento, California in 1912. They met at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan and were married in 1941. They moved together to California and continued their design work they began together at Cranbrook. A commission, which they acquired from the government during WWII to produce molded plywood splints and stretchers, launched a career producing iconic Mid-Century Modern furnishings which are still fresh and sought after today. The Eames and their association with Herman Miller were the partnership of the century. If you want to learn more about Charles and Ray please visit Eames Office, the Eames Official website. Herman Miller started life as Star furniture...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsAluminum
- Mid-Century Lounge Chair and Ottoman by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman MillerBy Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Brussels, BEMid-Century Lounge Chair and Ottoman by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller for ICFCategory
20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Herman Miller Eames Lounge Chair and OttomanBy Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Brooklyn, NYHandsome classic Eames lounge chair and ottoman. Executed in rosewood and black leather. Cast aluminum bases, with adjustable “domes of silence” leveling glides. Extremely comfortabl...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsAluminum
- Charles and Ray Eames Walnut LCM Lounge Chair by Herman MillerBy Herman Miller, Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Highland, INThe LCM is our favorite of the Eames plywood chair designs. The metal frame gives an overall visual lightness and makes the wood seat and back appe...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- MCM Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group High Back Chairs Set 3By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Topeka, KSMarvelous vintage MCM (a.k.a. mid-century modern) Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group high back chairs set of 3. Comprised of aluminum frames, 4 prong aluminum bases, nylon feet, black swivel shaft, black powder coated aluminum arms, & have been reupholstered in an aubergine or eggplant faux suede. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that these are vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear. There are minor nicks on the arms & some wear on outside corners of seat fabric. Please see photos and zoom in for details. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Design Date, 1958. Circa, 1960-1978. NOTE: If you love these Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group high back aubergine chairs...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsAluminum
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
A Guide to Herman Miller’s Most Iconic Furniture
The prolific manufacturer has partnered with many of the world’s top designers since opening its doors in 1923. Here are some of the company’s greatest hits, which helped transform the American home and office.