Set of Six Wire Chairs by Charles Eames for Herman Miller
View Similar Items
Set of Six Wire Chairs by Charles Eames for Herman Miller
About the Item
- Creator:Charles Eames (Designer),Herman Miller (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 18 in (45.72 cm)Depth: 19 in (48.26 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 6
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Belmont, MA
- Reference Number:Seller: M-4091stDibs: LU320619989043
Charles Eames
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.
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.
- Herman Miller Aluminum Group Management Chair by Charles Eames, c. 1965By Charles Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Belmont, MAEames Aluminum Group for Herman Miller Task Chair, Zeeland, Michigan, c. 1965, aluminum, leather, Herman Miller manufacturer's label, ht. 30, wd. 23...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
MaterialsAluminum
$943 Sale Price34% Off - Set of Six Eva Dining Room Chairs by Niels Koefoed for HornsletBy Niels Koefoed, Koefoeds HornsletLocated in Belmont, MASet of six "Eva" dining room chairs designed by Niels Koefoed in 1964 and manufactured by Koefoeds Hornslet in the late 1960s. The chairs have a black frame and upholstered in red fa...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
- Set of Four Irwin Collection Dining Chairs by Paul McCobb for DirectionalBy Paul McCobb, DirectionalLocated in Belmont, MAFour caned back chairs designed by Paul McCobb for Directional with new red wool high-quality upholstery.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Set of 6 Postmodern Black Metal and Leather Dining Chairs by Cattelan ItaliaBy Cattelan Italia, Maurizio CattelanLocated in Belmont, MASet of six (6) Italian 1980s Postmodern black metal dining chairs (Model Carre VI) made by Cattelan Italia with black leather seats. Great sculptural design by Maurizio Cattelan who ...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsMetal
$1,625 Sale Price / set35% Off - Set of Six Danish Modern 1-2-3 Chairs by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen, 1950sBy Fritz Hansen, Verner PantonLocated in Belmont, MAThese striking chairs were designed in the 1950s by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen in Denmark. The 1-2-3 chairs are upholstered in a bright blue fabric, and sold as a set of six.Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsSteel
$3,424 Sale Price / set42% Off - Set of Six Danish Modern 1-2-3 Chairs by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen, 1950sBy Fritz Hansen, Verner PantonLocated in Belmont, MAThese striking chairs were designed in the 1950s by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen in Denmark. The 1-2-3 chairs are upholstered in a bright blue fabric, and sold as a set of six.Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsSteel
$2,485 Sale Price / set30% Off
- Charles Eames for Herman Miller DSX Shell ChairBy Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames, Charles Eames, Ray EamesLocated in Garnerville, NYCharles Eames for Herman Miller fiberglass DSX shell chair. Circa 1970. Retains all it's plastic glides. Shock mounts are in good condition with no visible drying or cracking. Struct...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Steel
$516 Sale Price20% Off - Armchairs by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, 1970s, set of 6By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Lasne, BESet of 6 fiberglass chairs in orange color with chrome metal legs. Stamped H by Herman Miller on the bottom. Wear due to time and age of chairs. Seat height:...Category
Vintage 1970s Central American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- DSR chairs by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, 1970sBy Herman Miller, Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Lasne, BESet of 4 dark blue fibreglass chairs. Stamped Herman Miller (see photo). These are the Eiffels legs. One chair has been repaired and is still a bit damaged (see photo). Wear due to t...Category
Vintage 1970s Central American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Plywood DCW Dining Chairs, 1950s Set of 2By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in London, GBThe DCW chair was originally released in 1946, with Herman Miller taking over the manufacture of the chairs in 1950. This lasted until 1953 when the chairs were taken out of producti...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsPlywood
- Set of Four Eames for Herman Miller Black DKR Wire Chairs on Eiffel BasesBy Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Ferndale, MICharles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller DKR wire chairs on Eiffel tower bases. All four chairs have been refinished in a correct tone matte black powder...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Early Oak DCW Dining Chair by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman MillerBy Herman Miller, Charles EamesLocated in Dorchester, MAThe DCW dining chair is a classic mid-century plywood design by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, both functional and comfortable. This model, made in the 1950s, is constructe...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsOak, Rubber
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.