Red DSW Chairs by Charles and Ray Eames, 1950s, Set of Four
View Similar Items
Red DSW Chairs by Charles and Ray Eames, 1950s, Set of Four
About the Item
- Creator:Charles Eames (Designer),Herman Miller (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32.68 in (83 cm)Width: 18.51 in (47 cm)Depth: 20.87 in (53 cm)Seat Height: 18.51 in (47 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 4
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Unknown
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.
- Seller Location:Nijmegen, NL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU163023469102
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.
- Art Deco Style Dutch Cognac Leather Club Chairs, Set of FourLocated in Nijmegen, NLThis set of four cognac-colored leather club chairs come from the Netherlands. They are upholstered with cognac-colored leather and feature metal rivets and wooden legs.Category
Vintage 1970s Dutch Art Deco Club Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- French Oak and Pine Apothecary Cabinet, 1950sLocated in Nijmegen, NLThis oak apothecary cabinet was designed and made circa 1950 in France. It features 12 drawers with bakelite hardware. The inside of the drawers meas...Category
Mid-20th Century French Industrial Apothecary Cabinets
MaterialsOak
$1,092 Sale Price27% Off - German Oak Filing Cabinet / Bank of Drawers, circa 1950sLocated in Nijmegen, NLThis filing cabinet was produced during the 1950s in Germany. The cabinet features 15 drawers with nice card holders and pulls. The interior dimensions of the drawers are: D W H 29 x...Category
Vintage 1950s German Industrial Apothecary Cabinets
MaterialsOak
- Vintage Italian Beech Haberdashery Shop Cabinet, 1950sLocated in Nijmegen, NLThis haberdashery cabinet was produced during the 1950s in Italy. This piece features 10 drawers in light beech with glass fronts and metal handles. It was originally used in a shop ...Category
Vintage 1950s European Mid-Century Modern Apothecary Cabinets
MaterialsBeech
- Dutch Beech Apothecary / Filing Cabinet, 1950sLocated in Nijmegen, NLThis apothecary cabinet was designed and made from beech circa 1950 in the Netherlands. It features 36 drawers with metal hardware. The inside of the drawers measure: DWH 36 x 26.5 x...Category
Vintage 1950s Dutch Industrial Apothecary Cabinets
MaterialsBeech
- Small Dutch Beech Apothecary Cabinet, 1950sLocated in Nijmegen, NLThis Dutch apothecary cabinet was made circa 1950s in the Netherlands. It features 12 drawers with metal cup handles. It is made from beech wood. The interior dimensions of the drawe...Category
Vintage 1950s Dutch Industrial Apothecary Cabinets
MaterialsBeech
- 1950, Charles and Ray Eames, Set of Four DKR Chairs Red Leather BikinisBy Vitra, Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NLThis item 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 Beach,...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Plywood DCW Dining Chairs, 1950s Set of 2By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray EamesLocated 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
- Pair early DCW Dining Chair in black by Charles & Ray Eames, Herman Miller 1950sBy Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller, Charles EamesLocated in Vorst, BEDCW (Dining Chair Wood) chair created by Charles and Ray Eames around 1945. These are second generation chairs produced by Herman Miller USA between 1950 and 1953 (the production of...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWalnut, Plywood
- Restored Bentwood Chairs, 1950s, Set of 4Located in Żory, PLA set of four chairs made of bent beech wood. The chairs have been completely restored, new seats are upholstered with high-quality fabric, lacquered wood, satin finish.Category
Mid-20th Century Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBentwood, Beech
$1,482 Sale Price / set25% Off - Early LCW Lounge Chair stained red by Charles & Ray Eames, Evans Plywood, 1950sBy Charles and Ray Eames, Evans Products Company, Charles EamesLocated in Vorst, BELCW (Lounge Chair Wood) chair created by Charles and Ray Eames around 1945. Chair sold by Herman Miller, but produced by Evans Plywood in 1948-1949. The 5-2-5 screw arrangement bene...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsPlywood
- 1950, Ray & Charles Eames for Herman Miller Set DSS Fiberglass Stacking ChairsBy Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NLThis 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
MaterialsMetal, Chrome
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.