Eames Mid-Century Furniture

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About Vintage Eames Mid-Century Modern Style Furniture

Charles and Ray Eames, a married couple who pioneered modern furniture and industrial design in the 1940s and '50s, were responsible for some of the most innovative and popular designs of the 20th century. Their tables, chairs, storage cabinets, and couches were fabricated from wood, fiberglass, plastic, and metal mesh. Eames designs have been widely imitated, but original Eames pieces are highly sought by collectors.

In 1940, Charles Eames met Ray Kaiser at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, which was also home to Eero Saarinen and Harry Bertoia. The couple married a year later and moved to Los Angeles. Almost immediately, Ray became a part of the city’s Mid-century Modern movement by designing abstract covers for Arts & Architecture magazine, one of the country’s leading advocates for new forms of art, music, film, and architecture...

In 1943, the couple established the Eames Office at 901 Washington Boulevard in Venice, an address they would work from until 1988. There they explored the possibilities of molded plywood and by 1945, the couple had figured out how to create compound curves in the material. One of their first pieces was a birch child’s chair and stool manufactured by the Molded Plywood Division of Evans Products — production was limited to just 5,000 pieces.

Around the same time, the Eameses were also designing their own house, which they built as a part of the Case Study House Program sponsored by John Entenza of Arts & Architecture. Their goal was to build a house that would be inexpensive to produce and easy to construct. True to this aim, the house’s exterior steel framing went up in about 90 man-hours.

Concurrently, the Eameses continued their short-lived collaboration with Evans Products when they produced about 1,000 LCW (Lounge Chair Wood) chairs. These were followed by a partnership with Herman Miller. One of their most fruitful early projects was the DCM (Dining Chair Metal), a two-piece chair whose plywood sections are secured to a solid-rod chromed frame with rubber mounts.

Molded fiberglass chairs in a variety of bright colors and configurations came next. Around the same time, the couple designed chairs made from sturdy wire mesh, with covers available in leather, vinyl, and fabric by Alexander Girard. And by 1956, the Eameses introduced their Lounge Chair and Ottoman, whose molded rosewood plywood form embraced rich leather upholstery.

Eames tables mirrored the aesthetic of their chairs. The OTW-1 was similar in design to the LCW chair, while the DTW-40 and DTW-1 had foldable and detachable legs respectively so that they could be stored when not in use. Of the Eames tables, the so-called "surfboard table" is probably the most eye-catching. It consists of a narrow black ellipse that sits on a low, wire-rod base.

Other Eames objects included plywood screens from the early 1950s, but the best-known non-table-or-chair objects are probably the storage units, also from the early 1950s. Some of these resemble cubist Mondrian paintings with their rectangular and square blocks of primary colors, open shelves, and natural wood.

The Eames storage units were sophisticated solutions to the mundane adult problem of where to put a lot of stuff. Which is not to say that the Eameses lacked a sense of humor about their work. As Eames aficionado Steve Cabella notes on his website, Eamescollector.com, when one of the larger storage units arrived at a customer’s doorstep fully assembled and packed in an Eames-designed carton, inside were instructions showing the kids of the home on how to convert the carton into a playhouse.

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Eames Collector and Mid Century Design Aficionado Steve Cabella

As a teenager, I collected everything from vintage bicycles to Coca-Cola to Victorian stuff. Once I realized …  [more]

An Interview With Victorian Furniture Collector John Werry

How did I get started collecting Victorian Furniture? Antiques is in my genes, my mother's family were longti…  [more]

An Interview With American Furniture Collector Chuck LaChiusa

About 11 years ago, my wife and I went on some architectural tours. We joined the organization that sponsored…  [more]



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Eames Mid-Century Videos



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Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

EamesCollector.com

EamesCollector.com

Steven Cabella's personal homage to Charles and Ray Eames. This site is as clean and visually appealing as the Eame… [read review or visit site]

Work of Charles and Ray Eames

Work of Charles and Ray Eames

This Library of Congress microsite is an overview of the postwar modern design work of Charles (1907-78) and Ray (1… [read review or visit site]

Herman Miller Consortium Collection

Herman Miller Consortium Collection

This website showcases several hundred pieces of furniture, held by thirteen museums, that were designed for Herman… [read review or visit site]

Modernism

Modernism

An overview by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts of the design movements between 1880 and 1940 that comprised Moder… [read review or visit site]

Buffalo Architecture and History

Buffalo Architecture and History

Chuck LaChiusa's wonderful guide to the architecture and history of Buffalo, NY, also happens to host an impressive… [read review or visit site]

The Mid Century Modernist

The Mid Century Modernist

Stephan Coles' really visual blog dedicated to the Modernist era of design from 1940 to 1970 (aka Mid-Century Moder… [read review or visit site]

Rare Victorian

Rare Victorian

John Werry's in-depth blog on rare Victorian Furniture, with detailed, informative and often humorous posts on doze… [read review or visit site]

Chipstone

Chipstone

This beautiful site showcases the collection of Stanley and Polly Stone of Fox Point, Wisconsin, consisting of earl… [read review or visit site]

Classic Modern

Classic Modern

Get a taste of how homes were lit in the 50s, 60s, and 70s with the Danish retro-style lighting designs featured on… [read review or visit site]

Kentucky Online Arts Resource

Kentucky Online Arts Resource

This huge online database from the Speed Art Museum is a rich trove of beautiful photos and reference information o… [read review or visit site]

Index of American Design

Index of American Design

The Index of American Design project (1935-1942) was an effort to catalog American decorative arts objects from the… [read review or visit site]

LACMA Arts and Crafts

LACMA Arts and Crafts

This microsite from the LA County Museum of Art provides a good overview of the Arts and Crafts movement in Europe … [read review or visit site]

George Hunzinger Furniture

George Hunzinger Furniture

Scott Geyer's blog on the innovative Victorian furniture designs of George Jacob Hunzinger, who began manufacturing… [read review or visit site]


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Recent News: Eames Mid-Century Furniture

Source: Google News

Lowly plywood bent into high-end furniture

San Francisco Chronicle
Midcentury furniture designers Ray and Charles Eames began to experiment with this humble material, steaming and bending it the same way craftsmen did real ...

Museum and Gallery Listings

New York Times
Signature items like the Eames storage unit and the Chemex coffee maker mingle with surprises like a back-to-basics chair of string and wood by, ...

Vitra EA108 swivel chair by Charles and Ray Eames

Retro To Go
Yes, this 1950s chair (specifically dating back to 1958) will be fixed (or replaced) by Vitra at any point in the next 30 years. Which means you can swivel ...

What's in a name when it's 'Eames'?

Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Demetrios is the grandson of the late Charles and Ray Eames, who furthered the cause of modern design with furniture made from plywood, ...

A Prefab House That Dazzles Still

New York Times
A Prefab House That Dazzles Still
New York Times
Ray and Charles Eames at their home circa 1959. That was back in 1949, and the bill didn't include the labor of the owners, who'd designed the house, ...

Show looks at modern life

Atlanta Journal Constitution
For the CDC exhibition, Wentzel has created a piece called “XLounge x 3” in which he has taken a classic 1956 Eames lounge chair and ottoman and added ...

Herman Miller Posts Gruesome Q4 Earnings

Fast Company
Granted, much of Herman Miller's business relies on contract furniture--that is, bulk sales to offices. Which makes its earnings figures more of a ...

Mimisan fills the void between low-cost nail salons and high-end spas

Seattle Times
Mimisan fills the void between low-cost nail salons and high-end spas
Seattle Times
... features modern touches such as eco-friendly cork flooring, pedicure stations that feature white Eames chair loungers, and molded Panton chairs at the ...

When Does the Game Start?

New York Times
When Does the Game Start?
New York Times
IS there a piece of furniture more masculine in design and intent than the recliner? With its big, brawny proportions, it's like the ...

Herman Miller Debuts Its Newest Office Chair, the Setu

Fast Company
Next week, Herman Miller is set to unveil its newest office chair at NeoCon, the world's largest office-furniture ...

Top eBay Auctions    (get weekly Eames Mid-Century Furniture email)

Status       Display       How this works
Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman Herman Miller Rosewood $2,550 Ends in 23 hours 16 bids 77 watchers
Early 670 Eames Lounge Chair &ottoman /herman Miller$1,705 Ends Monday 4 bids 60 watchers
Mid Century Danish Modern Teak Credenza Cabinet Eames$999.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 8 watchers
Mid Century Bookcase Credenza Danish Modern Eames $695.00 Ends Monday 8 bids 58 watchers
Vintage Danish Modern Teak Desk Mid Century Eames Era$595.00 Ends Monday 2 bids 14 watchers
Mid Century Modern Floating Sling Sofa Eames Era 1969$510.00 Ends Thursday 5 bids 55 watchers
Great Pair Of Danish Modern Lounge Chairs Eames Era$456.02 Ends in 17 hours 7 bids 76 watchers
Mid Century Modern Jens Risom Bench Chair Danish Eames$449.44 Ends Thursday 7 bids 47 watchers
Eames Herman Miller Walnut Time Life Stool$440.98 Ends Monday 9 bids 21 watchers
Finn Juhl Coffee Table Danish Mid Centrury Modern Eames$425.00 Ends in 23 hours 16 bids 63 watchers
2 Midcentury Nightstand Chest Entry Danish Modern Eames$405.00 Ends Monday 9 bids 34 watchers
Pair Of Mid Century Modern Lounge Chairs Eames Era$400.00 Ends in 23 hours 7 bids 33 watchers
Danish Modern Table Bench Chair Mid Century Eames Era$399.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 7 watchers
Credenza Sideboard Mid Century Danish Modern Eames$360.00 Ends in 23 hours 11 bids 42 watchers
Mid Century Danish Modern Scoop Lounge Chairs Eames Era$307.00 Ends Thursday 11 bids 115 watchers
Danish Modern Peter Hvidt Daybed Sofa Eames Era$306.00 Ends Monday 11 bids 56 watchers
Danish Modern Teak Entry Chest Table Credenza Eames Era$303.30 Ends Thursday 14 bids 58 watchers
Hans Olsen Danish Modern Credenza Entry Chest Eames Era$274.90 Ends in 23 hours 6 bids 38 watchers
Mid Century Danish Modern Rosewood Dining Chairs Eames $218.72 Ends Monday 4 bids 41 watchers
Pair Eames Herman Miller Cherry Red Armshell Chairs$202.50 Ends in 22 hours 9 bids 21 watchers
Pair Peter Hvidt Danish Modern Lounge Chairs Eames$199.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 42 watchers
1950s Mid Century Danish Modern Teak Writing Desk Eames$152.50 Ends Thursday 7 bids 51 watchers
Baker Ottomans Hollywood Regency Wormley Eames Dunbar$102.50 Ends in 55 mins 2 bids 48 watchers
Vintage Mid-century Modern Shultz Knoll Table Eames Era$102.50 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 38 watchers
Modern Danish Teak - Two Drawer Chest - Eames Era$96.00 Ends Monday 3 bids 34 watchers
60s Selig Mid Century Danish Modern Lounge Chair Eames$96.00 Ends Thursday 2 bids 58 watchers
Conran Maclamp Mac Lamp Habitat Eames Era 1960s Retro $95.62 Ends in 13 hours 9 bids 47 watchers
Rosewood Back Dcm Herman Miller Eames$61.00 Ends Monday 5 bids
Rare Vintage Salterini Chaise Lounge Chair Eames$51.00 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 55 watchers
Mid Century Eames Era Knoll Saarinen Desk Chair #1$50.00 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 24 watchers
Vintage Eames Era Herman Miller Shell Chair #1, Ivory$49.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 19 watchers
Mid Century Eames Era Chromecraft Bar Table Bar Stools$46.00 Ends in 12 hours 9 bids 16 watchers
Paul Mccobb Mid-century Modern Coffee Table Eames Era$46.00 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 35 watchers
Conran Maclamp Habitat Eames 60s Retro Anglepoise Lamp$45.83 Ends in 14 hours 7 bids 29 watchers
Vintage Franco Albini Rattan Stool Ex Cond Eames Era Nr$45.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids 14 watchers
6 Orange Retro Fiberglass Chairs Mid-century Eames Era$31.00 Ends in 22 hours 3 bids 31 watchers
6 Dcm Walnut Seats Eames Herman Miller Original$30.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 7 watchers

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