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. The Eameses were lovers of folk craft who had a genius for making highly original chairs, tables, case pieces and other furniture using traditional materials and forms.
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 Eames (1907–78) studied architecture and industrial design. Ray Eames (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 — vintage Eames splints 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 Eames chair, 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 original Eames furniture for sale on 1stDibs includes chairs, tables, case pieces and other items.
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 chairs, sofas, tables and other 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. Such instantly recognizable furnishings have become timeless — staples of a modernist décor; striking, offbeat notes in traditional environments.
Find a range of vintage Herman Miller office chairs, desks, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
1 Aluminum Group Lounge Chair for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
A chair designed in 1958 as outdoor seating still manages to look both classic and contemporary in 21st century interiors. The chairs` clean, trim lines make them appropriate for all...
Aluminum
Eames Herman Miller Aluminum Swivel Lounge Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in New York, NY
Nice early example of iconic Eames design Aluminum Group lounge chair in dark gray vinyl, circa 1950-1970. This example features the earlier version of the bases, please see images. ...
Aluminum
1960s Herman Miller Eames Aluminum Group Lounge Chair
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Las Vegas, NV
This is an original Iconic Eames Aluminum Group Lounge Chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller in 1958. It was produced...
Metal, Aluminum
Eames EA116 Grey Lounge Chair
By Charles and Ray Eames, Vitra
Located in Warminster, GB
Rare Eames lounge chair from the 'Aluminium Group'. Designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1958, The aluminium chair is one of the most outstanding furniture designs of the 20th ce...
Fabric
$1,412
H 33.08 in W 21.66 in D 18.51 in
Aluminium Chair EA108 by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller - 60s
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Padova, IT
True icons of twentieth century design, the seats of the Aluminum Group series were designed by Charles and Ray Eames in the 1950s and were first created in 1958, defining what is still the standard for meeting chairs today. A clean and visible structure, which combines the stability and lightness of aluminum with the comfort of a covering - in leather, fabric or mesh - which, being kept taut only by fixing to the sides, becomes an integral part of the joint. With an extraordinary sense of adventure, Charles and Ray Eames turned...
Aluminum
One Eames For Herman Miller Executive Chair
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
One mid century modern executive chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. The high back model from the Aluminum G...
Aluminum
$625
H 40 in W 26 in D 30 in
Vintage Herman Miller Charles and Ray Eames Design Swivel Aluminum Group Chair
By Herman Miller
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Please message us with your zip code to request a more reasonable domestic U.S. shipping quote. Vintage Herman Miller Charles and Ray Eames Design Swivel Aluminum Group Black Vinyl ...
Aluminum
$1,995 / item
H 34.5 in W 24 in D 26 in
MCM Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group High Back Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Topeka, KS
Marvelous 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...
Aluminum
$3,532
H 38.59 in W 30.71 in D 25.6 in
Design Classic: Eames Alu Group EA124 Lounge Chair, Vitra, 1980s
By Charles and Ray Eames, Vitra
Located in Renens, CH
The Aluminum Group chairs by Charles & Ray Eames are one of the most important designs of the 20th Century. Their original design from the 1950s is still relevant today, giving interiors all over the world a touch of modern elegance. On offer we have the EA124...
Aluminum
$2,748
H 34.65 in W 23.63 in D 25.6 in
EA116, Early Edition, Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, 1958
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Barcelona, ES
Rare early edition “EA116” designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller in 1958. The stamp “Herman Miller Patent Pending” proves the antiquity of the pie...
Aluminum
Postmodern Kebe Leather Convertible Lounge or Armchair, Denmark 1980s
By KEBE
Located in Miami, FL
Black leather Kebe lounge or armchair with detachable footrest, Denmark, 1980s Single chair dimensions without footrest: 36 deep 26" wide 41.5" high.
Steel
Pair of Pierre Paulin CM 194 Armchairs for Thonet, France, circa 1958
By Thonet, Pierre Paulin
Located in Miami, FL
Distinctive pair of mid 20th century design armchairs, model CM 194. This pair of chairs are early works designed by the visionary designer Pierre Paulin for Th...
Steel
Mid Century Mies van der Rohe Style Chaise Longe in Holly Hunt Great Plains
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Miami, FL
Original Vintage Midcentury chaise lounge rendered in a driftwood stained oak frame polished steel legs leather bolster cushion and s...
Steel
Arne Norell Ilona Oak and Cognac Leather Campaign Safari Chair, Sweden, 1970s
By Arne Norell
Located in Miami, FL
Rare Ilona campaign safari chair rendered in a turned oak frame with cognac leather back, side, buckle straps and button removable loose cushions. Designed by Arne Norell, Sweden, 1...
Metal, Brass
Pierre Paulin Élysée Coffee or Cocktail Table 2, Alpha International, Circa 1971
By Pierre Paulin
Located in Miami, FL
Rare and Important Iconic 20th century design Élysée low table, coffee or cocktail table. This piece is an edition of the design by Pierre Paulin for the Private Living Room of Presi...
Aluminum
Set of 10 Finn Juhl Attributed Mid Century Walnut Dining Chairs, Denmark, 1950s
By Finn Juhl, Niels Vodder
Located in Miami, FL
Set of 10 Danish Midcentury Modern Dining Chairs. This set includes 10 side chairs. The chairs are rendered in polished walnut turned frames with black leather seats and walnut backs...
Brass
