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Rare Early 1960s Eames Chair No.680 1st Generation Herman Miller Hille EA101 MCM

$2,296.54

£1,650

€1,966.24

CA$3,167.29

A$3,205.54

CHF 1,837.97

MX$38,879.21

NOK 21,374.83

SEK 21,757.51

DKK 14,698.39

About the Item

An iconic and extremely rare first-generation Eames side chair in lovely vintage condition. This fantastic chair is a treasure of design history, produced in London by esteemed British maker Hille in collaboration with Herman Miller in the late 1950s/early 1960s, which will add a genuine Mid Century Modernist ‘Eames’ aesthetic to any interior. Designed in 1957, this No.680 chair was the first chair Eames ever designed as part of their Aluminium Group of chairs and as a ‘first-generation’ model, it’s the design that originally went into production, before parts and materials were later tweaked. It’s such an early chair in fact, that they hadn’t yet adopted the Eames ‘EA’ naming process, which came about from 1966, when the 680 model became the EA101. The first of the original four Aluminium Group chairs produced by Eames from 1957-1965, (the others being the 680S, 686 and 686S) the 680 was designed with the following qualifications: “Side Task Chair, No Arms, Fixed – Pedestal Base”. Herman Miller has always produced Eames chairs and Hille produced Eames chairs for Herman Miller in Europe from the late 1950s for just over a decade, before Vitra got the whole European contract for Eames production. This chair has the original “Herman Miller Made by Hille of London” sticker beneath the seat, and being a first-generation design, was likely made in the early 1960s but could even be a late 1950s production. Sleek, durable, versatile and attractive, this iconic chair features an aluminium frame and a specially produced grey ribbed Eames ‘Naugahyde’ (durable faux leather) seat. It has the lovely Eames under-seat ‘U’ support over the smart black central column and sturdy 4-star base. Set on the original white rubber feet, the design of this first-generation base really sets it apart from later generation models, as it's much more angular and unapologetically Brutalist – a true child of the post-war design movement. All in all this is a fantastic rare chair. Highly versatile as a dining, office, side or accent chair, it’s also a wonderful piece of museum-worthy design history, which won’t fail to add streamlined styling and a genuine Mid Century aesthetic to any setting. CONDITION This is in good vintage condition. Structurally sound and built to last, it has minor to-be-expected signs of age, including minor scratches to the black finish on the central column and some slight splitting to the right side of the seat. The original “Herman Miller Made by Hille of London” sticker can still be read on the ‘U’-shaped seat support. Overall it’s an iconic and extremely rare first-generation Eames original chair, and if well looked after it should remain so for another 60+ years – please see the photos. DIMENSIONS Height – 84cm, Width – 50cm, Depth – 54cm, Seat Height – 44cm, Seat Width – 48cm, Seat Depth – 39cm, Weight – 5.5kg.

Creator:
Hille (Maker),Herman Miller (Manufacturer),Charles and Ray Eames (Designer)
Design:
Eames Aluminum Group
Dimensions:
Height: 33.08 in (84 cm)Width: 19.69 in (50 cm)Depth: 21.26 in (54 cm)Seat Height: 17.33 in (44 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Aluminum,Naugahyde,Rubber
Place of Origin:
United Kingdom
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
1950s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. In good vintage condition. The original “Herman Miller Made by Hille of London” sticker can still be read. Structurally sound and built to last, it has minor to-be-expected signs of age, please see the full Condition report in the Description.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU6236243013692

Shop All Charles and Ray Eames

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. 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.

Shop All Herman Miller

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 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.

Materials

Chrome

By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames

Located in Secaucus, NJ

Stunning authentic Mid-Century Modern Eames aluminum group management chair. A timeless design classic and contemporary with Innovative comfort features. One of Herman Miller most popular chairs was designed in 1958 by Charles and Ray Eames. Please note I have 5 chairs available, selling them individually (the price listed is for one chair) Specifications: Upholstered in dark chocolate brown leather. Manual seat height adjustment from 16" to 19" Swivel 360 degrees Tilt with tilt tension adjustment Lightweight polished aluminum frame and a 5-star base with chrome hood casters. Weight capacity 300 lbs. Model: EA335 Year manufactured: 2008, (50 years anniversary) Made in USA. Authentic all the chairs have the black Herman Miller...

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