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Charles and Ray Eames

American

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.

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 (1907–78) studied architecture and industrial design. Ray (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 — they 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 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 collection of original Eames furniture on 1stDibs includes chairs, tables, case pieces and other items.

Average Sold Price
$3,348
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Iconic Designs from Charles and Ray Eames
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Eames Aluminum Group
Eames Aluminum Group
Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman
Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman
Eames Dcm
Eames Dcm
Eames Dax Chair
Eames Dax Chair
Up to (7) Mid-Century Brown Soft Pad Chairs by Eames for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
For your consideration is this authentic Eames for Herman Miller vintage soft pad chairs in dark brown leather. Adjustable tilt and height with manual lift. These authentic examples ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles and Ray Eames

Materials

Aluminum

Eames Aluminium Group Chairs for Herman Miller 3 Available
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
For your consideration are up to 5 Aluminium Group Management chairs in black mesh designed by Eames for Herman Miller. These are the most comfortable of all Eames aluminum Group cha...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Charles and Ray Eames

Materials

Aluminum

Set of 8 Mid-Century Modern Walnut Wood Shell Dining Chairs by Charles Eames
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A complete set of molded plywood dining chairs designed by Charles Eames and produced by Herman Miller. These feature beautifully grained ...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Charles and Ray Eames

Materials

Steel

15 Charles and Ray Eames Aluminum Group Side Chairs
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Charles and Ray Eames aluminum group side chair, EA330 office conference chair in dark olive green upholstery, five-star base, adjust t...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles and Ray Eames

Materials

Aluminum

Aluminum Group Desk Chairs by Charles Eames for Herman Miller, Signed
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames, Charles Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This classic and stylish 'Aluminum Group' executive desk chair by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Signed underneath seat with Herman Miller labels and production date September 2000. This beautiful office chair features black channel stitched seats and integrated seat backs with aluminum five star bases on casters with tilt adjust and height adjust mechanisms, and is height adjustable. Similar to the Soft Pad collection, also by Eames, which was based on the design of the Aluminum Group chairs with the addition of padded cushions. This iconic 'Aluminum Group' chair by Charles Eames for Herman Miller with its graceful silhouette and clean lines make it appropriate for a number of locations, from Classic and contemporary homes to elegant executive offices, home office or hip startups. Consider using in a Mid-Century Modern or Postmodern home...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Charles and Ray Eames

Materials

Aluminum

Tandem Sling by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller, Four-Seat
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ray and Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first international airports in 1962, created for comfort and convenience. For the modern-da...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles and Ray Eames

Materials

Aluminum

Original Eames Fiberglass Shell Chairs by Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage 1960s molded fiberglass side shell chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Gleaming shells are in original condition, each with a distinct thready texture...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Charles and Ray Eames

Materials

Fiberglass

Maharam Pillow, Small Dot Pattern by Charles & Ray Eames
By Charles and Ray Eames, Maharam
Located in New York, NY
Maharam Pillow Small Dot Pattern by Charles & Ray Eames 006 Document Reverse Small dot pattern offers an alternate scale of Dot Pattern, Ray Eames' 1947 design for the Museum of Mo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Charles and Ray Eames

Materials

Cotton, Polyester

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Creators Similar to Charles and Ray Eames

More Charles and Ray Eames Designs
Eames Aluminum Group
Eames Aluminum Group
Average Price
$3,420
Number Available
82
Eames Aluminum Group
By Charles and Ray Eames
Materials
Metal, Aluminum, Animal Skin, Leather, Steel
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman
Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman
Average Price
$11,058
Number Available
29
Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman
By Charles and Ray Eames
Materials
Wood, Animal Skin, Leather, Metal, Rosewood
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Long before it was the pièce de résistance in a collector’s office or an upscale bachelor pad — landing in ample design magazines, on television and in well-appointed offices over the years — the Eames lounge chair was a fresh, subversive new take on a classic club chair and a culmination of experimentation by its inventive creators. Charles and Ray Eames (1907–78; 1912–88) met while studying at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, the prestigious Michigan institution that drew such illustrious desi...
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Eames Dcm
Eames Dcm
Average Price
$2,181
Number Available
24
Eames Dcm
By Charles and Ray Eames
Materials
Wood, Metal, Hardwood, Steel, Ash, Plywood
Styles
Mid Century Modern
During World War II, American designers Charles and Ray Eames (1907–78; 1912–88) worked with the United States Navy to make a new leg splint. Recognizing that metal splints could further injure a wounded person through the vibrations of their material, the couple created a new model with molded plywood. That wartime experience propelled the Eameses to continue their explorations in plywood. In 1946, they debuted the DCM, its shortened name referencing the “Dining Height (D) Side Chair (C) on ...
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Eames Dax Chair
Eames Dax Chair
Average Price
$1,955
Number Available
19
Eames Dax Chair
By Charles and Ray Eames
Materials
Plastic, Fiberglass, Metal, Steel
Styles
Mid Century Modern
The scooped form of the revolutionary single-shell Eames molded fiberglass armchair — of which the Eames DAX chair is a variation — is ubiquitous in interior design today, found everywhere from restaurants to private homes to offices. In 1948, American designers Charles and Ray Eames (1907–78; 1912–88) conceptualized a lounge chair comprising two bonded fiberglass shells as well as a molded fiberglass armchair for the Museum of Modern Art’s International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Des...
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Charles And Ray Eames furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Charles and Ray Eames furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Charles and Ray Eames furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 714 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 2 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Charles and Ray Eames were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Herman Miller, Milo Baughman, and Dunbar. Prices for Charles and Ray Eames furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $200 and can go as high as $75,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,496.
Questions About Charles and Ray Eames
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Charles and Ray Eames have been recognized as the 20th century’s most influential designers and are best known for their highly recognizable chairs. The Eames lounge chair and ottoman are an iconic duo in modern-styled furniture, and s​ome of the first Eames items to emerge from Herman Miller are now classics: the LCW, or Lounge Chair Wood, and the DCM, or Dining Chair Metal, supported by tubular steel. Find vintage Charles and Ray Eames furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Charles and Ray Eames are famous for their chair designs. The couple released their first iconic Eames Lounge and Ottoman in 1956 and went on to create more chairs that changed the idea of comfortable seating. In addition to being great furniture designers, Ray and Charles were also graphic and textile designers, architects and film-makers. Shop a collection of Eames chairs from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024
    Charles and Ray Eames were related by marriage. Charles studied architecture and industrial design. Ray (née Bernice Alexandra Kaiser) was an artist who studied under painter Hans Hofmann. They met in 1940 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Detroit and married the next year. Shop a selection of Charles and Ray Eames furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    For Charles and Ray Eames’ chairs designed for Herman Miller, molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, bent and welded wire mesh, and cast aluminum were used in production. You can shop a collection of Eames furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Rosewood was the favorite wood of famed American designers Charles and Ray Eames. Rosewood made its way into some of the duo’s most celebrated designs, including the iconic Eames lounge chair. On 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of genuine Eames furniture from some of the world’s top sellers.

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