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Eero Saarinen

Finnish, 1910-1961

Through his work as an architect and designer, Eero Saarinen was a prime mover in the introduction of modernism into the American mainstream. Particularly affecting were the organic, curvilinear forms seen in Saarinen’s furniture and his best-known structures: the gull-winged TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy airport in New York (opened 1962), Dulles International Airport in Virginia (1962) and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri (1965).

Saarinen had a peerless modernist pedigree. His father, Eliel Saarinen, was an eminent Finnish architect who in 1932 became the first head of the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Detroit. The school became synonymous with progressive design and decorative arts in the United States, and while studying there the younger Saarinen met and befriended several luminaries of mid-century modernism, among them Harry Bertoia and Charles and Ray Eames.

At Cranbrook, Saarinen also met Florence Schust Knoll, who, as director of her husband Hans Knoll's eponymous furniture company, would put Saarinen’s best designs into production. These include the Grasshopper chair, designed in 1946 and so named because its angled bentwood frame resembles the insect; the Tulip chair (1957), a flower-shaped fiberglass shell mounted on a cast-aluminum pedestal; and the lushly contoured Womb lounge chair and ottoman (1948). In his furniture as in his architecture, the keynotes of Eero Saarinen’s designs are simplicity, strength and grace.

Find vintage Eero Saarinen tables, chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$3,557
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Iconic Designs from Eero Saarinen
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Eero Saarinen Pedestal Table
Eero Saarinen Pedestal Table
Executive Arm Chair
Executive Arm Chair
Womb Chair
Womb Chair
Executive Armless Chair
Executive Armless Chair
Early Production Saarinen Tulip Dining Chairs
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Brooklyn, NY
For your consideration is this authentic, very early production set of Eero Saarinen for Knoll Tulip Chairs, signed and dated 1960. The chairs feature upholstered blue wool blend sea...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Eero Saarinen

Materials

Aluminum

Early Production Saarinen Tulip Dining Chairs
Early Production Saarinen Tulip Dining Chairs
No Reserve
H 32 in W 20 in D 21.25 in
Eero Saarinen for Knoll International Tulip Chairs
By Knoll, Eero Saarinen
Located in Dronten, NL
Classic Tulip dining chairs designed in 1956 by Eero Saarinen for Knoll International. A defining accomplishment of modern design and a timeless addition to your home—a true Classic....
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Eero Saarinen

Materials

Aluminum

Eero Saarinen for Knoll Executive Armchairs in Heavy Weave Knoll Upholstery Blue
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Hudson, NY
Executive armchairs designed by Eero Saarinen and manufactured by Knoll. Have original labels as well as Knoll ticking on underside of each chair. These chairs are all in very good o...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Eero Saarinen

Materials

Chrome

Saarinen Executive Armchair in Saddle Leather, Swivel Base
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Wilton, CT
We have been restoring Saarinen executive chairs for years in every fabric one can imagine, right in our very own workroom. We’ve restored these chairs using a supple Italian Leather...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Eero Saarinen

Materials

Metal

Eero Saarinen 78” Oval White Laminate Dining or Center Table for Knoll
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Miami, FL
White laminate oval 78” top with white lacquered tulip pedestal base dining or center table designed by Eero Saarinen and manufactured by Knoll International. Maintains Knoll label. ...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Eero Saarinen

Materials

Laminate

Grasshopper Chair and Ottoman by Eero Saarinen for Modernica
By Eero Saarinen
Located in Montréal, QC
Grasshopper chair and ottoman by Eero Saarinen for Modernica, 2000s. Bentwood arms and legs with a sky blue coloured cotton upholstery. In great vintage condition, small imperfectio...
Category

Early 2000s American Eero Saarinen

Materials

Cotton, Bentwood

Set of four Eero Saarinen Swivel Tulip Armchairs Model 150, 1970s by Knoll Int.
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Langemark-Poelkapelle, BE
Fantastic pair of vintage swivel Tulip armchairs model 150 by Eero Saarinen for Knoll International. Designed in 1956. These are from the 1970s. Design Classic from the Pedestal coll...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Space Age Eero Saarinen

Materials

Aluminum

1 Saarinen Executive Chair for Knoll
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in New York, NY
Iconic Saarinen design for Knoll executive arm chairs, circa 1970s. This chair is in good, original condition, showing some cosmetic wear to fabric, usable as is, or can be reuphols...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Eero Saarinen

Materials

Chrome

1 Saarinen Executive Chair for Knoll
1 Saarinen Executive Chair for Knoll
H 31 in W 27.25 in D 20 in
Browse all Furniture from Eero Saarinen
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Creators Similar to Eero Saarinen

More Eero Saarinen Designs
Eero Saarinen Pedestal Table
Eero Saarinen Pedestal Table
Average Price
$3,631
Number Available
59
Eero Saarinen Pedestal Table
By Eero Saarinen
Materials
Metal, Stone, Wood, Marble, Aluminum
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Finnish-American architect and furniture maker Eero Saarinen (1910–61) declared that he “wanted to clear up the slum of legs” crowded beneath tables. Enter his Pedestal collection, which Knoll launched in 1958. The collection included armchairs, stools and tables of various sizes all balanced on a single supporting leg.Saarinen got his start in furniture as a student at Michigan’s Cranbrook Academy of Art, where his father, architect Eliel Saarinen, was director. Some of Eero’s earliest work ...
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Executive Arm Chair
Executive Arm Chair
Average Price
$3,459
Number Available
46
Executive Arm Chair
By Eero Saarinen
Materials
Fabric, Metal, Upholstery, Steel, Chrome
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Womb Chair
Womb Chair
Average Price
$12,246
Number Available
33
Womb Chair
By Eero Saarinen
Materials
Fabric, Metal, Animal Skin, Sheepskin
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Shortly after Eero Saarinen (1910–61) joined Florence Knoll at the manufacturer she had established with her husband, Hans, she presented the Finnish-born designer with a serious request: to create for her the world’s most comfortable chair, something, Saarinen recalls, that felt like “a basket full of pillows.”Presented with the challenge, Saarinen went primal. What, the designer figured, better signifies the very essence of comfort than the womb? "It was designed on the theory that a great ...
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Executive Armless Chair
Executive Armless Chair
Average Price
$3,641
Number Available
23
Executive Armless Chair
By Eero Saarinen
Materials
Metal, Fabric, Steel, Chrome, Plywood, Wood
Styles
Mid Century Modern
With the founding of the Knoll Planning Unit at Knoll Associates in 1946, the modern open-plan office was born. Soon after the launch of the internationally celebrated design firm’s workplace-focused division, the Saarinen Executive Armless chair would emerge as one of its seating staples. A departure from more rigid office seating, the 1950 design by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen (1910–61) offered some of the comfort of his 1948 Womb chair in a more formal shape. Nicknamed “that chair with...
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Eero Saarinen furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Eero Saarinen 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 Eero Saarinen furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 379 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 13 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Eero Saarinen 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 Adrian Pearsall, Harvey Probber, and Drexel. Prices for Eero Saarinen furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $142 and can go as high as $133,498, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,225.
Questions About Eero Saarinen
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Eero Saarinen was a Finnish-American architect and designer. Many people know him as the creator of the St. Louis Gateway Arch completed in 1965. However, he also produced many acclaimed furniture designs, including the Womb chair, Tulip chair and Saarinen pedestal table. Find a selection of Eero Saarinen designs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Eero Saarinen was originally from Finland. He was born in Kirkkonummi in 1910. In 1923, his family moved to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The architect and designer lived in the U.S. for much of the remainder of his life. He died in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1991. Shop a selection of Eero Saarinen furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    No, historians generally consider Eero Saarinen to be a modernist, not a postmodernist. His work shows off the futuristic clean lines that defined the time period. Postmodern architecture and design is more decorative and breaks from the symmetry indicative of modernism. You'll find a selection of Eero Saarinen furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Eero Saarinen's father was Eliel Saarinen, a well-known Finnish architect. In 1932, he moved Eero and the rest of the family to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and led the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Find a selection of Eero Saarinen furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To pronounce Eero Saarinen, say "EH-row SAH-ruh-nuhn." Both his first name and surname are of Finnish origin. The architect and designer was born in Kirkkonummi, Finland, on August 20, 1910. Discover a range of Eero Saarinen furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Eero Saarinen designed many structures and pieces of furniture during his lifetime. He was the architect for both the TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy airport, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, and Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Some of his most famous furniture designs include the Saarinen pedestal table, the Womb chair and the Tulip chair. Shop a collection of Eero Saarinen furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    An Eero Saarinen table is 28.25” high. It comes in a variety of widths, with a 42” round table seating 4 to 5 people. You can shop a selection of Eero Saarinen designs from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Eero Saarinen is a Finnish-American architect and industrial designer that worked with a variety of mediums, including steel, glass and concrete. Eero Saarinen is also credited with the creation of some notable styles of furniture, including the Tulip chair. Browse a variety of Eero Saarinen designed furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Eero Saarinen used a variety of materials in his furniture designs. Some of his designs feature hardwood frames, but he didn't work in wood exclusively. His Tulip chair consists of a fiberglass seat mounted on a cast aluminum base. You'll find a range of Eero Saarinen furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Eero Saarinen moved the design firm started by his father from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, to Hamden, Connecticut, in1961, but no authoritative sources state why. Most likely, he had a desire to be closer to the campus of Yale University. Saarinen graduated from the post-secondary institution in 1934 and designed buildings on the campus. Find a range of Eero Saarinen furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Historians classify Eero Saarinen as a modern architect due to the characteristics of his designs. Like other modernists, Saarinen employed sweeping curves and futuristic, well-defined lines. Many of the structures he designed are symmetrical. In addition, Saarinen worked in many materials popular during the period, including steel, concrete and glass. Find a collection of Eero Saarinen furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Whether you can replace Eero Saarinen chair legs depends on the chair. You can most easily swap out the legs on pieces that feature wooden dowels like the Lilac Organic. You will likely find it more difficult to replace legs on chairs that include metal bases like the Executive arm chair or pedestals like the Tulip. You'll find a collection of Eero Saarinen chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 7, 2024
    Eero Saarinen believed that the architect's role was to create structures that enhance daily life and inspire people to consider new possibilities. He thought that buildings should suit their intended purpose well and provide comfortable accommodations while at the same time being aesthetically appealing. Some of his best-known structures include the gull-winged TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, Dulles International Airport in Virginia and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of Eero Saarinen furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    The history of Eero Saarinen's Womb Chair dates back to the late 1940s. It was then that designer and entrepreneur Florence Knoll challenged her friend, Eero Saarinen, to create the most comfortable chair ever made. To succeed at the task, Saarinen sought to evoke what he imagined was the comfortable, secure feeling of being in the womb and set out to design the now iconic chair. Production of the Womb chair began in 1948, and it didn't take long for the seat to become a cultural phenomenon. In the decade following its release, it appeared in a Coca-Cola commercial, a New Yorker magazine cartoon and a Norman Rockwell painting on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post. Today, Knoll offers the seat in 15 upholstery options, and when Saarinen's famous TWA terminal reopened as a hotel in 2019, Womb chairs were featured prominently in the guest rooms. Explore a collection of Eero Saarinen Womb chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Eero Saarinen’s famed pedestal chairs, although streamlined in appearance, are crafted with a variety of materials from aluminum and molded fiberglass to the plastic-bonded finish. You can shop a selection of Eero Saarinen pieces from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Historians classify Eero Saarinen's St. Louis Gateway Arch as modern architecture. This is due largely to the simple curving shape of the arch and its perfect symmetry. In addition, the arch reflects Neo-futurism, a forward-looking movement that frequently incorporated steel, concrete and glass. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Eero Saarinen furniture designs.

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