Charles and Ray Eames Molded Plywood Leg Splint for Evans in Original Wrapper
View Similar Items
Charles and Ray Eames Molded Plywood Leg Splint for Evans in Original Wrapper
About the Item
- Creator:Charles and Ray Eames (Designer),Evans Products Company (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 42 in (106.68 cm)Width: 8 in (20.32 cm)Depth: 4 in (10.16 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:Plywood,Molded
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1940s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. some minor tears, light marks and/or spotting to paper wrapper and label, light rubs and marks to splint at breaks in wrapper.
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU819725050792
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.
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.
- Charles and Ray Eames Molded Plywood Leg Splint for Evans in Original WrapperBy Evans Products Company, Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Chicago, ILThese leg splints were designed by Charles and Ray Eames and produced for the United States Navy by the Evans Products Company, molded plywood division. They're still in their origin...Category
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments
MaterialsPlywood
- Sculptural Mahogany Coffee Table with Brass Legs and Carved Birds and FishLocated in Chicago, ILSculptural zigzag coffee table in mahogany with slender, tapered brass legs. It has a stepped rim around the edges with rounded corners. The top is a wonderfully carved relief sculpt...Category
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Iron and Woven Rush Pilot or Passenger Seat from a circa 1920s AircraftLocated in Chicago, ILThis pilot's or passenger's seat from a circa 1920s airplane is an excellent example of early 20th century industrial design. The frame is made from rod iron, and the seat and back are woven rush. The rear of the seat back has a cleverly integrated map pocket of the same woven material. The legs bend at the bottom to form feet, which have holes to allow them to be secured to the floor of the aircraft. The design is an elegant and functional solution to the specific needs of light weight plus strength. We purchased this piece from the estate of a collector of aviation related items. It was only identified as an airplane chair...Category
Vintage 1920s Industrial Chairs
MaterialsIron
- Abstract Torso Sculpture by Slim Schramm Hand Carved Walnut Reclining FigureBy Slim SchrammLocated in Chicago, ILThis hand carved walnut torso sculpture by Slim Schramm is an abstract reclining figure. Schramm's exploitation of the natural growth patterns and irregularities of the wood lend to ...Category
20th Century American American Craftsman Sculptures
MaterialsWalnut
- Jane and Gordon Martz Ceramic Tile and Walnut Bookends for Marshall StudiosBy Marshall Studios, Gordon & Jane MartzLocated in Chicago, ILThese ceramic tile and walnut bookends were designed and made by Jane and Gordon Martz for Marshall Studios. The rectangular forms are softened by the loose brush strokes in the glaz...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
MaterialsWalnut, Ceramic
- Dunbar Lounge Chair with Custom Legs Designed by Jane GrahamBy Dunbar Jane GrahamLocated in Chicago, ILDunbar lounge chair with custom designed legs by Jane J. Graham. Before starting her own design firm Jane Graham worked for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with her husband, noted archit...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller Plywood Folding Screen Ash Veneer 1950sBy Charles and Ray Eames, Herman MillerLocated in Cathedral City, CAThis is an iconic piece of American design history, designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1946, for Herman Miller. This example is one of the earlier versions produced between 1946-1955. The veneer is a warm ash. The connecting fabric is a cotton canvas and allows for the screen to bend in a multitude of ways producing a screen in a variant of formations and also allows the screen to fold nearly flat for storage or shipping. A true classic! We have included several detail photos so you can get a true picture of condition, As is common with these older screens...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Screens and Room Dividers
MaterialsAsh, Plywood, Canvas
- Iron and Copper Mold for a Toy, USA 1900Located in Milan, ITIron and copper mold for a toy depicting a soldier. USA 1900 ca.Category
Early 20th Century American Toys and Dolls
MaterialsCopper, Iron
- Eames Design: The Work of the Office of Charles and Ray Eames - Neuhart - 1994By Ray Eames, John Neuhart, Marilyn NeuhartLocated in London, GBFirst edition, third printing, published by Harry N. Abrams, 1994. Text by John & Marilyn Neuhart and Ray Eames. From a partnership that started with modest beginnings exploring the...Category
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Books
MaterialsPaper
- Charles and Ray Eames FSW 8 Panel ScreenBy Charles and Ray EamesLocated in West Palm Beach, FLA Birch Plywood and canvas screen Early production Original finish.Category
Vintage 1940s American Screens and Room Dividers
MaterialsBirch
- Intriguing Set of 4 Spanish Wooden Molds Used in Shaping Toile and Other SoftLocated in Atlanta, GAAn intriguing set of 4 Spanish Wooden Molds used in shaping toile and other soft metals. A wonderful collection for any bookcase or table top. Super patin...Category
Antique Early 19th Century Spanish Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsWood
- Original Eames Giant House of CardsBy Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Brooklyn, NYHighly collectible, 1950s Eames Giant House of Cards for Tigrett Enterprises. This scarce first-edition deck contains the original 20 large cards ...Category
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Games
MaterialsPaper
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
A Guide to Herman Miller’s Most Iconic Furniture
The prolific manufacturer has partnered with many of the world’s top designers since opening its doors in 1923. Here are some of the company’s greatest hits, which helped transform the American home and office.