Charles & Ray Eames Black LAR Lounge Chair, Herman Miller, 1960s
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Charles & Ray Eames Black LAR Lounge Chair, Herman Miller, 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:
- Dimensions:Height: 24.41 in (62 cm)Width: 24.81 in (63 cm)Depth: 25.2 in (64 cm)Seat Height: 11.03 in (28 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1968
- Condition:Replacements made: Shock mounts are replaced. Newer base. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Amsterdam, NL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1710223778262
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 Eames
The legacy of Charles Eames looms large in design. In partnership with his wife, Ray, Charles was at the forefront of pioneering innovation in the use of molded plywood for furniture making. The Eameses’ cheerful and inviting work has endured among the most important advancements in the history of 20th-century design.
Together, visionary mid-century modern duo Charles and Ray Eames introduced a wide range of renowned furniture to the postwar market, including iconic designs such as the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, the wildly colorful birch plywood-and-plastic-laminate Eames storage unit, the Eames compact sofa and more. The designers were trailblazers in molded plywood furniture and brought lively organic form to metal and plastic.
Charles Eames studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. He traveled to Mexico and Europe, and experienced firsthand the work of designer-architects Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In 1930, upon returning to Missouri, Eames opened an architecture practice with Charles M. Gray but later moved to Michigan in 1938. He received a fellowship at Cranbrook Academy of Art, which would become a breeding ground for the stars of mid-century design. Eames continued his architecture studies at Cranbrook and also taught in the design department.
In 1940, Eames met his future wife, artist and designer Beatrice Alexandra "Ray" Kaiser, who was studying at Cranbrook under Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofmann. Charles teamed up with another Cranbrook instructor, Finnish-American designer Eero Saarinen, to explore the possibilities of plywood for use in furniture design.
With support from Ray, Charles and Eero created chairs and case pieces and submitted them to the “Organic Design in Home Furnishings” competition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City — among them was the groundbreaking organic Side chair made of molded plywood with maple legs. It was upholstered by Heywood-Wakefield. This exhibition is considered critical by many to the popularization of what is known as mid-century modernism. Eames and Saarinen won first place for their submissions to the competition.
Charles and Ray were married in 1941 and soon after moved to Los Angeles, California, and lived in an apartment building designed by architect Richard Neutra. Charles worked on set design at MGM, and at night, in a humble workshop they established in the guest bedroom, he and Ray experimented with molded plywood on a homemade device they called the “Kazaam!” machine. In 1942, the couple won a U.S. Navy contract to create molded plywood leg splints that would be used to support wartime medical efforts. Soon, the Evans Product Company was making the splints and the Eameses opened the famed Eames Office and studio.
The Eameses’ innovative use of wire framing, molded plywood and applied fabrics caught the attention of many notable figures in interior design and architecture, including George Nelson, director of design at Herman Miller, a now-legendary modern furniture manufacturer. The company enlisted the Eameses’ talents and was eventually home to the couple’s classic pieces such as the Eames DCW chair and the DCM chair.
Find an extensive array of vintage Charles Eames seating, tables and case pieces on 1stDibs.
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- Charles & Ray Eames EA208 Dining or Conference Chair in Black leather, VitraBy Charles and Ray Eames, VitraLocated in Amsterdam, NLBeautiful dining or conference chair EA208 belonging to the iconic Aluminium Series designed by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller (US) / Vitra (EU). Exceptional comfort is guaran...Category
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- Charles & Ray Eames EA219 Office Chair in Chrome and Aubergine leather, VitraBy Charles and Ray Eames, Vitra, Charles EamesLocated in Amsterdam, NLBeautiful office chair EA219 belonging to the iconic Aluminium Series designed by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller (US) / Vitra (EU). Exceptional comfort is guaranteed with the ...Category
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- LAR Armchair by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller 1960sBy Herman Miller, Charles EamesLocated in WIJCKEL, NLCharles and Ray Eames Low Armchair Rod (LAR) for Herman Miller. Molded off-white fiberglass, chrome-plated steel, rubber. Signed with manufacturer’s mark und...Category
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- Charles & Ray Eames Herman Miller Eames Lounge Chair and OttomanBy Herman Miller, Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Baltimore, MDIconic vintage Eames rosewood lounge chair and ottoman, by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller circa 1978. Features beautiful sculpted molded rosewood frame and black leather cushi...Category
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- MCM Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group High Back ChairBy Herman Miller, Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Topeka, KSMarvelous 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...Category
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- MCM Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group High Back Chairs Set 3By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Topeka, KSMarvelous vintage MCM (a.k.a. mid-century modern) Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group high back chairs set of 3. Comprised of aluminum frames, 4 prong aluminum bases, nylon feet, black swivel shaft, black powder coated aluminum arms, & have been reupholstered in an aubergine or eggplant faux suede. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that these are vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear. There are minor nicks on the arms & some wear on outside corners of seat fabric. Please see photos and zoom in for details. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Design Date, 1958. Circa, 1960-1978. NOTE: If you love these Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Aluminum Group high back aubergine chairs...Category
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