Eames Lounge chair
Charles Eames (St Louis 1907 - St Louis 1978) and Ray Eames (Sacramento 1916 - Los Angeles 1988)
Category
Furniture
Date
1956 - 1970
Materials
Rosewood plywood, beech plywood, leather, steel, aluminium, plastic, paint
Measurements
81 x 92 x 83 cm
Place of origin
Newchapel
Order this imageCollection
The Homewood, Surrey
NT 864325.1
Caption
As husband and wife, Charles and Ray Eames, the American designers created many iconic 20th century designs. This chair along with a matching Ottoman was originally owned by the actor Lawrence Harvey and would be given to Patrick Gwynne, who designed and built The Homewood, by his widow in the 1970’s.
Summary
An Eames lounge chair, American, designed by Charles and Ray Eames, circa 1953-55, manufactured by Herman Miller, circa 1956-1970, with moulded rosewood plywood frame forming a curved panel for the headrest, a lower curved panel for the back and curved seat, each panel upholstered to the front with buttoned black leather, with padded overcurved armrests, the seat supported on a swiveling column with an aluminium five arm base, the side of each arm painted black, each arm terminating in a foot made up of a black plastic disc impressed 'DOMES OF SILENCE ~ INSULATED' and a steel disc, the interior curved sections of the seat and backs appear to be beech ply. Re-upholstered, circa 2001-03 and re-lined in 2007. The underside of the lounge chair applied with a black label reading 'herman miller'. Together with an ottoman (NT 864325.2) with moulded rosewood frame formed of a curved panel containing a buttoned black leather padded seat, on a swiveling column with four arm base. The first Eames lounge chair and ottoman was designed by husband and wife Charles and Ray Eames as a gift for the director Billy Wilder. The chair was featured in 1956 on the Home show hosted by Arlene Francis and very quickly became an American design classic.
Provenance
The Eames lounge chair and ottoman belonged to the actor Laurence Harvey. It was given to Patrick Gwynne in the 1970s by Harvey's widow, Paulene Stone. The Homewood and some of its contents were given to the National Trust by Patrick Gwynne in 1999.
Marks and inscriptions
Underside of the seat: Small black label reading 'herman miller'
Makers and roles
Charles Eames (St Louis 1907 - St Louis 1978) and Ray Eames (Sacramento 1916 - Los Angeles 1988), designers Charles Eames (St Louis 1907 - St Louis 1978), designer Ray Eames (Sacramento 1916 - Los Angeles 1988), designer Herman Miller , manufacturer Pamela Langbridge, upholsterer