Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman

The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, formally known as Lounge Chair 670 and Ottoman 671, are considered to be some of the most significant and influential furniture design pieces of the 20th century. They are beautiful examples of modern furniture design and command a relatively high price - as a result, there are many cheaper imitations on the market, though it is often easy to identify fake Eames chairs (see below).

Designed by Charles and Ray Eames, the Chair and Ottoman made its debut in 1956 on the Arlene Francis' Home show (which would become the Today show) on NBC. Since then, this highly collectible and iconic furniture set continues to be revered for its now 'classic' look, exemplifying the standard for modern furniture design of the 20th century, blending comfort, elegance and luxury. The pair has influenced the way we look at lounge chair design, inspiring many other designers.

As was intended at the time of its debut, the chair and ottoman are still offered for a high-end market. Initially planned for a limited production run, the Chair 670 and Ottoman 671's popularity for comfort and innovative design made them some of the most successful pieces created by the Eameses, extending and expanding its retail production run indefinitely. Though the chair and ottoman have been produced for over 50 years, the number that can be made is limited by the fact that each chair is produced by hand.

The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman's design is an evolution of the Eameses' interests in molded plywood furniture design and production techniques. In the 1940s the Eameses created several now-celebrated molded plywood chair designs (now on display at New York's Museum of Modern Art permanent collection), pioneering the molded plywood technique to furniture making. The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman sports a molded plywood 'shell' with a rich exterior veneer, rich leather upholstery covering thick cushions, and two die-cast aluminum struts on the back. The chair is set at a 15-degree tilt to distibute the weight of a person to a comfortable setting.

The original 'classic' 1956 design had rosewood veneer with black upholstery. Over the years, the rosewood was phased out over the years as concerns built around its non-environmentally friendly sources of Brazilian rosewood. Walnut, and cherry veneers were offered in place of the rosewood.

The Frame/Shell:

The veneer of an Eames lounge chair and ottoman is identified for its distinct color and lustrous grain. The veneers for each set are cut from a single log and matched in sequence so that grains are coordinated. The selection of each sequenced veneer, also known as a "flitch," are numbered to ensure that veneers for each chair and ottoman match. This level of detail exemplifies the attention and workmanship that goes into producing each hand-crafted Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.

The shell is now made of seven thin layers of plywood with a cherry, walnut or palisander veneer. The original version was made of 5 layers of plywood. The chair itself is comprised of 3 curved plywood shells. The edges and surfaces of each shell are hand finished to a smoothed perfection. The "Santos Palisander" veneer was introduced in 2006 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the design; it represents the characteristics of the original Brazillian rosewood veneer. All veneers come from sustainably managed forest sources.

Braces and Mountings:

All of the metal parts are made of cast aluminum alloy. Die-cast aluminum braces comprise the back and bottom supports. The base of the chair has a swivel mechanism, and the feet of the chair are adjustable to compensate for any irregularities on the floor surface. Rubber shock mounts are glued to the back of the chair to not only provide resiliency, but also to allow the back of the chair to move and flex with its occupant.

The Cushions:

The Cushions are made of 6 inch thick urethane foam upholstered with rich leather that comes in various colors and textures. Cushions are constructed with a zipper on the outer edge and connects with the shells via a stiff plastic backing with clips and snaps; if a cushion is damaged, it can easily be replaced.  Charles Eames described the design goal to achieve the "warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt."  Button tufting, and leather sewing is all done by hand.  Metal retainers are used for each button to secure it to the cushion.

The price of the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman starts at about $3700 and can reach upwards of $6000 depending on leather and veneer selection. Herman Miller is a licensed source for the chairs and offers marks of authenticity that can be found on the bottom of the furniture. They offer these chairs through authorized dealers such as Design Within Reach.

Because of the expensive price tag, there are many 'copycat' versions of this famous furniture icon. Mostly, people buying 'eames-style' chairs and ottomans know they are representations of the famous design at a much lower price point. However, there are items on the market that are being sold as 'authentic' pieces even though they are fake. There are some quick 'sniff test' steps you can take to easily identify an imposter:

1: Eames chairs have 5 braces extending from the base of the chair and 4 from the ottoman

2: Eames chairs tilt are not adjustable

3: There are no screws or bolts showing through the wood under the arm rest - most imposters have bolts or screws connecting the armrest to the shell

4: Authentic Eames chairs have two metal supports on the back of the chair, connecting the headrest to the body. Fake Eames chairs sometimes have only one (or more than two).

5: Fake eames chairs often have more than three contact points for each of the supporting metal braces on the back of the chair, the real Eames chair has only three contact points for each brace - one on the headrest, and two on the body. (see picture on the right)

6. Each foot on an authentic Eames chair is adjustable to compensate for irregularities of the floor. Twisting the foot counterclockwise tightens and shortens the foot, while turning it clockwise lengthens the foot. Fake Eames chairs often have oversized metal feet that do not adjust - see image on the right for an example of the dimensions of the foot of an authentic Eames chair.

Used, vintage Eames chair and ottoman sets with the original rosewood veneer have gone for more than $7000.

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