At
first glance, they seem like nothing more than a series of numbers and useless content. But they’re a really useful tool for narrowing down the age of the piece. They were generally used on seashells and deckchairs, but can also be found on pieces of plywood. Matching veneer — The wood grain on each dish’s veneer is the same as they were cut from a single log.
Each shell of the chair is factory-numbered to ensure that all the shells stay together when building the chair. On vintage chairs, the number is stamped on the inside of the bowl. After 1971, the chair is numbered with a black permanent marker. I’ve just picked up a Herman Miller Rosewood Eames Lounge from a vintage store that I believe is 100 percent authentic.
It has the Herman Miller tags, correct dimensions, unswivel ottoman, etc. After removing the cushions to recushion them, I noticed an engraved 3-digit number on the inside of the top two parts (backrest). Labels can also help with dating your chair. The round disc is the earliest label design and was used from 1956 to the 1970s.
The black horizontal label was used from the 1970s to the 1990s, while the most recent label is the silver horizontal label. Modernica bought equipment from Herman Miller when they stopped making the shell chairs out of fiberglass. I remember you saying something on Twitter (or maybe even here on the blog) about running to New Jersey to repair an Eames lounge. Round metal disc — the Herman Miller logo in the middle and designed by Charles Eames — Herman Miller Zeeland, Mich.
But it has a rosewood shell, black leather, and the backrest and seat are secured by two metal bars as your “real” chair. Oversized — most imitations and reproductions completely misunderstand the proportions and make the chairs too big, especially the arms. I can choose to lean back, sit up, and anywhere in between while the Eames is confined to a sitting position. They died a long time ago, their chairs have been part of society for a very long time, and I think they would be appalled at the prices charged today.
They imagined chairs that could only be at home with a change of base in a university lecture hall or a formal dining room. Constant dialogue and regular product reviews ensure that every Eames product manufactured and every story told about Charles %26 Ray is completely in line with their intentions and design approach. I don’t blame the Eames for that, this chair was made in 1956 and was completely revolutionary at the time. You walk into the room and find your friend on the floor, your chair lying around him in a depressing, wrinkled mess.
