Vitra Miniatures Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman
The Miniatures Collection present the most important classics of modern furniture history in miniature in a scale of 1: 6. Their construction, materials and colors correspond to the historical Vitra Design Museum collection original, right down to the last detail. Because they are so true to the originals, the miniatures are not only valuable collector's items, but also ideal illustrative material for universities, colleges of designs and architects. The Miniatures Collection is unique worldwide. For each miniature there is a licence agreement with the designer or his heirs. Many designers collaborate with Vitra to develop the miniatures of their own designs and offer their assistance by supplying information on the objects. In return, Vitra honor the designer's copyright by paying royalties.
MEASUREMENTS:
- Height: 13.6 cm / 5.4 inch
- Width: 13.9 cm / 5.5 inch
- Depth: 13.9 cm / 5.5 inch
MATERIALS:
- Bent plywood, cast aluminum and leather
HELPFUL NOTES:
- Each miniature is packaged in a wooden box, accompanied by an informational booklet
- Each of the delicate objects are made by hand; on average, each miniature requires five hours of careful manual work. Ongoing quality control ensures that every miniature corresponds to its larger original in terms of finishing, details and materials
Charles and Ray Eames
USA
Charles, 1907 – 1978 / Ray, 1912-1988
The prolific body of work of Charles and Ray Eames, which spanned from 1941 to 1978, extended well beyond their major achievements in furniture design, graphic design, architecture and film. Their influence on the aesthetic and social aspects of design made them two of the greatest industrial designers of our time.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Charles Eames grew up in America’s industrial heartland. As a young man he worked for engineers and manufacturers, anticipating his lifelong interest in mechanics and the complex working of things. Ray Kaiser, born in Sacramento, California, spent her formative years in New York’s modern art movements and participated in the first wave of American-born abstract artists. They met at the Cranbrook Academy of Art near Detroit in 1940. Cranbrook’s creed of better living through better design shaped their sensibilities and their shared agenda. They married in 1941 and moved to Los Angeles as the city was gearing up for World War II. Wartime experiments with new materials and technologies inspired the Eames’ low-cost furniture for Herman Miller and expanded ways for designers to work with industry.
In LA, they conducted plywood experiments in their apartment. The US Navy order enabled the Eames to rent an office on Santa Monica Boulevard in 1942 and to gather a group of collaborators including Harry Bertoia. They produced sculpture, chairs, screens, and tables in plywood. Herman Miller, the US furniture group, was persuaded to put some of these pieces into production by George Nelson, its head of design. All the Eames’ plywood furniture combined an elegant organic aesthetic with a love of materials and technical ingenuity. After the success of the plywood pieces, the Eames focused on other materials, creating furniture in fiberglass, plastic, aluminum and, for the 1956 lounge chair, leather and rosewood. The Lounge Chair became an icon of the 1960s and 1970s, becoming a must-have for all hip executives.
Their collaboration with Herman Miller continued and extended to Vitra, its European partner. Charles and Ray were equally influential at making respectable the then-neglected folk crafts not only in the US but also in India. These concerns dominated their later work in the 1970s when, able to live comfortably on their Herman Miller and Vitra royalties, they concentrated their creative energy on propagating their ideas in exhibitions, books and films.
Charles died in 1978 and Ray worked hard to complete any unfinished projects but having done so, did not seek new ones. She devoted the rest of her life to communicating their ideas through talks and writing. Ray Eames died in 1988, ten years to the day after Charles.
Vitra is a Swiss company dedicated to improving the quality of homes, offices, and interior public spaces through the compelling power of design. Their chairs, tables, and accessories, including clocks, toolboxes, and cushions, are developed with an intensive, modern design process. Fusing engineering excellence with the creative genius of leading-edge international designers, Vitra enhances the aesthetic and emotional aspects of every space they grace.
All Vitra products are functional, inspiring, and durable. Founded in 1950, the family-owned Vitra line is designed and created by internationally recognized contemporary designers such as Verner Panton, Isamu Noguchi, Eero Saarinen, and Jasper Morrison. “We make products that avoid the superfluous and last for a very long time,” says Vitra chairman Rolf Fehlbaum.
This item qualifies for free door-to-door delivery within the Continental USA and Canada, with a few exceptions:
- Orders $180 or less are charged a $35 small order fee at checkout.
- Please contact us for a quote if you are located outside of the Continental USA.
- This is standard curbside delivery; meaning the driver will not haul up an incline or up stairs, and it will be your responsibility to bring the item inside, complete any assembly, and remove packaging debris.
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