Work
Charles and Ray Eames
Charles and Ray Eames
LCM (Lounge Chair Metal). Designed 1946
Manufactured by Herman Miller, Zeeland, Michigan
Molded ash plywood with original black aniline dye finish and original blue leather upholstery, chrome-plated steel, rubber shock mounts
From the 1920’s to the 1940’s, the pioneers of modern chair design – Aalto, Breuer, Eames - produced seats in three distinct mediums. Tubular Steel. Bent Plywood. And…the most difficult of all, the marriage of steel and plywood. I firmly believe that the most successful realization of the third category is the LCM and DCM designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1946. The separation of the molded plywood back and seat simplified production and heightened the design’s sculptural qualities by emphasizing the space surrounding the actual form. The rubber shock mounts were the secret sauce of all Eames chair designs, cushioning the impact of sitting on plywood on top of the frame. In the end, the LCM is a far more compelling chair than the LCW, in which the seat, back and legs were plywood.
Eames collectors love early and quirky examples of the most famous designs, and the present LCM certainly fits the bill. We acquired a pair of these chairs because it is the first time we have ever seen original blue leather seats and backs, contrasted with black aniline dye finish to the wood on the underside. The manufacturer and retailer labels date these examples to approximately 1952.
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