Having achieved success with their plywood and molded plastic
chairs, Charles and Ray Eames challenged themselves to make
a reasonably priced, strong but lightweight, quality chair
out of bent wire.
Introduced in 1951, it was an immediate hit. Distinctively, unmistakably Eames, the wire chair has stood the test of time and is as popular today as it was half a century ago.
The Eames wire chair makes a striking statement in homes and workplaces and almost anywhere else. It's part of the permanent collection in numerous museums, including San Francisco MOMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Like other Eames classics, it has become an eye-catching tattoo. A Japanese artist has knitted padding that turns the chair into an installation. People love it.
The curved, bucket-back seat is made of cross-woven wires and secured on a bent-wire, welded base, also called the "Eiffel Tower" because of its resemblance to another, less portable, classic design. The organic seat shape fits the body contours.
The chair's instantly recognizable airy silhouette belies its strength and durability. To achieve that strength, and an organic shape, the designers made the rim of the chair out of light-gauge wire, then doubled it. Because the chair has cross-weaving only where strength is required, it's light-weight and easy to move.
Wire only. Wire with a one-piece leather seat pad. Wire with a criss-cross two-piece leather pad (the "bikini"). The seat and base are chrome, and the leather pads are available in a range of colors.
Glide choices. Standard glides feature a durable plastic bottom and can be ordered with felt bottoms to protect bare floors; both styles tilt slightly to help with leveling.
