The Lounge Chair was originally designed as a one-off bespoke creation rather than a production piece, and is often perceived as the twentieth-century recreation ot the traditional English club chair. However, because of its overwhelming popularity Charles Eames set about adapting the design for production.
Earlier plywood moulding techniques from previous designs by Eames were also used in the process to build the Lounge Chair. Over the course of nearly 10 years, he had developed this to the stage of producing technical plywood furniture with linking pieces. Many of these elements culminated in the form of the Lounge Chair.
The Eames Office was responsible for the initial design of the Lounge Chair. Then, in 1956, it was manufactured for the public with the cushions made from either a real or fake leather (Naugahyde) product. The plywood structures were initially only made from rosewood and then became available in other types of woods when rosewood became scarce.
It comprised three plywood shells is, over which leather cushions embrace the structure. Charles Eames described the chair as having the 'warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt'. The accompanying Ottoman, with one plywood shell, has a four-star aluminium swivel base.
There was a 3rd shell added to the design for the Lounge Chair. A pair of aluminium supports and rubber shock mounts were used to support the headrest connected to the backrest. The leather cushions had a natural filling of duck feathers in the first versions and later these cushions were packed with other more modern materials such as Dacron and foam.
Charles and Ray Eames really wanted to provide furniture for a widespread public, but the Lounge Chair stayed out of reach for most consumers due to it being quite dear to manufacture. The reason for this was because of the thorough processes that went into making such a high quality product. The workmanship was high class and there were a number of different steps in the assembly process. The beauty, comfort and timelessness of the design makes it still extremely popular as a collection piece for modern-day collectors.
Earlier plywood moulding techniques from previous designs by Eames were also used in the process to build the Lounge Chair. Over the course of nearly 10 years, he had developed this to the stage of producing technical plywood furniture with linking pieces. Many of these elements culminated in the form of the Lounge Chair.
The Eames Office was responsible for the initial design of the Lounge Chair. Then, in 1956, it was manufactured for the public with the cushions made from either a real or fake leather (Naugahyde) product. The plywood structures were initially only made from rosewood and then became available in other types of woods when rosewood became scarce.
It comprised three plywood shells is, over which leather cushions embrace the structure. Charles Eames described the chair as having the 'warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt'. The accompanying Ottoman, with one plywood shell, has a four-star aluminium swivel base.
There was a 3rd shell added to the design for the Lounge Chair. A pair of aluminium supports and rubber shock mounts were used to support the headrest connected to the backrest. The leather cushions had a natural filling of duck feathers in the first versions and later these cushions were packed with other more modern materials such as Dacron and foam.
Charles and Ray Eames really wanted to provide furniture for a widespread public, but the Lounge Chair stayed out of reach for most consumers due to it being quite dear to manufacture. The reason for this was because of the thorough processes that went into making such a high quality product. The workmanship was high class and there were a number of different steps in the assembly process. The beauty, comfort and timelessness of the design makes it still extremely popular as a collection piece for modern-day collectors.
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