Born in large part from a competition held by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Fibreglass Dining Arm Chair (DAR) is a one of a vast number of iconic works by Charles Eames and his wife and fellow designer, Ray Eames. During a post-war boom in construction of affordable housing in the United States, the MoMA sponsored a competition for the ‘design and production of good, inexpensive and attractive furniture’; pieces that were designed for the vast majority of people, and that could be moved, stored, cared for, and meet all the demands of modern living. Alongside the University of California, Los Angeles Department of Engineering, Eames announced his participation. Out of 3,000 entries Eames was awarded second prize for his entry, La Chaisse, and received honorable mention for his highly innovative system that allowed different bases to be attached numerous seat pieces. This innovation lead Eames to some of his most successful designs over the coming years.
While the Eameses had previously worked mainly with molded plywood (leading to the design of many other iconic works such as the Eameses’ LCW- Lounge Chair Wood, Arne Jacobsen’s Series 7 and Grete Jalk’s Lounge Chair) and pressed steel, in 1949 they sought a change in production method with a view to reduce production costs. Charles had had previously attempted to create mass-producible furniture from fiberglass, working with other designers such as Eero Saarinen, but to no meaningful avail. In 1949, utilizing a manufacturing technique developed in 1947 by John Wills, Eames produced the first fiberglass prototypes of his prize winning designs. Other production issues arose with the new material, but the Eameses’ thirst to provide affordable, attractive furniture won out, in 1950, with their range of pioneering armchairs, dining chairs and occasional chairs.
“We wanted to make the best, for the most, for the least.” — Charles Eames
Due to ecological concerns, production materials of the chairs have changed since the chair was first produced, with polypropylene now being used in place of fiberglass, but the design and aesthetic remain faithful to the Eames’ vision.
The DAR was one of the range of dining chairs that the Eamses designed as part of this new wave of stylish and low-cost furniture, and is still as iconic now as ever. Today, the most popular of the bases that Eames designed is the Eiffel base (left), constructed of a system of thin steel rods. However, chairs with wood and wire, tubular, and even caster wheel bases can be found in dining rooms, offices, and restaurants across the globe. Given that the chairs are largely customisable prices can vary, but for an original design produced by either Vitra or Herman Miller (who own the official design in Europe and the US respectively) prices start at around £400 per chair.
While there isn’t a stamp that can separate a real piece from an imitation, the manufacturing processes used quickly tell the tale. For example, original chairs have a chalky quality, where as imitations are often brilliant colours. Imitation chairs also often also use chrome screws, which do not match the back base of real Eames chairs. When buying on the internet, beware of ‘Eames style’, or ‘Eames inspired’, as these indicate imitations.
The Eames DAR, with its minimalist and modern design, provides a timeless yet practical class to any dining space. Regardless of how your interior evolves over time you can be sure that the DAR will fit in perfectly for decades to come.
I’m James Broad, a lover of all things vintage and Co-founder of Intique, a marketplace with personality selling vintage and antique furniture with character.
