RARE Vitra Organic Chair – Iconic Mid-Century Design by Eames & Saarinen
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RARE Vitra Organic Chair – Iconic Mid-Century Design by Eames & Saarinen
Fairfield Showroom
412 Heidelberg Road
Fairfield VIC 3078
Australia
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Free pickup from our Fairfield VIC showroom, by appointment.
The Organic Chair was designed in 1940 by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen, two young architects teaching at Cranbrook Academy, for the Museum of Modern Art’s Organic Design in Home Furnishings competition. A jury that included Marcel Breuer and MoMA founding director Alfred Barr awarded them first prize.
War-time shortages and high costs meant the design never went into series production. Vitra finally brought it to market in 2004, 64 years after it was first designed, working with the Eames and Saarinen families.
Its moulded, organically curved shell with integrated arms set the direction for both designers’ later work, including the Eames Plastic Chair and Saarinen’s Womb and Tulip chairs. Fully upholstered on solid wood legs, it is a compact, exceptionally comfortable reading chair.
Winner of first prize at MoMA’s 1940 Organic Design competition.
Condition
Used, in very good condition. Professionally cleaned.
Ideal for
Reading corners, living rooms, bedrooms, hotel rooms and design-led meeting spaces.
Dimensions ▾
- Width: 725 mm
- Depth: 615 mm
- Height: 935 mm
- Seat height: 420 mm
Details ▾
- Brand: Vitra
- Designers: Charles Eames & Eero Saarinen
- Model: Organic Chair
- Year designed: 1940 (produced by Vitra since 2004)
- Materials: Upholstered moulded shell, solid wood legs
Awards & recognition ▾
- MoMA, New York (1940): first prize, Organic Design in Home Furnishings competition. View at Vitra
- Vitra Design Museum: one of the few surviving 1941 originals is held in its collection.
Questions? Contact us or book a viewing at our Fairfield showroom.
About Charles & Ray Eames ▾
Husband-and-wife team Charles (1907–1978) and Ray Eames (1912–1988) are among the most influential designers of the 20th century. From their studio in Venice, Los Angeles, they pioneered new ways of moulding plywood, fibreglass, plastic and aluminium into furniture that was comfortable, durable and affordable to produce. They were also architects and filmmakers, known for their own Eames House (1949) and the short film Powers of Ten.
Authentic Eames designs are made under licence by Herman Miller, and by Vitra for Europe and the Middle East. Shop all
About Vitra ▾
Vitra is a Swiss, family-owned company founded in 1950 in Birsfelden near Basel. It produces the Eames designs for Europe and the Middle East, and works with many of the world's leading designers. Its Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany is a design landmark, with buildings by Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid and Tadao Ando, and home to the Vitra Design Museum.
Famous designers: Charles & Ray Eames, Verner Panton, Jean Prouvé, Jasper Morrison, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Antonio Citterio
Why buy from Enjoy Seconds ▾
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- Condition stated. We describe wear, marks and faults honestly, and the photos show the actual item. Questions? Contact us.
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