Charles & Ray Eames, DSR Chairs for Vitra

CHARLES EAMES (U.S., 1907–1978) & RAY EAMES (U.S., 1912–1988) for Vitra.
Set of six DSR chairs. Designed in 1948
Original plastic shell, in various colors. Chairs with original “Eiffel” wire frame, made of chrome-plated steel.
Manufactured by Vitra, with brand markings.
The shells and bases show minimal wear.
Measurements: 81 x 46 x 55 cm; seat height: 43 cm

Charles and Ray’s iconic Shell Chair reflects their iterative spirit. Dynamic 3D sheet-forming technology enables the complex curves of its unique shell shape, crafted from sheet wood. This iteration was introduced in 2013. This is a range of chairs whose shell is crafted from a single molded piece to conform to the contours of the human body, combined with an intricate and elegant design that exceptionally blends three fundamental concepts in interior design: lightness, elegance, and structural strength.

Charles and Ray Eames, a married couple and artistic partners, worked in the fields of industrial and graphic design, fine arts, and film, and are responsible for numerous designs that have become 20th-century classics. Charles Eames studied architecture for two years at the University of Washington, after which he began his career working in a studio on residential housing projects. In 1938, he moved to Cranbrook, Michigan, to continue studying architecture and design at the city’s Academy of Art. He would eventually teach there, heading the industrial design department. Together with Eero Saarinen, the son of his mentor Eliel Saarinen, he designed the trophy for the Organic Design Award, presented by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 1941, after divorcing his first wife, he married his colleague at Cranbrook, Ray Kaiser. Together they settled in Los Angeles, where they would remain for the rest of their lives. In the late 1940s, Ray and Charles designed their home together—known as the “Eames House”—which is now considered a masterpiece of modern architecture. In the 1950s, the couple continued to work in architecture and furniture design, pioneering the use of new techniques and materials such as fiberglass and plastic resin in the manufacture of chairs. Their work is currently featured at the Design Museum in London and the MoMA in New York, among many other institutions.