Charles and Ray Eames
DAW Chair
Replica
Charles and Ray Eames
1950
After the Second World War, there was a growing need for low-cost, mass produced furniture. Charles and Ray Eames understood industrial processes better than most. The combination of their dedication, hard won knowledge and prolific design skills resulted in this perennially successful range of chairs. Originally presented in stamped metal, and later produced in fiberglass, before finding its ultimate expression in durable polypropylene, the winning elements of this deceitfully simple design remain its extreme adaptability and customisability. The name, DAW, is a description of the chair itself, and stands for “Dining height, Armchair, Wood (legs)” An unprecedented chair for its time, by virtue of the use of innovative materials in different combinations, and still highly revered and desired for its versatility, the Eames chairs are timeless icons of functional minimalism. Equally at home in a stadium as in a luxury hotel foyer or cosy home dining room, they are also easily cleaned and extraordinarily durable. Dare we say, a perfect chair?
“Getting the most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least.”
Charles and Ray Eames
The first incarnation of this chair was exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art’s “International Competition for Low-cost Furniture Design” of 1948 and was awarded second place.
The all-in-one ‘shell’ seat design was a first in history. The inspiration behind the chair was to create a product made from unusual, affordable materials with multiple uses and the Eameses had been working on the concept since the late 1930s. The chairs have been in mass production since 1950.
The DAW comes with a wooden dowel base with metal strut supports. It is part of an enormous collection of different configurations of Eames dining chairs. New colours were added in 2019, and there are variations of the chair in molded wood, fiberglass and even wire, upholstered or cushioned or as is, and with a metal, wood, rocker or office chair base.
Since its emergence in 1950 the Eames DAW chairs have been part of a permanent collection at MoMA, New York.
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Stylish Comfort
The bucket-like seat is extremely comfortable to sit in. Armrests are at a perfect height to sit for a leisurely amount of time, and offer optimal ergonomic support
Quality and Craftsmanship
The Eames chairs are made from durable polypropylene, and are 100% recyclable. Another advantage of having the pieces made from polypropylene is its resistance to chemicals and organic solvents. The legs are made from ash wood and supported with metal cross struts.
Charles and Ray Eames are counted among the most important figures of twentieth-century design. After their marriage in 1941, they moved to Los Angeles, where together they began experimenting with techniques for the three-dimensional moulding of plywood. The aim was to create comfortable chairs and they believed strongly that good design should be affordable to all. They were forerunners in working with plywood, fibreglass and plastic. Their work spans the fields of furniture design, filmmaking, photography and exhibition design.
“Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose.”
Charles Eames
Product Literature
Polypropylene is a pliable material which gets easily molded into the shape of the DAW chair. The ash wood legs are sanded to perfection and fitted with black metal rod cross struts, creating a durable and sturdy chair.
Product Materials
Seat Shell: Died-through polypropylene
Base: Ash wood
Base supports: Round steel
Product Dimensions
Height: 83cm
Depth: 52cm
Width: 63cm
Seat height: 43cm
Armrest height: 68cm
Carrying weight: 130kg
Weight as shipped: 10kg
Care Instructions
Polypropylene: Polypropylene is a hardwearing, uniformly shaped and coloured material. Special additives add colour fastness. However, exposed sunlight exposure should be limited to retain the original colour. Polypropylene can be cleaned using a mild detergent or a glass cleaner with a soft cloth. Do not use hard woven cloths or abrasive cleaning agents.
Wood: Wipe dry with a dry, soft cloth in the direction of the wood grain. Clean the surface periodically with a soft cloth dampened with a quality cleaner formulated for wood furniture. Liquid spills should be immediately dabbed dry and wiped off. Make sure that your wood furniture is not positioned close to heat sources, so that it does not dry out and become brittle. We recommend that wood products should not be exposed to intense sunlight for prolonged periods of time as ultra-violet rays may eventually damage the finish.
Do not use an abrasive material on the wood.
Metal: Do not use an abrasive material on the metal. Clean the item with a mild detergent and water. You can dip a soft-bristled toothbrush in the solution or a non-abrasive pad and use it to scrub off any residue or dirt on the item. Dry any residual moisture with a soft, dry cloth.