Charles and Ray Eames
LCW (Lounge Chair Wood)
Replica
Charles & Ray Eames
1945
Charles Eames and friend, designer Eero Saarinen, started working on designs for the LCW in 1940. Their ambition was to mould the seat and back rest from a single piece of plywood. During the design process, which spanned 5 years, they would push the limits of what was thought possible with moulded plywood. Their lofty ambition, as well as the United States’ entry into World War 2, resulted in years of delay, and Saarinen eventually left the project citing frustration with the delays. The end result, released in 1945, comprised of separate pieces of moulded plywood for the seat, backrest legs and spine. It was a compromise, but a successful and revolutionary one. In an age when furniture was heavy, complex, made from multiple materials and then covered in upholstery, the elegant, clean lines and seductive curves of the LCW was a striking new approach to furniture and furniture design. As desirable today as when first released, the form-fitting comfort and timeless curves of the LCW makes it one of the most collectible furniture designs of the 20th century.
“The design of the century”
Time magazine (26 December 1999 Millennium Edition)
Charles and Ray Eames spent many years experimenting with new techniques for producing three-dimensionally moulded plywood seat shells that conformed to the contours of the human body. Thanks to the organic shape of the plywood shells and the slightly flexible backrests, these light and compact chairs are extremely comfortable.
The sleek, elegant and honest design causes this piece to be timeless and as contemporary today as ever.
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Simple Comfort
Thanks to the organic shape of the plywood shells and the slightly flexible backrests, these light and compact chairs are extremely comfortable, despite the lack of upholstery. The organic contours of the wide seat and the high back welcome the individual.
Quality and Craftsmanship
Attention to detail. All pieces are hand assembled. Durable construction. The seat, back rest, spine and legs are seven-ply ash or walnut.
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. Their work spans the fields of furniture design, filmmaking, photography and exhibition design.
“Much copied but never bettered.”
Time magazine, on the design of the Eames moulded plywood chair
Product Literature
The wooden shells of the Lounge Chair are each cut from a single sheet of seven-ply selected ash or walnut veneer plywood and formed in a hot-press metal die. Each of the shells feature a curved shape and are connected with visible elements. The seven inner plies of plywood are exposed on the edges. After sanding, the shells are hand-rubbed with wax. The seat and back rest are joined to the spine and legs with a series of four heavy rubber washers with nuts embedded in them (called ‘shock mounts’). The shock mounts are fastened to the underside of the seat, and screwed in through the bottom of the chair. The backrest is also attached using shock mounts. The rubber mounts are pliable, allowing the backrest to flex and move with the sitter. From the front and top the seat and back are uninterrupted by fasteners. The seat is set to a slight incline and the back of the seat is set to a 15 degree recline, providing ultimate comfort when sitting down. Our reproductions stay true to the specifications and detail of the original design, but for one aspect – in the original design, the shock mounts were glued to the underside of the seat and screwed in through the bottom of the chair. This unique method is one of the original design’s greatest flaws, as the glue of the shock mounts on the wooden backrest could tear free for various reasons. From the front and top the seat and back are uninterrupted by fasteners.
Product Materials
Chair frame/shell: Ash or walnut veneer moulded plywood connected with shock mounts (bonded rubber and metal connectors)
Chair legs or base: Ash or walnut veneer moulded plywood
Chair upholstery: none
Chair padding: none
Product Dimensions
Chair:
Height: 68cm
Width: 56cm
Depth: 61cm
Seat Height: 30 cm
Carrying capacity: 130kg
Weight as shipped: 10kg
Care Instructions
Wood veneer: 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 veneer furniture is not positioned close to heat sources, so that it does not dry out and become brittle. We recommend that wood veneer 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 veneer.