I do not own the book, but I have browsed it several times. It does seem a great resource.
The points that I have mentioned about your chair are fairly common knowledge for anyone who has collected Eames stuff for a while. Like most collectors, I obsess about details. And after a few years on this site, it is impossible not to learn something.
Hey I forgot to mention that there is a re-weld on the upper left tab in the first photo.
***** ******* *****
awwwww mark... but you KNOW
more than one would be sheer hell
thankful in the threads
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and a haiku for Snaaf...
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I too have this chair
later, clean, untouched, a "steal"
but with ugly break
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It's always something, you know? (At least the cat's cradle part is perfect)
Lately, I've been enjoying the flaws more. Seeing them as part of the story of the life that the thing had. (in no way having anything to do with value)
In a way, the "ugly" break to one thick edge wire only amplifies the immaculate condition of the rest of my chair. And it was probably the main reason that it stayed so clean for so long, as it probably got put aside after the break occurred.
The cool thing about it is that even the break itself has a flawlessness about it.
Like it just happened an hour ago.
I know, just rationalization to ease the pain. But flawless examples of most things are one in one thousand, and it gets to be such a fetish with lots of baggage attached, to obsess over that one perfect piece that is out there. And then you get one, you're walking on eggs the whole time, and then it gets a ding, and you can't even enjoy THAT!
So the museum of real life with all of its warts is the way to go. Its only the little problem with "perceived value" that fucks up our ability to enjoy (or even see) all of the wide range of beautiful things that happen to a piece over its lifetime.
"Good design" for me, is partly enjoying the way that a piece ages, or wears, or withstands the conditions of real life in the world. And when it doesn't, that is interesting too. But we are conditioned to not enjoy that because of the money thing. It blinds us to a lot of richness that is right before our eyes. Sometimes a lot of wear is exquisitely beautiful.
Blah blah blah, as Snaaf said…. but at least we are back on topic now.
@Eameshead
(...)"the museum of real life with all of its warts" (..)
(...)"Good design" for me, is partly enjoying the way that a piece ages, or wears, or withstands the conditions of real life in the world. And when it doesn't, that is interesting too. (...)
Damn dude you're spot on! That is what vaguely spooks through my head too, only I didn't have it clear enough as you have.
Thanks for the Haiku too!
I have and old first production Eames Lounger, fully duck filled (thought it had also foam in there at first, but recently found out it hasn't) with three screws and rubber washers on the back panels, that has one (lets call it a) 'handicap', that is, that the leather of the left armpad is NOT the Connolly leather it is supposed to be. So somebody exchanged the leather, probably for a good reason.
In the beginning I wanted (I never really did, or put any effort in it) to try to find a piece of leather that was close to the original and have it redone by someone. But the last months I am starting to get in piece with the defect in some sort of way. I have become to think that this 'defect' is part of what, or maybe how, this chair is. This chair has it's ow appearance, and being, and why should I strive for cosmetic perfection whilst the chair kindly presents itself with a 'lucky' fin (like Nemo's :D) Combined with all the horror pictures I've seen of Eameses' that had their leather redone in a ugly or saggy way, and the fact that my Eameses' 'different grain arm' is done rother right, I come to the conclusion that somebody must've ordered an entirely new arm from Switzerland at some time, bolted it onto chair, and that's it!
I'll photo's, on which the 'other arm' is on the right side (it's on my left when I sit in it).
If I ever find an Eames arm with the same grain, from on old lounger, if it comes to me, then I will exchange it, but for now I'll leave it as it is.
P.S.
Can you (@Eameshead) red circle the place where the big ugly 😀 break is? I cannot really see the break, and I don't know if that what I see is with certainty what you mean. I want to update the ad with it.
@Eamhead (again)
Believe I have become awake now (couple shots of coffee) (It was 8AM when i wrote the reply above this morning)
I think I understand what you mean, now :D. If that's so than I've read you wrongly.
You said "I too have this chair" and
"later, clean, untouched, a "steal" " and
"but with ugly break"
Haha, you're Haiku-ing about YOUR chair, the same chair as mine, but little younger, and, with a big ugly break, because of what you think it was put outside (away from intense use).
So I guess you don't need to point out to me where the big break is on my chair either.
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