Hi allI recently picked up a set of 4 eames shell chairs with stacking bases. They do not retain any labels and are not stamped at all. I bought them from an older woman who said they belond her mother back in late 50s'early 60s...Could be true or a bald faced lie! Who knows? Not me! That why I need the help of DA...How do I date these suckers? By the color maybe? I am all ears! wait omg they are real right?!?!?
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I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but those are not Eames chairs. They are vintage copies/ knock-offs/ "in the style of"...
There are vintage Eames chairs by Herman Miller that one will come across which have no label or markings so you have to be familiar with the shapes, details, etc. if you want to be sure you are buying the real thing.
There are people who are perfectly happy to live with vintage chairs that are similar to Eames chairs if the price is right. If you are not one of those people, hopefully you bought them at a price that will allow you to sell them to someone who is.
If you had a smartphone with you when you went to see the chairs, you could have compared them to Eames shell chairs on the website of an authorized Eames dealer. The shape of the back, the shape of the seat, and the underside of the chair are all very different from an Eames shell chair. Once you get past that initial "OMG, these look like Eames chairs!" reaction, you will begin to see the differences. There are lots and lots of vintage knockoffs of these chairs, so it's essential to learn the differences. (Plus I think it's really fun to compare and contrast.)
While there is much value in having a library of books on design, it's not really very practical to tote them around with you when going to thrift stores and Craigslist calls, nor is it always possible to have a photographic memory of everything you've ever seen or read in said books. That's where a smartphone comes in real handy.
I actually think that these chairs looks better than the new "original" Vitra plastic chairs. It's the fiberglass that makes the difference. I wouldn't try to pass them on as Eames though.
I've never understood why companies like Vitra dig deep in their pockets to get a license on a design-icon, and then the first thing that they do, is changing the materials from the original.
Of course I understand if the original was build in a, now banned, woodsort, like ex. brazilian rosewood, but last I checked, the Fiber-Glass-Trees was not on the endangered species list 😉
Just scan it and see what it's selling for on Amazon, right?
Personally, I feel that these chairs have little "worth" because they do not include an ipod docking station. like jk
While not particularly collectable these chairs do still have worth and use.
I wonder how retrolampguy perceives the lesson
(I'd file it under Not the End of the World )
You should sell them to "Ken" who aks "Do you have fiberglass chairs like in my pictures that you want to unload?"
I see what you did there.
http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/wan/4910544448.html
I really meant that you should reach out to him!
There was an AWESOME ad on the Vancouver BC craigslist recently, like "Ken", the person was nonchalantly posting that they would haul off for free "old wood furniture" ...with posted pictures of Grete Jalk chairs.
We know what is means when people post that they want "old, fiberglass, school style chairs" 🙂
Hey, lampguy! I wasn't trying to "get" you at all. Sorry if it seemed that way. I just happened to see your cl listing right after reading this thread and thought I'd share the coincidence.
It wasn't meant as commentary and I certainly don't begrudge any effort on your part to make a living. cl is what it is and your listings that I've seen are on the up-and-up as far as I can tell. Maybe someday after the snow melts I'll get my kid who's at school in Cambridge and head over to check out your booth. She enjoys the hunt nearly as much as her dad does.
Best of luck to you,
-TK
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