Ha, I have a buddy that collects ashtrays ( he is also a smoker tho) he has like 40+ ones from the 50s and 60s. Always thought kinda odd thing to want to collect.
Although when I find a "designer" ashtray, I do normally buy it like the iittala I have or the bitossi ash bowl but those are more describe and I can repurpose them
I love some of the most ridiculous ashtray designs. Fake wood effect (painted ceramic) in combination with odd or sick or even edgy color and shape combinations that nobody would ever try anywhere else. Such an important part of history, and so removed from things now. Im sure the lowly ashtray will have its day at some point.
As a kid, I remember watching black and white television with a layer of cigarette smoke hovering in the living room. An iconic scene from the late 1950s indeed.
Okay, on the springboard of Leif's ashtray reference, we roamed a far afield from your shock mount question. Can't you just contact Herman Miller about those? I guess its all revealed in the other thread. (I gotta get better at doing my homework)
Eameshead is absolutely right about me being obsessed with these chairs, but not as right about me knowing more than what's been stated. I do have a a couple things to point out though.
The shock mount in the last pix is indeed a Herman Miller replacement and in fact that's how all the new chairs are made these days. Unfortunately, they're not bullet proof and I've seen more than a couple of newer chairs experience the shock mount failure despite having these newer "upgraded" shock mounts. I'm not an engineer but logic tells me that if they're breaking down after being used for 5-10 years, it's not really an upgrade. Also, the tiny little screws on the metal plate that go into the wood panel are very short and I doubt they do anything to strengthen the bond. At one point I was about to send my very old 670 to HM to replace the shock mounts but after hearing them describe how they would rout and cut into the wood panel and stick on over-sized mounts on my chair, I decided against it. In the end, I sent my chair to Alfie and it's done the original way.
On the repair of a different 670 from 1958, I used the shock mounts I got from Graham Mancha who is by far the most knowledgeable guru of Eames designs that I know. I wanted to test my VERY LIMITED skills and tackled the repair with my friend; so far it's stood up fine.
If I were to rank my experiences with the above mentioned 3 mounts, I'd say it's a tie between Alfie and Graham. I'd probably send my chairs to HM only if the other 2 went out of business. Still, between Alfie and Graham, Graham does exceptionally good work and is helpful and generous with his knowledge and experience whereas Alfie is a good craftsman with a few words. The catch is Graham is in the UK which makes it more difficult logistically for him to perform repairs for some of us.
As to the round spacers behind the upper and lower back panels, I don't like calling them shock mounts because they don't absorb any shock and it's easy to confuse them with the actual shock mounts. Chairs before 71 have rubber spacers whereas after 71, they switched to plastic. So if you want to get period specific, you should get the rubber ones. I'm not sure if Alfie carries them, but I got some from Graham a couple years ago.
I never looked into the patent numbers of my chairs and for the chair in question with the white medallion, I'd guess between late 50's to mid 60's. For some odd reason which isn't based on any hard fact, I associate the round white medallion with the mid 50's to mid 60's whereas the round black medallion with mid to late 60's. Maybe Eameshead can chime in on this.
Have you decided what to do the upholstery repair? One time I checked with a local upholsterer, they wanted $200 to put on a new zipper for ONE seat cushion; ridiculous.
I haven't decided on what to do about the cushion. My one good ottoman/seat base that lacks holes or rips, plastic/ paper bottom has torn away from the zipper. Seems those are 110$ for replacements.
On the ottoman cushion with the big tear. I am not sure. I found a guy in NYC that was selling a pre-71 ottoman/base cushion but wanted 599$!! Little excessive.
I haven't decided on what to do about the cushion. My one good ottoman/seat base that lacks holes or rips, plastic/ paper bottom has torn away from the zipper. Seems those are 110$ for replacements.
On the ottoman cushion with the big tear. I am not sure. I found a guy in NYC that was selling a pre-71 ottoman/base cushion but wanted 599$!! Little excessive.
Finally started work on this. I sanded the ottoman and removed a lot of stains from the veneer and oil and rubbed it out. The grain is pretty stunning
going to start on chair this week. I need to get this done within the next month as I am moving to Hong Kong to start a new design job! And want to have the chair done so I can give it to my mom like it was intended in the first place.
still need to figure out cushions
If you need any help, please contact us at – info@designaddict.com