Nelson Bench  

Putting aside the moral and legal issues
it depends what you're going to use it for. If you intend to put weight on it, I'd steer clear of the repros.
I have two original 72" Herman Miller benches, which I can stand on, put bookshelves on, etc.
I wanted a 48" black bench (Herman Miller doesn't make them in black anymore) to use as a table and I bought one of those Chinese-made knockoff repros, and until I bought a real sofa table, it served me well, but it's clearly not made as well as the Herman Miller produced benches are.
Morals aside, it's your call.

There is NO morals argument
...the design is in the public domain. Reproductions, knock-off, copies, whatever you want to call them, and whatever you think of them-- they are NOT illegal, unethical or immoral. Period.

Thanks for the legal lecture, Olive
but in this case, I'm not certain how necessary it was.
I was discussing the probably quality difference, not the legal one. But, I guess for most, Sunday IS the day for preachin'.

We're you really, Barry? You...
We're you really, Barry? Your post starts with "Putting aside the moral and legal issues" and ends with "Morals aside, it's your call."
Don't these statements presuppose that there is a legal/moral issue at play-why else would you put the moral and legal issues aside?

who really cares on a nel...
who really cares on a nelson bench.

I don't really care. I'm...
I don't really care. I'm just in a cranky mood from chasing around the kids all day. I should likely just keep my mouth shut.....who knows what might sneak out.

Jesgord, I was simply drawing the differences
between the real Herman Miller benches and the knockoffs, in terms of quality...nothing more!
I only brought up the moral/legal issue because whenever anyone discusses the knockoffs, there's a whole separate conversation about is it right or not.
I was only trying to say - setting aside the moral/legal issue - that my experiences comparing the quality of the real ones compared to the fake ones suggest tha real ones are 100% better made. I wouldn't want to stand up on the fake one I have (I bought it merely as a stop-gap coffee table in black).
I meant nothing more or less, and Olive discussed the fact that the design is apparently out of copyright. I don't believe that the original posting nor my reply had anything to do with the legalities!
No matter, it doesn't take much to be misunderstood these days, anyhow. Not a problem.

Barry, I see where your...
Barry, I see where your coming from. As I said-I'm just a bit cranky right now. Sorry to be so snarky!

Don't worry about it... it's just me, Jesgord
If I've said it...Barrympls plays matyr and takes offense at it... it's a scientific certainty, like gravity or Murphy's Law.

awtchy1
Putting aside the family bickering here, I'd suggest that you are not really saving much by buying a knock-off. I've seen the "inexpensive" copies and what they really are is "cheap". In the worst sense of the word. They really are poorly made. I've seen them in the showrooms of "European importers" of modern design and I've seen several in their discount scratch and dent room because so many are broken.
I'd cough up for a real one. It will have more value later if you decide you don't need it and choose to sell it. Better yet, invest a few bucks more and buy a vintage example. They are not very hard to come by, have proven that they will last for years and they will hold their value much better than the new production.
Good luck.

Investment vs. cost
REWARD
Well, you can "spend" money and buy a knock off that, on re-sale, will yield you 30% of your initial spend.
OR
You can "invest" money and buy an authentic piece that, on re-sale, will yield you at least 115% annually.
RISK
If your house burns down (sorry, I tend to take extremes. I certainly don't hope that this becomes the case with anyone) you will have nothing, so, you spent a lot for nothing (assuming you did not register your piece with your insurance, and assuming your premium does not go higher because of your "collection").
Ahhh hell, I had too much wine...wine and forums should be outlawed.

This is the kind of comments
that can set a person off, Olive.
"If I've said it...Barrympls plays matyr and takes offense at it... it's a scientific certainty, like gravity or Murphy's Law."
Please keep your personal editorials to yourself, OK? Why not agree with someone, just for a change?

Precisely
.

thank you..
... all for your well thought out, and sometimes intense responses!
I've decided to go with the original... I stopped by a local repro shop in Boston and was thoroughly displeased with what I saw.
Again, thank you thank you.. hopefully I'll be posting pictures soon (DWR has the bench arriving Friday!!)
best-
aw