WTF, Part 4  

@#%#*#???
Yeah, Modernica jumped something bad a long long time ago.
Consider the endless line of bastardizations that already litter Modernica's dubious past, so why not this?
They USE the idea of "authenticity" by bragging about having Sol Fingerhut's original shell molding machine-- but then look what they DO with it! It looks like someone at the factory got wasted and threw the poor kitten into the mold machine.
We didn't need an updated illustration of what bad taste is... but Modernica gave us one anyway.

Almostica
I totally agree about the fuzziness of Modernica in the usually Yes/No scale of authenticity. It feels halfway "real," or at least "less fake" - or maybe I'm just falling for the narrative, as well.
I will say that their own Alpine Bed is quite lovely.

Zafari
I don't have any trouble enjoying the bed design. At least the bed is not screwing up a timeless and successful iconic form by injecting it with kitty.
"Camouflage" might be the best way to think about the color of that side shell.
It would be invisible once it was tossed into the land fill.
It IS biodegradable, right?

Mr. Chopper
has a discerning eye.

Mr. Wegner, meet Mr....
Mr. Wegner, meet Mr. Jonathan Adler.
Only $249 at JCPenny.
http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/for-the-home/departments/home-decor/fair-...

In Modernica's defense,...
In Modernica's defense, their stuff is much better built than the crap Herman Miller puts out now. Also, that cat vomit chair is ugly as hell, but atleast theyre trying..Oh look Herman Millber just painted a 670 lounge chair all black!! wooo theyre innovating again!

Well
I haven't had any issues with any of the current production Herman Miller pieces that I own.
I purchased an arm shell from Modernica several years ago and it had cracks along the underside of the edge. Perhaps that production flaw has been resolved now. Also, in my opinion, their shells are too thick.
Modernica's current gimmick is to put out an infinite number of shell colors. Honestly, I don't really see the innovation in that.

when is a zinc LAR base....
NOT zinc?
Answer: When you purchase it from Modernica.
The base was chrome, not zinc, and when I called, I was told that I should "just put it outside for a few weeks and it would look like zinc soon enough". I kid you not.
The base also had outsized bolt holes in the tabs so that they could get away with sloppy fabrication. The angle of the front and back tabs was on the same plane, which is not even close to the original design.
The included screws were WAY too long, and would have ruptured the shell if I would have tried to tighten them at all.
They included a bunch of washers to make up for the too-long screws. I guess the correct sized screws were too short to reach the shell, due to the improper tab design, so they had to compensate somehow.
I don't think a new Herman Miller LAR base would have any of these issues.

That's a very accurate...
That's a very accurate definition of the Modernica wire cage base. I find the black finish version to be tolerable when used with vintage bolts.
Unfortunately there is as of yet apparently no current production by Herman Miller, and the vintage bases, if lucky enough to spot one, mostly sell for something like 5X the price of the reproduction...
Why no reissue? It's such a fine companion for the wire side table.

.
It looks like zinc is trading at about .89 USD/LB and chrome is trading at 2.09 USD/LB. So you'd think from a business plan, you'd think they'd sell the zinc ones.
Also, I just bought a chrome sink faucet that was cheaper than their brushed nickel finish version. I asked the sales person why and he said that most customers don't like the chrome because of all the cleaning required so they had to lower the price on the chrome version. My zinc base never shows fingerprints. I'm sure those chrome bases must need to be cleaned often.

I too deleted the Calico e-ma...
I too deleted the Calico e-mail from Modernica (painful); they do a lot with animal rescue, and they just had their pets on furniture photo contest, which doesn't excuse it; Herman Miller also is in at least two courts trying to put them out of business, and the 52 in 52 is I think a legal maneuver.
I just had to refurnish one house and finished; I have 6 things from Modernica.
I bought from them because of a Frank Novak video; unfortunately the Hand-Eye Supply company messed up the audio.
I'm going to be working in a Mies building in Chicago, and I wanted to wish all of you well. I will be calling Pegboard.
Brian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woYulKKjhOE

Foxxy...
Once again you have no idea what you're talking about. While Herman Miller's craftsmanship may not be what it once was it's still top notch. Modernica's craftsmanship on the other hand is sketchy at best.

Wooden... Re: 52 in 52
"Design as legal maneuver..."
Now THAT makes sense. Thank you for that insight.
What would Ray say about "design as legal maneuver"?
While Charles and Ray no doubt came up with a creative solution to legal issues now and then, it was probably never the PRIMARY REASON for one of their designs.
It is a sad day when the end user's experience is put a distant second to the needs of ridiculous CASES BEING BUILT BY LAWYERS.
Could you enjoy a Seafoam Green chair if you knew the color was conceived as a frigging LEGAL SOLUTION? (See kitty)
Designed by lawyers.
Just great. But so telling and perfect.
Too bad this CRAP had to happen to the one design team that actually cared about the end user's experience more than anything else. 180 degrees from the spirt and careful consideration and intelligence that went into the original color choices.
Design by default and avoidance of a legal rule can add up to nothing but a residue of what slips through the legal cracks.
Behold the age of LEGAL LOOP-HOLE design. Hence extruded kitty.

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Ok this has been pissing me...
Ok this has been pissing me off for a while. I don't know if this seller is on here, or not, but seriously?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Wood-Eames-Era-End-Table-Small-Coffee-St...
Then relisted a week later.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/185913544/eames-dowel-table-seng-chicago-ba...
This was just bought on ebay last week for 240 bucks. I was looking at it because I was wondering i the dowel base was worth getting. Isn't it simply a incomplete swivel dowel base bottom put on a top. Not the same as the real ones... the dowel bases are attached differently from what I have seen. He ADDED the white label after the fact and made up this stupid story about a prototype. This is the MO for so many shells he has. Fine, it is a free world to ask what you want, but this obvious lying and adding of labels is just gross. This hobby is too small for people to be fooled by this obvious deception. I have seen him buy stuff from sellers here and then try to sell it for 3-4 times higher, add stories about the rarity and it never moves. Sigh.