knock off Nelson bench  

Get what you pay for.
I think the Nelson Bench (along with the LCW) is one of the most reasonably priced pieces they offer. I mean, its $700 for a piece of furniture thats going to last you forever. My office Christmas dinner was cost more than that - and you wont be as hungover as I was. The Bertoia slatted bench from Knoll is like $2900. If you want just the look, go on Ebay and find an old vintage piece. Lots of MCM designers put out slatted benches. If you want a knock off you get what you pay for - which is usually crap.

I agree
The nelson is lovely and being HM it will last a lifetime. The bertoia is WAY overpriced. if you can't afford the real thing, save your pennies until you can. Geeze, the youngsters today, they want it and they want it now. Patience my dear friend, patience.

nelson bench
Well, overpriced is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. Like a lot of reissue MCM stuff, materials worth about 20 percent of final cost. Ebay vintage not any better. And, BTW, I am 51....

Steve, I often complain about prices
but the Herman Miller Nelson bench is not too expensive. It's worth it.
If you want to try to find a real one cheaper, check out eBay...or you can find lots of knockoffs on eBay too.

Nelson slatted bench
I have emailed a few suppliers to see if I can score an open-box, return, or slightly damaged bench that would be less expensive than a new one. I'll see how that goes...

Maybe the prices will come...
Maybe the prices will come down - even reasonably. At $700, the Herman Miller price is too high, at least for me.
If I buy a new bench it will be $200 from All World, or some similar vendor. Has anyone bought a Nelson bench from All World Furniture - I hear the quality isn' bad?
Not that it even matters, or to start up any new old argument, but Herman Miller - as long as they charge at least three times what would already be a decent profit - will be fine, or not fine, entirely without me.
Take my word, Herman Miller earns their money, at least their biggest money (make no mistake), from corporate America, so they might be, at the rate of the demise of the American economy, looking at bankruptcy in the near future. We'll have to wait and see.
Buy a few hundred Aeron chairs and some cubicles, or a bench or two for me.

all world
Their Nelson knock-off clocks are very nice for the most part. Was thinking about them for the bench, but would like to get some first hand info. about the quality first...

Steve, check this out
I don't where you hail from, but this website is great for clearance.
I got a pair of 72" genuine Nelson benches for $125.00 each
One had a scuff and the other had a splinter that was reglued.
And they were in their proper boxes.
http://www.homeofficesolutions.com/file_include-exec/file/clearance?hs34...

All world
One of my first mid century purchases was a 48" Nelson style bench from All world, we used it as a coffee table and that was great. A few months after we descided to use the bench for sitting and to hold a lamp, bad move. After about 5 short sits, the leg collapsed and sent the lamp and myself to the floor. The real bench is finger jointed and the fake it just nailed on flat surfaces. Higher quality knock-off are finger jointed, but the price is so close to the authentic, I'd go Herman miller(and did). Where are you located, try a Craigs list, call local DWR's for floor displays, or Room and Board store display if in your area(Where we got ours). Everyone here gives good advise, learn your lesson and don't live it like we did.

I agree
Don't sacrifice quality and craftsmanship just to have the "look." There are plenty of well-built vintage alternatives to the Nelson bench for far less. Then, if someday you come across a real Nelson bench on the cheap, then you can swap them out knowing you exchanged quality for quality. Too many people sink $$ into crap just to have a look and then when it breaks they have to replace it with more crap. Penny-wise, pound foolish.

discount
Well, so far I have a Herman Miller retailer willing to give me 10 percent off the price--that's a start.

Steve I agree with the...
Steve I agree with the others. Keep looking, real is the right way to go. I'm sure your come across a good deal, and when you do your be glad you waited. Good luck.

Here's a tip
Pretend you are an interior designer or architect and you will get the bench at trade. Most won't even ask for proof and you can always say you are new to the area and just setting up a business.
Also...rather than buy a fake you are ALWAYS better to buy a less expensive item from an emerging young designer. That way you are supporting new designs and hey, at least you'll have something original. I'm even starting to even question why any of us (me included) are filling our homes with these 50 year old designs when we should be looking at exciting new creations.
S

Stephen
Some are filling our homes with both 🙂 I'd check Craigslist or auth'd dealer floor sales. Steve, depending where you are DWR has an Annex in New Jersey where broken furniture goes to be adopted. Home Office Solutions has an open box section - try calling, you might find something not posted on the website.