Ray & Charles Eames' partnership with furniture manufacturer Herman Miller resulted in products that have been in continuous production for fifty years or more.

Eames Designs for Herman Miller

Along with George Nelson, Ray and Charles Eames are probably the most famous of the designers who worked in partnership with furniture giant Herman Miller of Zeeland, Michigan. Known for leading edge design, Herman Miller has included some of the most popular Eames pieces in their catalog since their introduction more than half a century ago.

Perhaps best know for their chairs, the Eamses also designed tables, casework, textiles and architectural finishes, some of which have been brought back into production with the recent renewed interest in mid-century design. Others never left.

The Sofa Compact

Ray and Charles believed that furniture needed to be more than good to look at, it also had to solve the problems of space, storage, and budgets. The Sofa Compact folds down for moving and storage, yet provides support from shoulder to hip. Comfortable, lightweight and economical, the Sofa Compact has been in constant production since its introduction in 1954. The sofa consists of a strong yet lightweight aluminum framd covered with foam pads. It originally came upholstered in leather, vinyl or fabric. The sofas in original period textiles, especially those by Alexander Girard command the highest prices today. These are hard to find, however, as the foam used on the early models breaks down and requires replacement after a period of years, and the original upholstery doesn't always make it back on to the piece. Vintage sofas in original fabrics can bring between $5,000-$6,000.

Eames Storage Units (ESU)

After success with seating, they turned their attention to storage and workspace solutions. Their high design yet economic storage units were versatile and attractive and unlike anything available at that time. An obvious machine aesthetic combines with Japanese influence in these Mondrian-esque modular cabinets.

These modular units came in a variety of configurations with cabinets, cases and drawers made of dimpled plywood, zinc–coated steel perforated panels, and molded plywood. The modular nature of the components made the parts interchangeable for manufacturing ease, and made the units highly affordable. Case sides were painted hardboard in either a series of neutral colors or brights. The steel legs and crosswire supports went well with the Eames designed table and chair bases.

New ESU’s are available in prices ranging from $800-$3000 depending on components. Vintage or original examples from the 1950’s and 60’s are highly popular with collectors. The price record was set at a 2000 auction, where an ESU brought $70,000. Prices have come down considerably since then according to Mark Fisk of Mainly Art, a gallery in Cincinnati, specializing in Mid-Century Modern furnishings. The pieces are still popular, but the level of interest has brought more pieces to market, so while prices are still high for unusual pieces in desirable colors, values have fallen for the commonplace items.