How to identify an original Eames: Lounge Chair, Plastic Chair and Aluminium Group

Few pieces of furniture have been copied as often as the designs of Charles and Ray Eames. As early as 1963, Herman Miller warned against imitations of the Lounge Chair in its advertisements. Anyone buying a used Eames therefore wants to know: is this an original, and who made it? Here you will learn how to tell, model family by model family.

The short answer: You identify an authentic Eames first by the Vitra or Herman Miller label or medallion, then by its construction: rubber buffers, known as shock mounts, connect shell and base, and fibreglass shows a visible fibre pattern. A missing label does not rule a piece out, because before 1983 there were other licensed manufacturers, and labels get lost.

Why original Eames pieces are so sought after

From the mid-1940s, Charles and Ray Eames designed furniture that is still made today: plywood chairs, the first mass produced plastic shells, the Lounge Chair and the Aluminium Group. Herman Miller has produced their designs since the 1940s, Vitra since the 1950s for Europe. Early pieces in particular are sought after by collectors, as are pieces whose provenance can be traced.

The Eames classics at a glance

• Plywood Chairs (from 1946): LCW, DCW, LCM and DCM in moulded plywood. The W stands for a wooden base, the M for a metal base.
• Plastic and Fiberglass Chairs (from 1950): shell chairs with three letter codes for height, chair type and base, for example DSR for Dining Side Rod.
• Lounge Chair and Ottoman (from 1956): three plywood shells with leather cushions on a swivel base.
• Aluminium Group (from 1958): chairs with a cover stretched between aluminium side frames, at Vitra with numbers such as EA 108 or EA 117.
• Soft Pad (from 1969): the same construction with sewn-on upholstered pads.

Herman Miller or Vitra: who is allowed to make Eames?

According to the Eames Office, Herman Miller and Vitra are the only authorised manufacturers. Vitra produces for Europe and the Middle East, Herman Miller for the rest of the world. A Herman Miller chair in Europe is therefore not a warning sign, it is just as much an original. Before 1983 there were also other licensed partners in Europe, Asia and the Americas. An older piece without a Vitra or Herman Miller label is therefore not automatically a copy. The shapes of the Lounge Chair and the Aluminium Chair are registered trademarks.

Plastic and Fiberglass Chair: how to identify an original

The first shells came onto the market in 1950, made by Zenith Plastics for Herman Miller. Fibreglass is coloured through, not painted. According to Vitra and Herman Miller, you can recognise it by a slightly irregular surface, a visible fibre pattern and small pigment specks, and some colours are slightly translucent. Shell and base are connected by rubber shock mounts. On Herman Miller fibreglass you will often find a medallion or an embossed logo under the shell. Vitra switched to polypropylene around 1998, which looks even and smooth, and has been offering fibreglass again for some years. Fibreglass alone therefore does not mean "old". Since 2024 the plastic family at Vitra has been called "Eames Plastic Chair RE", and fine speckles in the shell are normal there. The wooden legs of the DSW are maple or ash.

Eames Lounge Chair: how to identify an original

The Lounge Chair consists of three moulded plywood shells with leather cushions, the back shells are identical, as are the seat shells of chair and ottoman. According to Herman Miller, new and old Herman Miller Lounge Chairs carry a medallion on the underside. At Vitra, the armrests are connected to the seat and back shells by shock mounts, the chair stands on a swivelling five-star base, the ottoman on a fixed four-star base. The veneer was originally Rio rosewood, today it is walnut, cherry and Santos rosewood, among others. When buying, ask about the type of wood and for a photo of the underside.

Aluminium Group and Soft Pad: how to identify an original

The Aluminium Group was created in 1958 for a private house in Columbus, Indiana. According to the Eames Office, the cover is held taut in the channels of the aluminium side frames and screwed at the corners with T-washers, and the glides in the ends of the feet are nylon. Vitra has made the series since 1959 and identifies the models by number: EA 101, 103 and 104 for the dining table, EA 105, 107 and 108 for the conference room, EA 115, 116, 124 and 125 for the lounge, EA 117, 118 and 119 for the office swivel chair. The Soft Pad version from 1969 has the same construction with sewn-on upholstered pads.

Plywood Chairs: LCW, DCW, LCM and DCM

The first plywood chairs were made from 1946 to 1949 by the Evans Products Company and sold by Herman Miller, and from 1949 Herman Miller took over production. Early pieces carry an Evans Products Company label under the seat. The DCW has been made in the same configuration since 1946. At Vitra, the seat and back of the LCW are connected to the base by shock mounts, and the wood is ash or walnut.

How old is your Eames?

• Fibreglass or polypropylene: at Vitra, polypropylene points to production from around 1998, fibreglass to older or very recent pieces.
• Embossing under the fibreglass shell: narrows down the decade for Herman Miller.
• Rio rosewood on the Lounge Chair: points to a piece from before the 1990s.
• Label type: medallion, strip or plaque help with dating. Year lists for these come from collectors, not from the manufacturer.
• Speckles in the plastic shell: point to the RE version from 2024.

As with every classic: a single feature narrows things down, only the combination gives the full picture.

Buying a used Eames: what to look out for

1. Label and underside: ask for photos of the label or medallion and of the underside of the shell.
2. Shock mounts: look at whether the rubber buffers are firmly attached and have not come loose.
3. Base and model: does the base match the model name, for example a wooden base on the DSW or a wire base on the DSR?
4. Type of wood on the Lounge Chair: ask and read the listing.
5. Who is selling: with professional dealers you have a 14-day right of withdrawal, with private purchases you do not.

At 2nd home, professional sellers are vetted by 2nd home, private sellers are admitted. Every piece is described with its condition, dimensions and photos, and its provenance as far as known.

What determines the price, and where can you find a used Eames?

Model, manufacturer, period, condition, original parts and, for the Lounge Chair, the wood determine the price. The current price is on each product page. All available pieces are in the Eames collection, more designs under Herman Miller and Vitra. How to identify other classics is covered in our guides to the Panton Chair and to Thonet.

Frequently asked questions about original Eames pieces

What is the quickest way to identify an original Eames?
By the Vitra or Herman Miller label or medallion under the seat or shell. If it is missing, the construction helps, because before 1983 there were other licensed manufacturers.

Is a Herman Miller Eames bought in Europe an original?
Yes. Herman Miller is the authorised manufacturer for all markets except Europe and the Middle East, Vitra for Europe and the Middle East.

How do I tell fibreglass from polypropylene?
Fibreglass shows a fibre structure and pigment specks, and some colours are slightly translucent. Polypropylene looks even and smooth, and Vitra has used it since around 1998.

What is the difference between an original and a replica?
Originals come from Vitra or Herman Miller, and in the past also from licensed partners. The shapes of the Lounge Chair and the Aluminium Chair are registered trademarks.

Sources: Eames Office, Furniture Partners, Eames Office, Molded Shell Chairs, Eames Office, Aluminum Group, Vitra, distribution rights, Vitra, Lounge Chair, Herman Miller, Lounge Chair Buying Guide, Eames Institute, The Henry Ford.