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The Ever-Evolving Eames Aluminum Group

Carved Base Antler 1

1957

A key conceptual feature of the Eames Aluminum Group is the pair of aluminum spreaders that hold the upholstery taut between two aluminum side members. These spreaders create the necessary tension for transforming fabric into a supportive seat and backrest. Dubbed “antlers” by the Eames Office staff thanks to their distinctive shape, one spreader is located midway up the chair’s back and doubles as a handle. The other is located underneath the seat and serves both to stretch the textile and to attach the body of the chair to its base. This is an example of a wooden prototype for the lower spreader, indicated by the small hollow tube at its center that would eventually be used to connect the chair to a base column. A carved inscription next to the tube reads “NARROW LOUNGE.”

  • Medium:Wood
  • Dimensions:5 11/16 x 19 x 6 1/16 in. (14.4 x 48.3 x 15.4 cm)
  • Item:P.2019.2.5.4