ES102 Intermediate Chair

Although this Intermediate Chair design was relatively short-lived⁠—produced only from 1968 until 1973⁠—it marks an important turning point in Eames furniture thanks to the introduction of the Universal base. The Eames Universal Base offered a more organic update to the earlier Eames Contract Base, a single-columned, four-pronged base that originated with the Eames Aluminum Group in 1958 and was subsequently used with a wide range of Eames tables and chairs. The new Eames Universal Base maintained the same basic format, but built on the more organic forms of the La Fonda and Time-Life bases of the early 1960s. The extended prong of the new Eames Universal Base also transitioned seamlessly from leg to foot⁠—with a unified form that eliminated the chance of a less-than-secure connection, improving the stability of the base overall. Here, the base is mounted on casters to offer a sturdy yet agile office chair. Unlike the standardized parts of the Eames Aluminum Group system and the Eames Soft Pad Group system which could combine to make a variety of seating types, the only options with the Intermediate Chair were arm or no arm, and casters or glides. This is probably why the design was eventually abandoned⁠—it is costly to do a chair as a one-off. This example reflects Charles and Ray’s commitment to a design being “complete” in all aspects. Not only are the top sides button-tufted, but also the underside, and all the upholstery, even underneath, is leather. Despite the commercial failure of the Intermediate Chair, the Eames Universal Base has remained in continuous production for a variety of Eames furniture designs, including both chairs and tables.