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.