Real or fake Eames Lounge Chair

Replicas, fakes, or chairs ‘inspired by’ are getting better and better in quality.  Still, when buying a new or vintage Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, there are some things you should look out for:

-     The Ottoman has a four-pointed star base, not five-pointed. The Eames Lounge Chair has a five-pointed star base.

-   All Eames chairs are set at a reclining angle of 15 degrees – they are NOT adjustable.  Originals do however, swivel.

-       If the cushions have no buttons, it may not be genuine.

-     Most Eames Lounge Chairs have Leather cushions  filled with foam or down.  Some special orders were made in fabric, but these are rare.  Vinyl has never been used on a genuine Eames Lounge Chair..

-     The seat pad on the chair and the cushion on the Ottoman are the same size and technically interchangeable.

-      An original/genuine Eames Lounge Chair doesn’t have a vertical bar that attaches the middle of the backrest to the seat

-       Be wary of advertisements using language like ‘Eames-style’ or inspired by. 

-       An original/genuine Eames Lounge Chair will have labels for Herman Miller/Eames or Vitra.

-     Unless it’s been repaired, you shouldn’t see any bolt/screw heads going through the shell under the armrests.

-       The cushions on an authentic Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman are six inches thick.

-    An authentic Eames Lounge Chair has two buttons in each cushion pad. Many fakes have three.

-       Vintage Eames Lounge Chairs will have identifying labels - paper labels, round metal discs or long thin black labels.   Many of them are signed. The shape of the labels can help determine the vintage.