Red Vinyl Herman Miller Original Eames Medium Tone RAR Arm Shell Chair
Product Description
A classically comfortable combination, this original Eames Herman Miller medium tone arm chair is finished in red vinyl and sports a newer, used light ash RAR base. The iconic finish for these design classics; the use of vinyl plastic by Alex Girard added an extra splash of colour whilst ensuring the chairs remained durable.
Adding the choice of an upholstered finish to the Eames range increased the versatility of the chairs and enabled them to be used in a wider choice of environment. The upholstered options made available consisted of a range of fabrics, vinyl plastic and a combination of the two – known colloquially as ‘two-tone’ – which introduced a huge variety of colours and even patterns to the series.
Individual Characteristics
As a vintage shell it is in an aged condition. The colour is still strong, but there are some signs of scuffs and scratch marks along the back of the shell as are outlined in the images.
The vinyl has been affected a little more by age. It is coming away slightly on one edge of the chair; which can be re-attached through glue and there are some slight pit marks and age related abrasions to it.
All of these aspects are reflected in the price of the chair and further images can be provided upon request.
The ‘C’ with the five pointed star on the underside of the shell indicates it was made at Herman Miller’s Cincinnati Plastics factory between 1965 and 1978.
Investment Details
Eames Shells are always a coveted piece, but their investment value is determined by many disciplines. The older the shell, for example, will add to its investment value along with the rarity of the colour, the age of the base and the origin of production. This shell chair is a pretty aged example and has lived a bit of a hard life. It is, however, still a great usable example which will still prove to be a good, comfortable, chair to use, though its investment value may not be as great as some other examples.
