Charles Ray Eames Herman Miller Zenith Plastics Lax X Base Rope Edge Transitional Fiberglass Shell Lounge Arm Chair

Description

A fabulous Charles & Ray Eames transitional armchair produced by Herman Miller with Zenith Plastics. The salmon colored LAX chair … more A fabulous Charles & Ray Eames transitional armchair produced by Herman Miller with Zenith Plastics. The salmon colored LAX chair features a rope edge, X base, large shock mounts, boot glides and the checkerboard label. (The checkerboard label was only used from 1950-1953 and the X-base was discontinued in 1954 to be replaced by an H-base.)

LAX - Lounge chair, height of seat is lower than that of DAX and at an angle that offers restful support. Ideal for reading and relaxed conversation (from "The Herman Miller Collection 1952")

In 1992 I was working as a catalogue photographer for an up and coming Lambertville Auction House. Spurred on by the abundance of pieces by local Mid Century designers they branched out into the overlooked field of Mid Century Design.

It is amazing to look back at that early time and difficult to believe that Mid Century Designs were unappreciated and even shunned by sellers. In the 1980s and early 1990s I constantly asked about Mid Century design and sellers would say "we don't sell that, nobody wants it." I would think, really? So I told them I wanted fiberglass, plywood, Danish teak and lucite, I even showed some dealers the B-52's Wild Planet cassette and said I want these chairs... Nope, they would insist they can't sell any of it.

While doing the second or third catalogue with the new Mid Century specialist I came to a photo shoot with two Eames three seaters with yellow arm shells in my truck. The specialist said to me "I hope you did not pay a lot for those". Six months later he asked if I still had them, the market had exploded!

My tenure with that Auction House ended in 2000. It was amazing to see the Mid Century market explode and I am fortunate to have had a front row seat for the fireworks.

I have been buying shell chairs ever since, this chair is my favorite of them all... less