Is your Eames chair Real or Fake? How to tell the difference.

Introduced in 1956, the Eames chair and ottoman became an instant classic and has sustained its' standing for more than 50 years. It is the perfect example of mid-century design and is extremely comfortable.

With something so good, there are bound to be replicas and fakes, so how do you tell the difference? Here are some key characteristics to check for:

• all real Eames chairs are made in plywood, with cherry, walnut, santos palisander or rosewood veneers.
• a real Eames Lounge Chair will have a five-legged base, and the Ottoman will have four legs. The bases should be die-cast.
• the cushions for the ottoman and seat cushions should be the exact same size, and the leather should be soft.
• the armrests should be slightly curved, not flat, and should have a separate piece of leather wrapped around the edge.
• finally, all originals do not have any visible screws or bolts, and should have natural rubber shock mounts and adjustable stainless steel glides.

The restoration and repair of these modern beauties is one of our specialties, and we are passionate about restoring these pieces exactly as they were originally designed and built. For more information about our expert restoration services, please visit the restoration section of our website or call us at 310.324.1600. If you are wondering if your Eames chair is real, feel free to send us a photo at info@classicdesignla.com. 

Before & after: 19th Century British Settee

It's always fun when we get a piece of history in the workshop, like this 19th century British settee. This piece was in sorry condition when it arrived; the fabric was worn and torn, there were gouges in the wood and the finish had deteriorated.

All it needed was  a little TLC from Classic Design.

And she is restored to her former glory!

We're back!

After a short hiatus, the Classic Design blog is back! Stay tuned!