In the early 1950s, Charles Eames noted all the "fantastic things being made of wire" using what he and Ray thought "was a good production technique and also a good use of material." At the same time the Eameses were refining their fiberglass-reinforced plastic chairs, they began experimenting with a bent and welded wire chair design. The constraints? Make a reasonably priced, quality piece that was light yet strong.

Faced with constraints, the Eameses innovated. They made the rim of their chair of a lighter-gauge wire and doubled it for strength and stability. This advance won them the first American mechanical patent for design. After carefully studying the contours of the body, they molded the seat of cross-woven wires and positioned it on a bent-wire, welded base that reminded some of the Eiffel Tower.

Bent and welded wire frame seats, in a choice of chrome wire only.

These products are manufactured in Germany by Vitra and distributed by Herman Miller for the Home.

Item		Description		Highbrow price
DKR.0		eames® wire base chair		$629
DKR.2		eames® wire base chair with bikini pad		$1399
DKR.5		eames® wire base chair with seat pad		$979
replacement glides
UHH01_H		eames wire base glide, one plastic foot		$6
UHH01_J		eames wire base glide, one felt foot		$10