Eames Catalog
DAX-1 1954 Repaired
1954
Herman Miller
Dining (and Desk) Armchair X (four rod legs)
31" H by 24 7/8" W by 24" D
Seat height 17 5/8"
Weight 19 lbs.
Charcoal naugahyde, black painted shell, black finish legs, small shock mounts, boot glides.
In a letter from Charles Eames to George Howe, in the Eames Office archives, Charles Eames notes that zinc plating was used for its rust resistant properties, and that to achieve the black finish, a black stain was added to the zinc.
We include this chair for its wonderful early repairs, and how this illustrates a few things about Eames designs. That some one would take the trouble to repair this chair, rather than throw it away, shows how it was valued. Underneath two of the four rods of its early, first edition "X base" a slug of iron has been welded. These repairs also explain why the Eames Office eventually replaced the "X base" with a superior base in terms of customer value and performance, the so-called "H base." While the "X base" was elegant and simple, it had a tendency to tweak when in use, which meant a wobbly chair, or break, as was the case with this example.
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