Design 
27 October 2022
Design 
138

Office of Charles and Ray Eames

A Computer Perspective collection

USA, 1971-73
bound book, lithograph in colors smallest: 9 h × 9 w in (23 × 23 cm) largest: 30 h × 5 w in (76 × 13 cm)
estimate: $2,000–3,000
result: $3,250
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Charles and Ray Eames gifted the present lot to Robert Staples on the occasion of his leaving their office after sixteen years.
Collection includes A Computer Perspective brochure (1971) and A Computer Perspective book (1973) signed by Charles Eames and by Ray Eames on free end page ‘To Bob – with much gratitude and much affection – Charles + Love + Thanks Ray July 1973.’
provenance: Gift from Charles and Ray Eames to Robert Staples | Thence by descent to Barbara Fahs Charles

This work will ship from Rago in Lambertville, New Jersey.

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A Computer Perspective

Robert Staples and Barbara Fahs Charles adjusting the model for A Computer Perspective, 1970

Created for the IBM Display Center in New York City, A Computer Perspective opened in January 1971. The 100-foot history wall of artifacts, photographs and texts traced the development of three kinds of machines that came together into the modern computer—logical automata, statistical machines, and calculating machines. It also included demonstrations of an historic Hollerith machine, as used in the 1890 census, and the most current computers. Visitors could play 20 questions on the computer, perhaps the first such museum computer interactive. Robert Staples was senior designer, Barbara Fahs Charles researcher and coordinator.

The research, texts and images from the history wall became the basis for the 1973 Harvard University Press publication, A Computer Perspective.

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