Wright Auction

In 1949, Charles and Ray Eames designed a novel range of store units and desks for Herman Miller: the Eames Storage Unit (ESU) and Eames Desk Unit (EDU). These lines drew on the foundations of industrial production, in which lightweight materials and components were integrated into the construction of adaptable forms. At the same time, the Eameses were working on their groundbreaking Eames House, or Case Study House No. 8, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, which would become their primary residence and studio. Whether designing furniture or architecture, the Eameses endeavored to discover practical yet delightful solutions to meet the demands of modern living.

The ESU and EDU were initially available on a commercial basis in 1950. These Eames designs were intended to be low-cost, modular interior elements that could fit equally well in the home or office. Each shelving section of an ESU or EDU could be configured with an open or closed front, using wire-cross struts, drawers, or sliding plywood panels with natural finish or laminated colors. The ESUs were also released in different heights, with the 100 series one level high, the 200 series two levels high, and the 400 series four levels high.

Shortly after getting married in June 1941, Charles and Ray Eames drove across the country to California to begin a decades-long residence in Los Angeles. Upon moving into the newly built Strathmore Apartments—designed by new acquaintance Richard Neutra—they set up the Eames Office, where they would experiment and hone their craft. Quite the honeymoon! Their experiments in this apartment included endless hands-on, trial-and-error tests using a tool they invented, the “Kazam!” machine,” which would be the precursor to their pioneering molded plywood process. 

A partnership with Evans Products, a design produced for wartime efforts, and a move to a new Venice location followed. In 1946, George Nelson and D.J. De Pree visited Charles’ Museum of Modern Art, New York exhibition featuring this molded plywood furniture and a deal was struck for Herman Miller to start selling Eames designs—and a few years later, the rights to the entire line, including a deal with the design duo. The Eameses would go on to design several more iconic products for Herman Miller, with Charles and Ray guiding the approach to design, materials, marketing, manufacturing, and quality control. The popularity of Eames designs around the world pushed Herman Miller to become a global company.