Eames Elephant Wood

Now in 2020 the eames elephant will be 75 years old.

Eames elephant wood.

Charles and ray eames developed a toy elephant made of plywood in 1945. One prototype was shown at the museum of modern art in new york in 1946 and still survives in the eames family archives today. In the early 1940s charles and ray eames spent several years developing and refining a technique for moulding plywood into three dimensional shapes creating a series of furniture items and sculptures in the process. This includes herman miller products finished with wood veneer or recut wood veneer except the oiled eames lounge chair and ottoman with rosewood oiled walnut or oiled santos palisander veneer unless specifically noted.

A delightful object for adults and children alike the eames elephant 1945 developed out of the eameses fascination with elephants. To commemorate this anniversary vitra is launching a special series in grey stained wood bringing the intricately produced collector s item even closer to its. The eames elephant was part of a group of plywood animals designed in 1945 as part of the experiment into the use of the material in collaboration with the evans molded plywood division. Normal cleaning dust regularly with a slightly damp soft lint free cloth.

They designed the original elephant out of molded plywood but fabrication methods proved too complex and it never went into production. After a limited edition in 2007 vitra launched serial production of the eames elephant in wood for the very first time in 2018. To celebrate the 100th birthday of charles eames in 2007 vitra worked closely with eames office to introduce a limited edition molded plywood elephant which would be the first time this coveted piece was commercially produced. The plywood elephant was designed in 1945 as a playful offshoot of their molded plywood experiments.

Among these initial designs the two part elephant proved to be the most technically challenging due to its tight compound curves and the piece never went into serial production.