Cast Base

A key conceptual feature of the Eames Aluminum Group is the pair of aluminum spreaders that hold the upholstery taut between two aluminum side members. These spreaders create the necessary tension for transforming fabric into a supportive seat and backrest. Dubbed “antlers” by the Eames Office staff thanks to their distinctive shape, one spreader is located midway up the chair’s back and doubles as a handle. The other is located underneath the seat and serves both to stretch the textile and to attach the body of the chair to its base. This prototype highlights the point of connection between the lower spreader and the slender column that would extend down to the four-pronged Eames Contract Base (a design used for this collection as well as for other Eames designs). The column is a hollow tube made of rolled steel, and is very sturdy. The underside of the antler is stamped with a patent number and Herman Miller’s trademarked name and logo.