Eames Lounge Chair: the Original Against Its Copies

It is probably the most copied chair in the history of design. The Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames, 1956, produced by Vitra in Europe and Herman Miller in the United States, faces an ocean of replicas. The gap does not always show in a photograph — it shows in person.

What the original costs

New, expect €8,000 to €12,000 depending on leather and veneer. In vintage, a Herman Miller edition from the 1970s-80s trades at €4,000-7,000, and holds its value. Copies sit between €700 and €2,000.

The tells

Proportions first: the original is low, reclined, almost crouching — most copies are too tall and too upright. The moulded plywood shells are thin and even, the leather pleated without being puffed, the five-star base in polished aluminium carries the Vitra or Herman Miller labels beneath the seat.

The honest question

A decent copy remains a comfortable chair. But it does not age: veneers that blister, leather that cracks, zero resale value. The original, on the other hand, is bought, lived with, sold on — it is an investment you can practise sitting down.

Spotted a Lounge Chair at a flea market? Scan it on Beyit: edition, era, market value.