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Rare Eames LAR chairs for Herman Miller. Parchment molded fiberglass LAR chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. On wire "cat's cradle" base. This example dates to circa 1954 and was in production as one of the five introductory base styles when the fiberglass shells were introduced in 1950. It does not have a rope edge, which pushes in slightly later into the 1950s. One chair with early Orange Herman Miller label. The other chair without a label. Shells are clean but show some patina as does the base. Shock mounts look to be original and in good working order. These chairs have continued to become more and more difficult to find. Condition on this example is very good with some wear as to be expected.
The Eames LAR Cats Cradle Chair or abbreviated Low (L) Height, Arm (A) Chair on Rod (R) Base was one of the ‘original 5’ of base types the fiberglass shell chairs were released with, in 1950. Essentially designed as a lounge height chair, the LAR base developed the popular common name ‘Cats Cradle’ and remains a favorite with collectors today.
The Eames LAR Chair was certainly a masterful design, different from any of the other options of the ‘original 5’ and providing a third lounge option for the plastic chair series along with the RAR and LAX (DAX Variant). It was also quite a contrast to the stark and traditional typical seating designs of the 1940’s and 1950’s. The rod wire base was bent into shape to provide two horizontal struts to connect with the floor and give the almost triangular visual.
The original 5 bases released in the 1950 first generation included the rocking RAR, the Eiffel DAR, the dowel leg DAW and four legged DAX along with the LAR. The Eames Cats Cradle Chair never went on to sell in the same numbers as the other variants but did last until Herman Miller discontinued production of it in the middle of the 1960’s. The LAR was sadly not resurrected as part of Herman Miller’s re-introduction of the plastic series of chairs in 2001 but was later with the fiberglass re-releases.
The name ‘cats cradle’ originated from the age-old game involving two hands and string being wound to create gridiron patterns. It is fair to say there is a resemblance in the LAR base to the pattern of the game.
