Aalto at Bed Bath & Beyond?

DRN · Post by **DRN** » Sat Aug 12, 2017 10:05 pm

While shopping today, I saw something I didn't expect:

https://m.bedbathandbeyond.com/m/produc ... gLRc_D_BwE

Is this a knock off or adaptation of a concept? In any case, it is tasteful and cheap.

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Sat Aug 12, 2017 11:29 pm

Total knockoff, yes. Aalto's version has solid wood legs with a brilliant method of bending the wood. The knockoff (IKEA also sold these) has laminated legs and are thinner. The seat is also thicker on the Aalto, and detailed differently at the edge.

Aalto leg:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pinter ... 411044689/

The third image shows the laminated knockoff leg:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040 ... th=1&psc=1

KevinW · Post by **KevinW** » Mon Aug 14, 2017 11:25 am

Knocking off MCM items is big these days, I have seen cheap Eames knock-off chairs at World Market and Hobby Lobby. Target recently has knocked-off Wegner's Wishbone chairs and Nelson slat coffee tables.

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:12 pm

If one needs this stuff, buy less, but get the real thing. The rest is destined for the landfill.

DRN · Post by **DRN** » Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:25 pm

The rest is destined for the landfill.

Like the legions of Breuer Cesca chair knock offs sold for $15-$20 a piece in the 1970's and '80's that were kicked to the curb when the cane seats wore through.

https://www.google.com/search?sourceid= ... esca+chair

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Aug 14, 2017 6:43 pm

Design Within Reach makes a flexible plastic version of the Eames "Eiffel Tower" shell chair -- with ball-snap feet which break and depart, meaning my nice bamboo tables at the cafÃ© get dents when the night cleaning crew plops the chairs there to mop the floor. And DWR has no active replacement policy for the defective part, and other online sources charge c. $20 for a set of four aftermarket feet. Nice . . .

SDR

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Mon Aug 14, 2017 9:58 pm

Those soulless plastic DWR chairs are actually now the licensed versions, approved by Eames Demetrios and the Eames Foundation. The only decent replica is the Modernica version. They somehow acquired the original molds from Herman Miller and the shells actually have the visible fibers in them. (I'm not sure if they're still being produced or not...)

http://archive.blog.modernica.net/how-i ... ell-chair/

Not even close, but no cigar, a pair for 50 bucks:

https://jet.com/product/detail/d4d8e554 ... 4004f523e3

The real deal... proportions, materials, honesty:

https://www.incollect.com/listings/furn ... ler-118974

ZacharyMatthews · Post by **ZacharyMatthews** » Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:09 pm

[quote="peterm"]Those soulless plastic DWR chairs are actually now the licensed versions, approved by Eames Demetrios and the Eames Foundation. The only decent replica is the Modernica version. They somehow acquired the original molds from Herman Miller and the shells actually have the visible fibers in them. (I'm not sure if they're still being produced or not...)

Herman Miller has been reproducing the classic Eames shell chair in fiberglass for years now. They only stopped due to harmful offgassing in the production process, they found a new method and resumed with the original molds.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:56 pm

The DWR Eiffel-base chair I tend bears the Herman Miller name, but is something altogether different where the shell is concerned. While remaining faithful to the form, a decision was clearly made to spin off a lesser cousin, whose quite comfortable seat is, for the first time, flexible, and has an inoffensive finely-pebbled texture that probably helps keep the sitter in place.

Neither thickness, surface, visual texture nor colors are to be confused with the fiberglass shell chairs -- for only about 20% off the price. And the swivel feet break and fall off. Nice . . .

SDR