We spotted one of these in a magazine about six months ago and couldn't get it out of our head. A dowel base shell chair? Where does that come from? We wondered.
DWR doesn't sell it, so it must not exist.
In fact, other than in vintage form, we can only find them currently being made by one company,
Modernica. Of course, they're not sanctioned by
Herman Miller or the
Eames family (they probably will be next year - and
DWR will sell them), so they can't be called Eames chairs - officially - so Modernica calls them Case Study Fiberglass Chairs. Here's a pic of one of the originals in an armchair form.
But we love them. We think they are the sexiest little modern things going in the chair department right now. They are pricey at $325 each, but we'd take one in every color.
I have loved these for quite some time and firmly believe that the modernica shells are FAR superior to the DWR. I have also owned original shell chairs and the DWR repros feel like tupperware to me. The fiberglass just has more of a life to it.
I LOVE THEM TOO. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't. He says they remind him of his early school days, something he doesn't fondly relish. The colors are so yummy but I expecially covet the white and creamy translucent ones. They are at the top of my list to buy just one for an occasional chair (after convincing my husband). I like the armchairs even more, and the chrome eiffel legs.
Where did you get the information that the Eames family will sanction Modernica's shell chairs and that DWR will then sell them? If that is true, I won der how DWR will explain their extraordinarily inaccurate and shoddy plastic side shell. There is no comparison to Modernica's!
Barbara, I'm with your husband... those chairs are a total third-grade flashback... only then, they were burnt orange or a particularly vile shade of yellow.
I have the white fibreglass rocker from Modernica. I chose to buy it after taking a look at the DWR plastic version and am thrilled with the Modernica model.
My husband complains about the back being a bit too short for comfort but that is easily solved with a cushion.
Reef
I've got a pair of the modernica fiberglass armchairs (in orange). If you google modernica, they are licensed to do the chairs, they aren't a knock off. I ordered mine through a local store in Philly and they told me the whole story (he could have ordered the Herman Miller ones as well). I believe they still use some of the original molds as well. The HM versions feel cheap, the plastic is just plastic, and don't feel very sturdy. The modernica chairs feel and look like vintage chairs. I couldn't be happier with my choice.
hello !
if you don't like your Herman Miller chairs, I will be happy to buy them !
:)
k_alessandro@yahoo.fr
alex
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