Q: I have found an Eames 1960's RAR white fiberglass chair. It has a metalic replacement base with maple runners. It is in good condition except for a 2 cm crack in the corner of the seat portion of the shell and has been fixed with resin. How do know what is a good price for this chair? Are there any guides? Does the crack significantly affect its value (and my ability to resell)?
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I think the base being replaced is going to hurt the value more than the repaired crack. You can check Ebay and Craigslist for market rates for these types of chairs.
Currently on Ebay there is a 1960s era RAR fiberglass chair, which was outfitted with a replacement metal base and buffed to remove scratches, selling for $425 Buy It Now. However, there were 6 declined offers, meaning that perhaps some people feel it's overpriced (or just want to roll the dice with a low offer and see what happens).
http://cgi.ebay.com/Eames-Herman-Miller-FIBERGLASS-Shell-Chair-ROCKER-RAR-/290523184416?pt=Antiques_Furniture&hash=item43a487fd20
Yes, new replacement parts and damage always diminishes the resale value of a piece of furniture...
...but then again, this won't ever be a museum piece either - so just use it and enjoy it for what it is.
I thought that only the fake Eames RAR chairs were made of fibreglass???
Is there a source somewhere to confirm that the vintage ones are actually not plastic like the original available today?
The original chairs were fiberglass infused plastic, and the ones made today are polypropylene.
I have bought and sold many of these guys (keeping the best ones for myself!). In my experience, a chair like this would sell for around $175-200 here around NYC. That is, assuming the label is still intact. Most buyers want all original. Or, if the base is a replacement, they want the shell to be in mint condition.