Charles Eames Screen, ca. 1946
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GUEST:
My husband bought it in the 1940s when he was a student at MIT in graduate school. I was not in his life at that time and I inherited it as the wife in his older years. I'm his child bride.
APPRAISER:
Perfect, that's great. This is a screen by Charles Eames. It was developed in 1946. Charles Eames is probably America's most famous furniture designer. There's a little danger in saying that, but I'm sure Charles Eames, if he's not the most famous, is one of the most famous furniture designers in America's history. And this is one of his classic pieces. During World War II, during the 1940s, he made a set of splints for the Navy, and they're very much like your screen. Bent plywood was his area of expertise, and when the war ended, he started doing bent plywood things for his own production. And this is one of the things that came up. This piece was developed and first came into market in 1946.
GUEST:
I think it's beautiful, truly, truly.
APPRAISER:
I do, too. I love the way it curves, the way it kind of combines this wonderful subtle beauty with practicality.
GUEST:
Yeah, and the softness of the pattern in the wood is beautiful to me.
APPRAISER:
Absolutely.
GUEST:
You know, it's very beautiful.
APPRAISER:
This wood is ash, by the way. Which was very common when he started making these products. He used ash, he used a couple of other woods, as well-- oak... But ash, I think, has a subtle beauty to it. This piece was also made-- if your husband bought it in the '40s-- was made by the Evans Product Company, which was out of Venice, California. And they first started producing Eames's products. Then Herman Miller took over the production of this and moved it to Zeeland, Michigan. And then they stopped in 1956.
GUEST:
Well, that's the book I have that has it in it. And the price sheet was in the book.
APPRAISER:
And how much did he pay for it?
GUEST:
$79.
APPRAISER:
I have seen a lot of these. They made these in six panels, which you have, eight panels, ten panels. And usually, the more panels there are, the more they're worth, as well. But your screen is in such great condition, it really is. Most of them are kind of beaten up. They have reproduced these. Herman Miller is making a new vintage of this. And one of the ways you can tell is, on yours, on the early ones, on the original ones, you have a canvas interior. The new ones are some sort of poly-whatever.
GUEST:
Sure, that will last forever.
APPRAISER:
Exactly. And your canvas is in fantastic condition. Do you have any idea what your Eames screen is worth?
GUEST:
No, I know it cost $79, that's all I know.
APPRAISER:
Well, your husband made a pretty good investment, because it went from $79. Today at auction, this piece is probably worth $2,000 to $4,000.
GUEST:
Oh, my goodness, all right.
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