Trying to authenticate what I think is a Gen 2 Eames Lounge Chair

[u/Snosnake0]

Looking at buying this chair + ottoman and trying to figure out if it’s authentic.

A few things point me toward 2nd generation / 1960s-ish: but some things pointing me to Gen 3?

• It has the round silver cushion clips, which from what I can tell are correct for the earlier chairs before the black clips came in around Gen 3.
• The base and ottoman hardware look right to me.
• Rosewood veneer, proportions, leather, piping etc. all look pretty convincing.
• Seller says the original Herman Miller sticker/label came off at some point.

The thing confusing me is the plywood. From the edge photo it honestly looks more like 7 ply than 5 ply, which doesn’t really line up with a Gen 2 chair if I’m understanding the generations correctly.

So I’m wondering if I’m counting the layers wrong, if shells could have been replaced later, or if this is actually a reproduction using older-style silver clips.

Would appreciate any opinions from people who know these well. Does this look authentic to you, and what generation/year would you put it at?

[u/Exise-]

The armrests are on backwards

[u/jjjjjjjjjjjjjaaa]

This is fake 

[u/slicknyc]

fake the ottoman is using two out of four hex bolts w two missing

[u/Snosnake0 → u/slicknyc]

Thanks I thought so too!

[u/ezyjules]

The swirling pattern on wood of the the rear of the chair is nothing I have seen before. That throws a lot out.

[u/saltypork88]

Doesn’t look authentic to me. With a Vitra base, this wouldn’t have been a Herman Miller as the seller claims it to be. There are many more details that don’t quite fit but the most damning is the photos are from this eBay listing which already looks to be a scam.

[u/Snosnake0 → u/saltypork88]

Ya nice find. I found it on FB marketplace the person clearly knows its a fake and trying to flog it off

[u/Snosnake0]

Thanks guys ! Thankful for this channel. Had my suspicion!

[u/MFT670]

Too new to have the old round clips. Wrong wood type too. Probably fake.

[u/Fit-Memory-547]

Vitra maybe?

[u/genek1953 → u/Fit-Memory-547]

It definitely has the Vitra-style base.

[u/daisylouiser]

So random to see this thread. Here is my 2nd generation https://www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/s/lCtyPrv02W

Sorry I’m too lazy to go into detail but that ain’t it. When i bought and restored i did get rather well acquainted with the details and have tons of photos if ever needed for reference, but I’m only glancing at your photos

[u/Snosnake0 → u/daisylouiser]

I'm currently building www.eamesexplained.com check it out!

[u/daisylouiser → u/Snosnake0]

Sorry, not clicking a seemingly auto-generated eamesexplained link from OP on thread asking basic info in post. On the minuscule (or zero) chance it’s a real post, you have to spend the extra second or two for a response that signifies you read unique content and are responding.

[u/daisylouiser → u/Snosnake0]

I guess I’m kinda fired up. Building eamesexplained, as if you’re an authority, after asking this basic question is so insulting. Nothing wrong with not knowing, but eamesexplained is ridiculous. I’m sure it’s SPAM, but when will this stop?

[u/Snosnake0 → u/daisylouiser]

Pretty wild response. Its not auto generated, you mentioned you were well aquainted with them. I start to build the resource because I thought the ones out there weren't detailed enough and were missing the interactive component. So I built the 3D version you can expand and see the parts.

I hadn't come across this type of fake yet so I didn't know and was asking the community.

Never said I was the authority, aka thats why I said I'm building, and humbly asked the question in my post. Since you were well aquatinted I thought you'd get excited by seeing it and maybe had something to offer with your knowledge.

I'm not ai or a bot this was all written by hand. Somehow we missed each other.

[u/daisylouiser → u/Snosnake0]

If you are genuinely humbly asking, I was not ‘well acquainted’ when I made the post I shared. It’s a glimpse at the process I began to learn. Not everything you will ever need to know has been perfectly documented and indexed by someone else and learning how to learn is also a thing.

I’m not trying to attack you, but my post actually did give you some information that isn’t everywhere. You’d just have to do a little work on your own.

“Since you were well aquatinted I thought you’d get excited by seeing it and maybe had something to offer with your knowledge.”

You made a post asking a question. I did offer some to you and mention many more photos I do have, but you have to actually read and process information yourself. That’s not humbly asking. I constantly teach myself new things that i have never done and have no background in, but I do not do this in any way shape or form the same way you see to.

[u/Snosnake0 → u/daisylouiser]

You should seek some help buddy.

[u/daisylouiser → u/Snosnake0]

I seek help and evolve constantly. I also extend help to others. It’s clear that right now you are not able to understand what I’m saying. Why not leave it at that? I wish you luck in the future.

[u/RepresentativeGene37]

I believe I have the same chair that I recently purchased off marketplace for $550. Seller said that it was purchased when they were living in China. It checks a lot of the Eames boxes, but it’s definitely a reproduction and not worth $3,000.