[BLUEPRINTS, CHARLES EAMES, HERMAN MILLER, MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE]

EAMES, Charles  (Illustrator / draftsman) 

"E 538 - D"

On offer here is a RARE ORIGINAL HERMAN MILLER / CHARLES EAMES FURNITURE BLUEPRINT drawing from 1962. The drawing measures 43 in x 34 in unfolded and is in excellent condition with some minor toning near the fold creases. 

This particular blueprint example is for the 'RETURN SWIVEL FIXED BASE'  Herman Miller / Eames product.  This is a "FULL SCALE" drawing. This blueprint is for the adjustable height mechanism for the Eames chair product line Herman Miller produced throughout the 1960's. 

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Original HM blueprint drawings are RARE in the market. In fact in researching various auction houses (including the usual mid-century modern houses) we couldn't find a single example of original blueprints being offered for sale. 

This blueprint example is from the second (and last) batch of blueprints we have available after an institution acquired the initial selection en masse.  

It would seem most of the HM blueprints were either kept or donated to institutions and few if any left the design offices. Since Peter P. Zellner ostensibly worked on these designs w/ Charles Eames, we assume that's why he had the examples we now have. As far as we can ascertain, Peter P. Zellner worked at Herman Miller between about 1961 to about 1967. 

These design plans make excellent display pieces and are fantastic conversation pieces. 

Note: 

The last 4 images in the photo group ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE AUCTION, THESE ARE ONLY SHOWN FOR PROVENANCE PURPOSES. We've received several messages questioning whether these blueprints are really from the Zellner family. These images serve to prove that point. We've shown both Peter the 'elder' (who worked for HM / & Charles Eames) and Peter 'the younger' who is the architect, educator and author. The younger Zellner is shown sitting in an Eames chair in an unknown location.  

We've also watermarked the images here because there are some who will use these images to attempt to reproduce them and attempt to profit from them. We are not selling image copyright with this auction only the blueprints themselves. 

A rare and important collecting opportunity. 

Provenance:

This lot is from the effects of Architect, Educator & Author Peter Anthony Zellner of Los Angeles.

Zellner was born in Brooklyn in 1969 to Yolanda Roman Zellner a Nicaraguan soprano who trained at the Conservatoria Nacional de Musica in Mexico and Peter Paul Zellner, a Romanian born painter & designer who worked with Charles and Ray Eames and later with LACMA & The MET.

We acquired a good portion of his library and a nice collection of original family photographs and original Herman Miller / Charles Eames furniture blueprints from the 1960’s. 

Please email any questions -