3473 Sofa

Whilst not a catchy name, the Eames 3473 sofa was named after its catalog number and was produced after Herman Miller requested a sofa to ‘follow-up’ the ‘Sofa Compact’. It is quite evident that the earlier sofa was the source of inspiration for this particular piece, however, the ‘3473 Sofa’ was a slightly larger and more luxurious piece.

Constructed from aluminium, iron and plywood, this Eames sofa was heavier than the ‘Sofa Compact’ and did not feature the ‘compact’ capability. The first of the sofas were produced in Naugahyde, with the option of upholstered fabric coming later and leather upon request. It also drew inspiration from the ‘Time-Life’ chair with the use of the single plywood back-rest.

The first production sofas were produced at Herman Miller’s Redwood Avenue Plant in Culver City before it moved to the main factory in Zeeland, Michigan. The detailing required to make the sofa resulted in a long production time which was costly. The sofa ended production in 1973 due to the expense of the production process.

The cushion at the rear of the sofa was sectioned into 3 distinct parts although the construction was one simple piece, unlike the sectional compact sofa which used two separate sections in its construction. 

• The 3473 was in production for only 9 years and was discontinued due to the cost of production. All pieces manufactured during that time would have an original label, either silver or black medallion leading into the black strip label. The label is to be found on the underside of the sofa and is the best mark of authenticity. As with any piece, a missing label does not mean it is not genuine as they can be cleaned off or removed during early restorations but is the first port of call.
• The 3473 has not been a major target of reproduction makers, especially in the far east. Those that have surfaced have had the wrong dimensions (metricized) both of the sofa and cushions. There is no substitute for clear and genuine ageing that would be found on a sofa made from 1964 to 1973.
• The 3473 was initially released with Naugahyde upholstery so the earlier examples do tend to have that. Leather was an option but only on request or by supplying your own to Herman Miller. This means there is unlikely to be many in this found in the marketplace. Fabric was made available at a later date and the 3473 was available to order in any book textile choice from Herman Miller.

• There were no generation changes of the 3473 sofa during its relatively short production life. Value therefore tends to be derived mainly from condition and fabric choice followed by a small difference in the ageing.
• The earliest examples were manufactured in Naugahyde.  Despite the finish giving fantastic understated looks to the piece (and others) Naugahyde or vinyl is not a popular choice of contemporary furnishing today. Bespoke leather examples will always command the highest value followed by fabric and especially any examples found in rarer specialized designs of Alexander Girard.
• Versions in Naugahyde therefore may well represent the best value for money in the secondary marketplace. Always check the condition of the fabric for wear, tear, rips and holes. The simplicity of the cushion should not be a difficult prospect for an upholsterer to re-do but added value is always given in pieces where originality is assured.
• The earliest examples of the sofa will have a small added value, those made earliest since 1964 should be determinable with the label and Naugahyde finish.