Released to the market in 1968, the Eames Intermediate Chair was essentially a hybrid of other chair designs taking influence mainly from the Time Life Desk Chair, Alu Group Chairs and the work that had already gone into the Soft Pad Series (they were released in 1969).
The Eames Intermediate Desk Chair followed in the success of the Time Life Desk Chair and the High and Low Back Alu Group Chairs, which were aimed at the workplace and were growing steadily in commercial success. The Intermediate Chair very much had the style, look and feel of the Alu Group but with an increased comfort but perhaps without the overall size and footprint of the Time Life Chairs.
The Eames Intermediate Chair was released in 3 versions. There was the fixed height position chair with swivel available both with and without arms and there was a top of the range version with a torsion bar full tilt mechanism and manual height adjustment. The chair utilized the Universal Base and could therefore be fitted with either Nylon Foot Glides or castor wheels, depending on preference.
Herman Miller made the Intermediate Chair available in 6 fabric options including Leather, Naugahyde and Hopsack and you could even provide your own fabric for upholstery.
The Soft Pad Series was released within a year of the Intermediate and the success of that range certainly kept sales of the Eames Intermediate Chair to a modest number and production of the Chair was discontinued into 1973
There were no generation of the Eames Intermediate Chair and its production ran for nearly 5 years. There was 3 variants of the chair released and the code numbers for the life of the chair are below:
| Height | 32" | 81.28 cm |
| Width | 21" (without) 25" (with arms) | 53.34 (without) 63.5 cm (with arms) |
| Depth | 23.75" | 60.33 cm |
| Seat Height | 18.5" | 47 cm |
The model ES103 with full tilt and height adjustment had a 2 inches variation on seat and total height. If castors were added then the chair automatically was 2 inches higher.
| Frame | Polished or colored (eggplant) Aluminum frame |
| Upholstery | Leather, Naughahyde, Hopsack & Others |
| Base | Universal 4 Star base |
| Feet | Castor wheels or Nylon foot glides |
The Aluminum frame of the Intermediate Chair and a light Tan Leather seat and back
Grey Hopsack ES103 Intermediate Office Chair with full tilt and height mechanism on glides (Image courtesy of D Rose Modern)
1968 Herman Miller brochure showing the Intermediate chair alongside the Time Life Chairs
ES103 Full Tilt Intermediate Chair in classic Black Leather and with castor base
1971 Herman Miller catalog page detailing the 3 Intermediate Chairs, their prices and upholstery options
Rear view of a Girard upholstered green ES102 Intermediate chair with fixed seating position (Image courtesy of D Rose Modern)
A Beige Leather version of the ES102 fixed Intermediate Chair on floor glides (Image courtesy of D Rose Modern)
Top down view of the Intermediate Chair shows the wrap around fabric on Alu frame arm (Image courtesy of D Rose Modern)
The patent stamp of the Intermediate Chair is impressed into the underside of the frame of the chair (Image courtesy of D Rose Modern)