Alu Group High Back Chairs

(Image courtesy of D Rose Modern)

Part of the Alu Group Series that first came to the market in 1958, the Eames High Back Alu Chair was added to the portfolio in 1966 when the first Universal Bases were introduced and the focus was more and more on commercial seating.

The Eames Alu Group High Back chair was very much marketed at the work place and was considered a 'management chair'. It came as standard with manual height adjustment, tilt and swivel mechanism and so was considered top of the range for the series. It was released in tandem with an upgraded low back desk chair (EA117 & EA118), aimed at the same commercial seating marketplace and fully loaded with all functions.

As with all the series, the High Back Alu eames chair was released initially in fabric and Naugahyde upholstery but leather became an option into the 1970's. A change of base also occurred in the 1980's with the Universal base changing to 5 legs instead of 4. After years of faithful adherence to the original design, a pneumatic height adjustment was finally an available option since 2015, as an additional extra.

Since its 1966 release the Eames Alu Group High Back Chair has been a mainstay Management Chair option that has grown something of a classic status over the years. Apart from it's visual beauty, the chair is also an ergonomic masterpiece and the source of inspiration throughout the years to office chairs ever since. It therefore comes as no surprise that the chair has been in continuous production since its introduction to this day.

• All Alu Group Chairs including the High Back have had very identifiable labels and stamps to help them with authentication through the decades. The earliest examples of this chair came on the second generation Universal 4-star base and these early version had impressions actually stamped into the frame of the chair underside. These are impossible to miss or replicate.  Once into the 80's and 90's these were replaced by adhesive labels and eventually in the 2000's cloth labels.
• All Alu Group chairs have been copied at some stage and especially those geared for the work environment like the High Back. Most market copies tend to use the later 5-star bases, which can be a bit of a tell, and also many use Chrome as opposed to brushed Aluminum which more replicate the European made versions.
• In the absence of meaningful labels it would be more important to try and look out for the overall quality of the piece. If the piece is leather then make sure the back is made from the same material and not vinyl. Check the fitting and strength of screws and check arms for cellulose coatings (as copies never have it).
• The High Back Management Chair always came fitted with the tilting, swivel mechanism and with manual height adjustment. Herman Miller only introduced a pneumatic lift in 2015. The arm of the pneumatic lift is actually quite distinctive and most copies tend to have this style of lift system. Check that the arm is therefore correct, many of the copies use a straight black arm as opposed to the right angled paddle.

• The High Back Alu Chair differs from most in the group in the fact that there was no version on the first generation pedestal base. That said, it still follows the same pattern as other options in the Alu Group in terms of valuation. The first ones on the market were fabric hopsack or Naugahyde therefore leather variants which came much later into the 3rd generation base are actually the chairs that fetch the higher secondary market value.
• So the upholstery choice has the highest determining factor in the value but then most important after is the condition. Vintage versions and those used in the workplace may have withstood a degree of heavy use and it is important to have a good all round check. Whereas the frames tend to be most robust, the fabrics can get heavy wear. Check all around the edges for wear and tear and especially leather as they can be worn through to the hide. Of course tears and or cuts or deep unclean-able stains are deal breakers.
• Alu Group High Back chairs with fabric damage or sagging are going to be very difficult to fix and the value of those found in this condition is pretty low, even the leather ones. Alu Group upholstery is pressed using a specialist machine (to give that ribbed look) and then stretched between the frame to create the seat and back rest area. This is not something a standard upholsterer is likely to be able recreate and therefore it will not only become difficult to find a technician capable of the repair but the cost may well be more than the chair is worth.