Part of the Eames plastic chair series, the abbreviated Eames DSR Chair stands for Dining (D) height, Side (S) chair, on Rod (R) base. The eye-catching design was part of the first series of side chairs developed from 1951 and due to its fabulous construction would soon be labelled the 'Eiffel' chair, for it's resemblance to the famous Parisian tower.
The base design was a narrower adaptation of its sister arm chair, the Eames DAR which had earlier been developed in 1950 with the initial release of the first fiberglass Arm chairs.
With Herman Miller focusing more and more toward the workplace furniture market, the DSR was discontinued in 1967 and all fiberglass chairs were de-commissioned in 1993 when both a lack of interest and a new wave of eco-friendly mindfulness brought its production to a halt. It reappeared however with the 2001 new release of the plastic side chairs sporting the less favorable but more modern ‘polypropylene’ tops. To every purist’s joy, Herman Miller began remaking the fiberglass version of the chair in 2014 albeit with a more conservative palette of colors.
Despite the notoriety that the base has today, it was certainly not as popular a choice or as big a seller as the DSW, DSX or DSS based versions at the time. It was however an always present option and was available in zinc, black or (later years) white powder coating. The DSR-1 was an additional early version which included a detachable hopsack upholstery cover and later versions had upholstery permanently fixed.
The side chairs were only originally released in 3 shell colors until they quickly gathered traction with the buying public and were produced in multiple factories across the US. Since 2010, the Eames DSR Eiffel Chair has been released with a series of molded plywood tops to the same shape and dimensions of the original.
The Eiffel Leg DSR side chair is certainly one of the most recognizable of the Eames fiberglass side chairs, released to the market in 1951. The range was designed with super versatility, utilizing various interchangeable base types to create different feel and function. The DSR featured a symmetrical bent rod base likened by many to resemble the Eiffel Tower, hence the knick name. Our video showcases a 1960's variant with a gorgeous red fiberglass shell by Herman Miller.
| Height | 31.125” | 79.06 cm |
| Width | 18.5” | 47.00 cm |
| Depth | 22” | 55.88 cm |
| Seat height | 17.5” | 44.45 cm |
| Top | Molded Plastic Zenaloy (fiberglass re-enforced plastic) |
| Base | Welded Steel Tubing |
| Feet | Self-levelling floor glides |
1st Generation DSR Base 'Splayed' Feet (1951)
First Generation
The very first DSR releases had 'splayed' feet.
The construction of these turned out to be fiddly and more expensive because of the extra section and hexagonal nut.
The replacement second generation base would arrive within the first 6 months.
Check Shell Generations via this link
2nd Generation DSR Base 'Boot' Fee (1951)
Second Generation
The second release of the base changed the feet to a combination of rubber and aluminium in a 'boot'.
The boot pressed onto a welded ball on the end of the leg frame as opposed to the splayed outer foot of the first version.
Check Shell Generations via this link
3rd Generation Clip-on Black Fee (post 2001)
Third Generation
The post 2001 re-release of the Eiffel DSR base used a black plastic clip-on glide foot which, as with the second generation base, was pushed onto a ball at the end of each rod leg.
This base is more synonymous with the polypropylene era but is being used on the new fiber releases post 2014.
Check Shell Generations via this link
Yellow (YE) pair of Eames DSR Chair with black base
Upholstered Eames DSR chair (image courtesy of Circa Modern)
1964 Herman Miller catalog DSR specifications
Millerstripe upholstered Eiffel DSR close up
Recent Herman Miller Santos Palisander plywood DSR
1955 vintage Herman Miller DSR advert
Group Of 1980's green Naugahyde DSR chairs
1963 Herman Miller Catalog range page
