Teak 2 and 3 Seat Leather Sofa

The Eames Teak Leather Sofa was the final furniture design of the original Eames Office to be put into production and was posthumously released in 1984, some six years after the passing of Charles Eames. Released in both 2 and 3 seat sizes, the teak sofa’s wonderful aesthetic combination of leather and wood can be described as a fitting end to the furniture legacy of Charles and Ray Eames.

Design work for the Eames Teak Sofa began back in the mid-1960's, but the project saw constant stoppages which meant it was not completed until 1984. It was hampered by costs as well as the modest sales of existing sofas.

The version we now know began to take form in 1976 when a wood and leather sofa, echoing the designs of the previous work, began to take form. With assistance from Vitra, at the time working for Herman Miller under license, the first Teak Sofas were produced in Herman Miller’s Italian factory.

The design was very much a fusion of the best of the ‘Sofa Compact’ and the ‘3473 Sofa’ as well as the Aluminium group. It has 2 identical die-cast aluminium legs which extend up the back and featured 2 sections of 1-piece teak or walnut for the back rest.

The initial design was to be without arms, like the 3473 and Compact Sofa, but these were eventually crafted to the design and they perhaps drew inspiration from the Time Life or Lounge Chair and certainly added the feel of extra luxury to the piece.

• The teak sofa has been in production continuously since 1984 and therefore can be found with original labels that span those decades. Starting with the black strip label, through the 80's and silver strip label into the 00's followed by oval and oblong variants.
• The teak sofa, either in 2 or 3 seat size, has not knowingly been copied and reproduced meaning that authenticity is virtually assured. Should copies exist, it is highly unlikely they can replicate the quality of the original.
• Always check on the underside of the sofa where you can find the distinctive crossing of the fabric bands that hold the bottom cushion to the panel as well as the location of the original label.
• Check the back panels of the sofa if you are unsure. The top is smaller than the middle section and is also offset at an angle to conform to body shape. The other clue is to check the way the arm pads connect to the sofa, they should be slid then lifted to take them off and never fixed permanently.

• Unless the sofa was upholstered in a custom 'provided to factory' leather, the Teak sofa was only available in a small number of color options, most notably Black, White and Tan. The value of each is very much down to taste but originality and condition will be the overriding factors.
• Check for repair work on the underside fabric bands that hold the cushions and for re-upholstery of the main cushions themselves. If they have been re-done ensure that they have been so sympathetically to the design and color otherwise value will be lost.
• As with any wood product, check well for any damage, cracks or repairs in the outer surface. The teak sofa is robust and it is unlikely that accidental damage will occur but check thoroughly for replacement parts in any case.
• The Teak sofa range was always meant as a luxury item and the prices do reflect that. Their can be great disparity in the secondary market so it makes sense to shop around.