If you are inspired by good design, we invite you to share a special moment of design history. The year 2006 marks the 50th anniversary of the original production of the rosewood Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, 670-671, designed by Charles and Ray Eames.

To celebrate this 50th anniversary, Herman Miller and the Eames Foundation have created a once in a lifetime opportunity by making available a special edition, medallion-marked, hand-numbered 50th Anniversary Palisander Rosewood Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. The elegance, ease, and exceptional design of the original Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman are again available in environmentally friendly rosewood.

Q. What is the big deal about the Special Edition Hand-Numbered 50th Anniversary Palisander Rosewood Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman?
A. As an Eames fan, you may remember that in 1956 Charles and Ray Eames developed their first luxury chair, the Lounge Chair and Ottoman, 670-671. It was available in a couple of veneers, but most legendarily, rosewood. However, rosewood was eventually discovered to be a non-renewable resource. As a result, Herman Miller (and Vitra in Europe & the Middle East) and the Eames Office discontinued using rosewood. The Lounge Chair and Ottoman remained available in walnut and other veneers.

In recent years, a variety of rosewood called Santos Palisander, which is sustainable rosewood, became available for furniture manufacturers. It has passed rigorous sustainability analysis -- meeting both Herman Miller's rigorous internal standards and the European Union standards.

The 2006 Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman celebrating 50 years of design history will be made with Santos Palisander rosewood, the sustainable rosewood. The color, grain and sheen of the Santos Palisander rosewood are gorgeous.

To support the Eames Foundation, Herman Miller has generously agreed to make a specific version of this chair, the hand- numbered edition, available only to the Eames Foundation to give to donors who contribute $6500 dollars to the Eames Foundation. Furthermore, the hand-numbered edition will be the ONLY edition available anywhere until Herman Miller releases the Santos Palisander rosewood veneer to the market in May. The hand-numbered chairs are only available through 2006 and only from the Eames Foundation. So, not only do you support the Eames Foundation but you also really have a piece of history ahead of the curve.

Q. Special Edition Hand-Numbered 50th Anniversary Palisander Rosewood Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman is quite a mouthful, can you break it down for me?
A. Sure:

Special Edition?
All Eames Lounge Chairs in Palisander Rosewood and this particular Edelman Leather with the 50th Anniversary logo are Special Edition. The Special Edition uses black kid calf leather, which will only be available through the Foundation even after the chairs are available through retail sources.

Hand-Numbered?
In 2006, all Special Edition chairs gifted through the Foundation will be hand-numbered. All Eames Lounge chairs made in 2006 will have the anniversary medallion, regardless of finish.

The very first Special Edition Lounge Chair will stay in the family's collection (the Eames Office will make the appropriate donation) and all subsequent chairs will be numbered accordingly. Until the end of April or so, only hand-numbered chairs will be made. After that date, hand-numbered production will alternate with special edition production.

50th Anniversary?
The chair was originally designed in 1956. 2006 marks the 50th Anniversary.

Palisander Rosewood?
Actually the full name is Santos Palisander and it is an environmentally sustainable variety of the legendary rosewood. It has passed rigorous sustainability analysis, meeting both Herman Miller's rigorous internal standards and the European Union standards.

Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman?
One of the most iconic chairs of the 20th century, probably the most famous of the Eames Chairs.

Q. Besides the Palisander rosewood, what else should I know about this 50th anniversary rosewood Chair?
A. The 50th anniversary Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman will be upholstered in a unique, Eames Foundation exclusive black kid calf-skin Edelman leather, brilliantly complementing the rosewood finish.

Q. How do I get this special Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman?
A. The 50th Anniversary Lounge Chair and Ottoman will be available through Herman Miller dealers in May 2006. BUT, if you make a $6500 contribution to the Eames Foundation from now through the end of 2006, you can receive a limited, hand-numbered, medallion-marked edition of the Chair as a gift from the Eames Foundation.

Q. Why should I make a $6500 contribution to the Eames Foundation now when I know I can buy the chair for less later in the year?
A. The hand-numbered, medallion-marked Chairs upholstered in black kid calf leather are available only through the Eames Foundation as a thank you gift for your very generous contribution. With your contribution, you are preserving the Eames House for future generations, and you are also receiving a special, limited edition 50th Anniversary Lounge Chair as our thank you for your generous support. Also, because you are making a contribution to the Foundation, a portion of your gift may be tax-deductible.

Q. How much of my contribution is tax-deductible?
A. There is no one answer to this question. You would need to discuss your contribution with your tax preparer. How much of your contribution is tax-deductible would vary dependent on your individual tax accountability. But, we are authorized to say that up to 50% may be tax-deductible.

Q. Do I get anything else for making this contribution to the Eames Foundation?
A. Yes, you will receive a one-year membership to the Foundation as a Friend Member with its individual benefits. In addition, you will receive an Eames family- signed copy of the catalogue accompanying the exhibition, "The Eames Lounge Chair: An Icon of Modern Design," scheduled to open at the NY Architecture and Design Museum in New York in late spring. And, you will also receive a DVD produced by Eames Demetrios documenting the production of the anniversary chair.

Q. How do I make my donation to the Foundation?
A. You can make your donation by calling a special lounge chair phone line: 310.904.9231. Or contacting us by mail at: EAMES FOUNDATION, 203 CHAUTAUQUA BLVD., PACIFIC PALISADES, CA 90272 USA. You can also make your contribution online by visiting http://eamesfoundation.org/ultimategift

Q. I'm an Eames collector and I want the lowest hand-numbered chair because the lower the number, the more valuable the chair. How do I know which number I will be receiving?
A. The chairs will be hand-numbered sequentially. Contributors who call early receive the lowest numbers. You will not know your precise number until your confirmation email.

Q. How long do I have to wait for delivery?
A. 4-6 weeks

Q. What are the delivery charges?
A. No charges for domestic curbside delivery. Shipping charges outside the continental USA will be determined by geographic area. Please email us with your shipping address!

Q. Is this limited edition, hand-numbered lounge chair available for sale only in the USA, or can it be shipped out of the country?
A. Right now, there are no issues with shipping the Chair and Ottoman to Asia, Australia and the Americas. We are working on the question of delivery to Europe and the Middle East.

Q. Is there anyplace where I can see one in person?
A. The Special Edition Lounge Chair and Ottoman will be viewable at the Eames House, but only by appointment-as is true of any Eames House visit.

Q. I know it is unlikely, but if I don't like it, can I return it?
A. Once you make your gift to the Foundation, your donation is final. If you returned it, the Foundation would not be able to return your money because the Eames Foundation is essentially commissioning a special gift for you: the special chair with the specific number on it.

Q. If you are using rosewood, why aren't you stuffing the pillows with down?
A. First of all, the Foundation is not doing anything with the chair except giving it to generous donors. Because all these chairs are still made under the imprimatur of the Eames Office, we asked Eames Demetrios, Director of the Eames Office to answer it:

"Excellent question, which goes to the heart of the Eames design philosophy. You are correct that the first Lounge Chairs had down in them. They also were upholstered in glove leather. But both elements were aspects of the design that Charles and Ray ultimately felt they could improve. Glove leather ultimately wore out too quickly and they did not like the way down flattened over time."

Remember, that for Charles and Ray, the design process was never over. So this Special Edition is not a recreation of the first lounge chair; it doesn't seem very Eamesian for us to do that. Instead, it is a dramatic expression of the authentic design. Charles and Ray did not design vintage furniture. They essentially designed systems to give customers the guest/host experience Charles and Ray were after. So this Special Edition is a celebration of the ultimate design of the Lounge Chair that Charles and Ray Eames created. The Chair has stood the test of time and is once again available in a beautiful, sustainable rosewood.

Q. Are the special edition chairs more authentic than other Eames Lounge Chairs Vitra and Herman Miller make?
A. The Special Edition chairs are no more or less authentic than the Eames Lounge Chairs that Herman Miller and Vitra make. What makes them special is the re-connection with an authentic wood loved and admired by the Eameses, the beautiful black kid calf leather and the special hand-numbered, celebratory medallion.

According to Eames Demetrios, "For Charles and Ray Eames, design was a search for truth, but it was an unusual truth because it was a three dimensional truth, arrived at through the design process. Herman Miller and Vitra International have to make that truth every day in order to make authentic Eames chairs.

Because the standards for every Eames Chair are so high the Eames Office rarely makes special editions. The reason we decided to do this one was that for years we had thought rosewood was gone forever and when it returned to us, so close to the 50th anniversary and we could help the Eames House, it was a no brainer."

Q. What is the Foundation going to do with all this money?
A. We hope that we face such a problem! The challenges of taking care of a historic landmark are huge. So, first and foremost, the first goal is to take care of the Eames House. It is our intention to build the Foundation's endowment so that 250 years from now, visitors to our site will have a chance to have the special experience people have today.

Q. Is taking care of the Eames House the only thing the Eames Foundation does?
A. Oh no. We work on educational experiences that draw from Charles and Ray's creative legacy. For example we have just agreed to jury and support a design scholarship at the National Institute of Design in India. As the Foundation grows, we hope to be able to extend similar design scholarships to other individuals and institutions.