Vitra

Polywood

2007

Anniversary Edition

In 2007, Vitra launched a limited edition of the Plywood Elephant on the occasion of the 1ooth birthday of Charles Eames. The response was enthusiastic and the 2000 copies of the 1945 design, authorized by the Eames Office and based with great precision and care on the original in the Eames family collection, sold out.

Each of these two thousand examples were numbered, and this example is No. 35.

In 1943-1944 Charles and Ray Eames designed a Plywood Elephant. Only two models were ever made. The one owned by the Eames family and was recently exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the CALIFORNIA DESIGN exhibition.

Charles and Ray Eames were fascinated by elephants: this likeable animal is depicted in many of their photographic works on the culture of India and the world of circuses. The Plywood Elephant was intended to be played with by children, as exemplified by its child friendly curves and open expression.