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Most chairs listed as Eames on Marktplaats are replicas, and many sellers use the name for any plastic chair with wooden legs. Originals are made by Vitra (for Europe) and Herman Miller (for North America), and they carry marks you can check. If the listing has no photo of the underside, ask for one before you travel.
Charles and Ray Eames designed a set of chairs that have been copied for decades. In listings, Eames style, Eames look, inspired by and replica are honest signs of a copy. Plain Eames stoel with a price of EUR 25 is also a copy, the seller just did not say so.
Only Vitra and Herman Miller are licensed to make them. A listing that says origineel should be backed by photos of labels and, ideally, a receipt.
These are the chairs you see most. DSW has wooden dowel legs, DSR has a metal Eiffel base, DAW is the armchair on wooden legs. Vitra's current shells are polypropylene with a matt, slightly textured surface. Turn the chair over and look under the seat.
The Eames Lounge Chair (670) with ottoman (671) is the most copied design chair there is. A new original costs many thousands of euro, so a listing at EUR 600 is a replica, however convincing the photos are.
On an original, look for a Vitra or Herman Miller label under the seat, plywood shells with even veneer, and armrests and backrest connected through rubber shock mounts. Ask for the purchase receipt and the label photo. Replicas often have thicker, clumsier aluminium parts, a different angle and recline, and leather that creases in flat folds. If the seller dodges the underside photo, walk away.
The Aluminium Group chairs (EA 117, EA 119 and similar) are used in offices and turn up when companies clear out. Originals are Vitra or Herman Miller with marks on the base and under the seat. The Soft Pad versions have thick cushions. Copies of these exist too but are less common than with the lounge chair.
The Eames Hang It All coat rack, House Bird and Elephant are Vitra products too and widely copied at low prices.
A replica plastic chair at EUR 20-40 can be a fine kitchen chair. What you should not do is pay original money for one. Replica lounge chairs vary a lot in build quality; some fall apart at the shock mounts within a few years.
Resale also differs: an original Vitra chair keeps most of its value, while a copy is worth little second hand. If you want only originals, a plain-language search on vindje.com can ask for a Vitra Eames chair with a photo of the label and skip listings that say stijl or replica.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| Replica plastic side chair (Eames style) | EUR 15-40 |
| Vitra DSW or DSR, original, good condition | EUR 150-300 |
| Vintage fibreglass shell chair | EUR 200-600 |
| Vitra Aluminium Group office chair | EUR 500-1500 |
| Original Eames Lounge Chair with ottoman | EUR 3500-7000 |
| Replica lounge chair with ottoman | EUR 250-800 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
Original Vitra Eames DSW chair in white or black, with photo of the Vitra marks underneath, no replica, under 250 euro, within 40 kmSearch Marktplaats like this
Look under the seat for Vitra or Herman Miller markings or labels, and compare the base, mounts and plastic finish with photos on the maker's site. No marks at all usually means a copy.
Yes, they are durable and hold their value. Check that the shell is not cracked around the mounts and that the legs are original.
Because replicas are mass produced and sold cheaply online, and sellers often list them under the Eames name.
Design rights in the EU are complex and we will not give legal advice here. As a buyer, the main rule is to pay replica money for a replica.