RAR rocking chair Charles Eames Herman Miller and Zenith Plastics

RAR (“Rocking Armchair Rod base”) chair in grey fiberglass, designed by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Early production, molded by Zenith Plastics in Gardena (California), early 1950s (circa 1950–1952). Shell with a highly fibrous texture, characteristic of the first runs.

• Rope edge finish (hemp-rope edge set in resin), specific to early Zenith editions. Large original shock mounts. Zenith Plastics sticker present.
• A version sought after by collectors for its first-generation features.
• Offered as a collector’s piece. Although structurally in very good condition, intensive use is not recommended.
• H 69 cm × D 65 cm × W 63 cm
• Seat height 39 cm

Charles & Ray Eames RAR rocking chair for Herman Miller, Zenith Plastics shell

Zenith Plastics is the California company behind the first fiberglass chair shells developed for Charles & Ray Eames in the early 1950s. Based in Gardena, near Los Angeles, it worked with Herman Miller from 1950 to develop an innovative material derived from aeronautical and marine technologies: molded fiberglass.

Shells produced by Zenith Plastics stand out for their especially fibrous texture, distinctive feel, and the presence of an original marking. Made in small runs, they are now among the most sought-after versions and reflect the beginnings of fiberglass furniture.

For Eames chairs, the code RAR designates the Rocking Armchair Rod base model—an armchair seat mounted on a metal base paired with wooden runners to create a rocker. This coding system makes it possible to precisely identify the different variants produced by Herman Miller.

• DAW: Dining Armchair Wood (with armrests, wooden legs)
• DSR: Dining Side Rod (without armrests, “Eiffel Tower” metal base)
• DAR: Dining Armchair Rod
• DSX: Dining Side X-base (standard metal base)
• DSW: Dining Side Wood (without armrests, wooden legs)
• PAW: Pivot Armchair Wood (swivel armchair, wooden legs)

Herman Miller and Zenith Plastics checkerboard label under a RAR chair by Charles & Ray Eames.

Detail of the “rope edge” fiberglass shell

The first fiberglass armchair shells were produced until the mid-1950s in the Zenith Plastics workshops in Gardena. They are recognizable by their rope edge border, their large shock mounts, and the richness of their texture, characteristic of the first production runs. The joint presence of the Herman Miller label and the Zenith Plastics marking is now a feature particularly sought after by collectors.