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Curious “E” Symbol

Eames
Institute

    • Body Litter

    Charles Eames, Ray Eames

    1942-1943

    Along with splints and airplane parts, Ray and Charles created a body litter, or stretcher, for the US Navy. Unlike their other products, the body litter was never mass-produced. The Eameses patented this in 1942, and here we see the final iteration of the design produced under the Molded Plywood Division of the Evans Products Company. The body litter borrows techniques used by the splints—slots in the design allowed the molded plywood to curve without breaking and created convenient openings for medics to secure the wounded to the litter.

    There is a stamped, circular, red Evans logo on the base.

    • Manufacturer: Evans Products Company, Molded Plywood Division
    • Medium:Birch plywood, painted iron and steel
    • Dimensions:6 1/2 x 24 x 83 1/2 in. (16.5 x 61 x 212.1 cm)
    • Item:2019.2.208