Café Table

This two-tiered table was created especially for the French market, and it both matches and departs from other Eames designs in various ways. It belongs to the collection of Eames Contract Base Tables, which are characterized by their square or circular tops and pedestal bases. These bases, which were originally introduced as part of the Eames Aluminum Group in 1958, consist of three parts: a spider-shaped cast aluminum element that attaches underneath the tabletop, a rolled steel column, and a four-blade cast aluminum foot. In this case, the standard Contract Base is paired with two round plastic Micarta tabletops that are slightly smaller than any commercially available in the United States. The design was intended for use in bistros and coffee stands where customers would typically stand while enjoying their coffee, and so the two surfaces are stacked to provide an upper platform for one’s coffee and a lower one for personal items. The design was customized by the Paris-based company Interform under the direction of Herman Miller International in the 1960s.