Occasional Table Prototype

This prototype for a small occasional table is a unique example that originates from the Eames Office. The table marks a moment of transition where the Eameses were exploring a variety of bases for chairs and tables whose forms are echoed and replicated in miniature here. Like the La Fonda tables, this example features a cast aluminum base with arms that angle and extend upward to attach its top. The single column and legs of the table, however, are more in line with the forms the office was exploring for the Time-Life Chairs and 1600 series tables that would later constitute the “Universal Base.” The table’s top is finished in a white laminate that is punctuated by an eye-catching black dot at its center and framed by black edges. The custom top was fabricated for the Eameses by a shop called Display Masters in Venice, California, nearby their own office at 901 Washington Boulevard.