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Most design icons are chairs, lamps or tables. The Eames Elephant is a toy, or a stool, or a sculpture, depending on who is looking at it. Children climb on it, adults put it on shelves, and design collectors treat it as a small piece of history. Behind the friendly shape is a story about experimentation, plywood and the playful side of two of the most important designers of the 20th century.
Eames Elephant history
In 1945 Charles and Ray Eames were deep in experiments with moulded plywood, the technique that led to their famous chairs. As part of that work they made a plywood elephant for children. It was a demanding piece to produce because the curves pushed the material to its limits, and only a few prototypes were ever made. One was shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1946, but the elephant never went into series production during their lifetimes.
The Eames Office, which looks after the couple's legacy, has long highlighted their belief that toys and play were serious design work. The elephant is a perfect example: it applies the same technical research as a lounge chair to an object meant to make children smile.
The Vitra plastic Eames Elephant
In 2007, Vitra, the Swiss company that produces Eames designs for Europe and the Middle East, released the Eames Elephant in plastic. Made from durable polypropylene and available in several colours, it is light, sturdy and safe for indoor and outdoor play. The shape follows the original plywood design closely, with the distinctive curved ears, trunk and legs.
Vitra later produced a plywood edition in limited numbers for collectors and a smaller plastic version. The small elephant is better as a shelf object or for toddlers, while the full size version works as a seat for young children.
Eames Elephant small vs large
- Large. The full size version, designed for children to sit on and play with. It makes a strong statement in a nursery or living room.
- Small. A compact version that suits shelves, desks and display. Lighter and easier to place, but not meant as a seat.
If you are buying for a child, choose the large. If you want a design object for a home office or bookshelf, the small is the better choice. It pairs nicely with other small desk objects, such as a Moleskine Classic notebook and a cup of Blackwing 602 pencils.
How to spot a replica
The elephant is widely copied. An authorised Vitra version has clean moulding, even colour and a Vitra mark on the underside. The plastic is thick and does not flex easily. Cheap copies often have rougher seams, slightly different proportions and thinner walls. Buying from authorised retailers and checking the base for markings is the simplest way to be sure. Authentic pieces also hold value well, which matters if you see the elephant as a long term object rather than a passing toy.
Why the Eames Elephant endures
The elephant works because it is honest about what it is. It has no extra details or decoration. The form comes directly from what plywood or moulded plastic could do, and the result is friendly, simple and instantly recognisable. That clarity runs through all of the best Eames work, and it is why the elephant fits in modern, mid century and minimalist homes alike.
It also captures something about play that adults often forget. Having a playful object in a serious room changes the mood, much as a gentle record like Dawn or Illusion can soften a long working day.
Care and placement
The plastic version is easy to clean with mild soap and water. It is suitable for outdoor use, though long exposure to strong sun can fade colours over time, so bring it inside when it is not in use. The plywood edition needs more care: keep it away from direct heat and moisture and dust it with a soft cloth. Placed in a corner of a room or at the end of a bookshelf, the elephant tends to become the object visitors ask about first.
Few design pieces cross generations so easily. A child who grows up sitting on one often keeps it as an adult, and that long life is the best argument for buying the real thing.
Where to buy
For more chairs, lamps and objects that last, explore the design icons hub.
