The objects that appear on the stamps were selected from hundreds of items created by Charles and Ray Eames and represent the breadth of their extraordinary body of creative work.
Charles and Ray Eames delighted friends and family during the holiday season with Christmas cards they designed themselves. The photograph they used in 1944 displays their affection and playful sense of humor. Ray mischievously holds an ornament above Charles’ head. Behind them stands one of a number of molded plywood sculptures they created during the 1940s.
Crosspatch is one of two fabric designs submitted by the couple to a 1947 competition sponsored by The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The colorful rows of blocks filled with either a cross or a dot recall traditional quilt designs as well as Ray’s love of abstract art. She created the pattern in 1945.
Introduced in 1955, these stacking chairs feature single-shell seats made of plastic that comfortably support the body. Available in a variety of colors, the chairs are noted for their versatility. The simple design allows them to be stacked for storage or linked together in horizontal rows, a useful solution for temporary seating in public places.
The house was completed in 1949 as part of a program to create affordable homes out of materials and technology developed during World War II. Located in Pacific Palisades, California, the house is composed of two two-story structures made of steel and glass and connected by an open court. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.
Charles and Ray Eames experimented with the use of wire rods in furniture for several years before introducing the wire-base table in 1950. The table features a plywood top supported by two, U-shaped wire rods and steadied with metal cross-bracing. Portable and practical, the petite table was ready for use anytime, indoors or outdoors.
A recognizable symbol of 20th-century design, the lounge chair and ottoman modernized the traditional English armchair. Each piece is made of a molded plywood shell set atop a swivel base. Padded cushions add the “warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt” that Charles Eames was trying to achieve. The 1956 design was an instant bestseller.
The Hang-It-All was designed in 1953 as an accessory for a playroom or child’s bedroom. The whimsical piece is made of several wire rods bent into hooks and capped with colorful wooden balls. Secured to the wall, the Hang-It-All could hold just about anything a child wanted it to.
Charles and Ray Eames submitted La Chaise to the 1948 International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design sponsored by The Museum of Modern Art in New York. The chair’s deep curves echo contemporary sculptures and can hold one or several people comfortably. Although only a fiberglass prototype was made at the time, La Chaise has become a design icon.
The designers used their own collection of tops to make this 1969 film. Without narration or text, Tops explores the physical and artistic beauty of a simple children’s toy. For 7 minutes and 15 seconds, more than 100 tops from around the world dance and whirl across the screen to a score composed by Elmer Bernstein.
Light and easily portable, the wire mesh chair has a seat of woven wire shaped to fit the contours of the human body. Thick wire rods form a sturdy base. Introduced by the Eames Office in 1951, it was the first piece of American furniture to receive a mechanical patent.
Ray Eames created this cover for the May 1943 issue of California Arts & Architecture, an avant-garde design magazine based in Los Angeles. Fresh and contemporary, the design reflects Ray’s background in abstract art as well as the magazine’s commitment to modernism. She designed more than 25 covers for the magazine during the 1940s.
The House of Cards best demonstrates the designers’ ethos of taking pleasure seriously. Developed in 1952, the deck consists of 54 playing cards decorated with a starburst on one side and a photograph on the other. Interlocking slots on the sides of each card invite children and adults to free their imaginations and build whatever their hearts desire.
During the 1940s, Charles and Ray Eames experimented with a method for molding or bending pieces of wood in different directions. This abstract plywood sculpture was one of many they created as they experimented with the process. Once they had perfected the method, they used it to produce durable furniture made of molded wood.
Charles and Ray Eames introduced the Eames Storage Unit (ESU) in 1950 as a sleek and practical solution to home and office organization. Not only was the ESU affordable, it was also customizable. The components of this modular cabinet, made of chrome-plated steel and plywood, were available in a variety of standard heights, widths and colors.
The Aluminum Group Chair offered an affordable option for those seeking high-quality indoor-outdoor seating for the home or office. The fabric of the chair’s sling seat is stretched around the frame, making it sturdy and comfortable. Introduced by the Eames Office in 1958, the Aluminum Group collection also includes tables and an ottoman.
The molded plywood chair was affordable, comfortable and could be used in virtually any setting, qualities inherent in most pieces of Eames furniture. It was also one of the Eameses’ most popular designs. Introduced in 1946, the chair was mass-produced using a method for bending or molding plywood that they had developed during the 1940s.
Contact: [Name] Tel [Telephone #]
E-mail [E-mail]
Fill-in News Release
Postal Service Celebrates Modern Design with new Charles and Ray Eames Stamps
[City, State] — In recognition of the extraordinary contributions of design duo Charles and Ray Eames, the Postal Service™ and [insert name of partners] will collaborate to celebrate the release of the Charles and Ray Eames stamps [When].
Perhaps best known for their furniture, the designers used new materials and technology to create high-quality products that addressed everyday problems and made modern design, including the molded plywood chair, available to the American public.
The [event/ceremony] will be held [insert title of event] on [exact date] at the [insert exact time of event] on [insert date] at the [insert name of Post Office, museum, gallery, university, etc., where event will be held].
[Insert quote from Postal Service unveiling official; e.g., “The Charles and Ray Eames stamps recognize their contribution to the world of modern design and their mantra of approaching life with a sense of wonder and creativity.”]
[Insert quote from partner organization or host site representatives.]
The 16 stamps in the pane were selected from among hundred of items created by Charles and Ray Eames and represent the breadth of their extraordinary body of creative work that reflected the nation’s youthful and inventive outlook after World War II, included furniture, architecture, films and exhibits:
- Christmas Card — Charles and Ray Eames delighted friends and family during the holiday season with Christmas cards they designed themselves. The photograph they used in 1944 displays their affection and playful sense of humor. Ray holds an ornament above Charles’s head. Behind them stands one of a number of molded plywood sculptures they created during the 1940s.
- Stacking Chairs — Introduced in 1955, these stacking chairs feature single-shell seats made of plastic that comfortably support the body. Available in a variety of colors, the chairs are noted for their versatility. The simple design allows them to be stacked for storage or linked together in horizontal rows, a useful solution for temporary seating in public places.
- Case Study House #8 — Case Study House #8 was completed in 1949 as part of a program to create affordable homes out of materials and technology developed during World War II. Located in Pacific Palisades, California, the house is composed of two two-story structures made of steel and glass and connected by an open court. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.
The Charles and Ray Eames stamps will be officially dedicated at the Eames Office in Santa Monica, California, on June 17, on what would have been Charles’ 100th birthday.
To obtain high-resolution images of the Charles and Ray Eames stamps, e-mail michael.p.woods@usps.gov.
An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service® is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services — not tax dollars — to pay for operating expenses. The Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.
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Note: Headquarters will write a national release that also can be used and localized for events.
Media Advisory
[Local Designers, Distinguished Guests, Educators]
Celebrate Legacy of Charles and Ray Eames
EVENT: The U.S. Postal Service® teams up with [fill in names of organizations or partner] for a [celebration/dedication/panel discussion] of the Charles and Ray Eames stamps. [Change or add to this information if your event is different, but keep it short.]
WHO: [List of key Postal Service™ officials and any well-known special guests participating and/or attending event]
WHAT: [Describe what makes the event newsworthy — list any entertainment, refreshments, sales, etc.]
WHEN: [Insert hour, day, date]
WHERE: [Insert exact event location and parking information.]
BACKGROUND: With these 16 stamps, the Postal Service honors the creativity and vision of designers Charles and Ray Eames. Perhaps best known for their furniture, they used new materials and technology to create high-quality products that addressed everyday problems and made modern design available to the American public.
The objects that appear on the stamps were selected from among hundreds of items created by the designers and represent the breadth of their extraordinary body of creative work, including:
- Christmas Card — Charles and Ray Eames delighted friends and family during the holiday season with Christmas cards they designed. The photograph they used in 1944 displays their affection and sense of humor. Ray holds an ornament above Charles’s head. Behind them stands one of a number of molded plywood sculptures they created during the 1940s.
- Stacking Chairs — Introduced in 1955, these stacking chairs feature single-shell seats made of plastic that comfortably support the body. Available in a variety of colors, the chairs are noted for their versatility. The simple design allows them to be stacked for storage or linked together in horizontal rows—a useful solution for temporary seating in public places.
- Case Study House #8 — Case Study House #8 was completed in 1949 as part of a program to create affordable homes out of materials and technology developed during World War II. Located in Pacific Palisades, California, the house is composed of two two-story structures made of steel and glass and connected by an open court. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.
To obtain high-resolution images of the Charles and Ray Eames stamps, e-mail michael.p.woods@usps.gov.
CONTACT: [List area Public Affairs and Communications representative or postmaster’s name and phone number.]
An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services — not tax dollars — to pay for operating expenses. The Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.
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