Herman Miller, black upholstery, polished and black painted steel frame with hinged back, capped feet, unmarked.

35 x 72 x 35 in.

From the Estate of the late Patricia J. Shaw, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The Eames sofa compact started out as a built-in sofa in the Pacific Palisades home that Charles and Ray Eames designed for themselves in the 1940s. They liked the sofa so much that they developed a freestanding version—first in wire, then the current model, which has been in continuous production since 1954.

The design, which looks nothing like the big, plush traditional sofa, is crisp and light scaled. And while it’s perfect for smaller rooms and smaller spaces—in which a traditional sofa would look bulky and out of place—it also lives beautifully in larger rooms in which an airy, modern look is desired.

Some minor staining to the seat at center; some minor surface spotting to the legs; overall good vintage condition.