Charles and Ray Eames were fascinated by elephants. Many images of these gentle giants are found in Charles’ photographic documentations of Indian culture and the circus world.
The Eameses initially designed an elephant out of molded plywood, but it required complex fabrication methods, and they never put it into production. Only two original prototypes were made, both of which were displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in 1945–46.
Today, only one known original remains in the possession of the Eames family. To expand the Eames elephant legacy, Vitra now produces a polypropylene version of the Elephant, in the style of the Eames Molded Plastic seating. The plastic Eames Elephant (1945) possesses the GS and CE safety certificates required for toys, as well as the whimsical shape and colors that enchant children and collectors alike.
