Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA)

I bought another empty box. It's a big one. The sheer size and the markings show that it once housed an Eames lounge chair and ottoman. It was sent to a Dr. Clifford E. Easley in Rolling Hills Estates, which is on the north side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, facing Torrance. Rolling Hills Estates was incorporated in 1957. Since it was less than a half hour drive from his house, chances are that it was ordered from Frank Bros. This 1962 ad (above) lists the price at $529. That's a little over $5,000 adjusted for inflation and quite a bit cheaper than what they sell for now. Today Herman Miller sells the Palisander lounge chair for $8,000. Also, apparently in 1962 only men could buy Eames lounge chairs at Frank Bros. Not cool bros.

Dr. Easley (1907-1992) was a 30 year resident of Rolling Hills Estates. His medical office was located in Torrance. He is the guy on the top left. This photo (above) is from 1962, the same year he bought his new house and presumably his Eames Lounge chair. He looks happy. Judging by his choice is furniture and architecture, the doctor was a "modernistic" guy. And surprise, surprise—the doctor played golf. It looks like he was pretty good too. There were several newspaper articles about Cliff winning tournaments at the Virginia Country Club. 

From Esoteric Survey

LAMA is proud to present a special selection of design curated by Esoteric Survey, featuring more than 100 works that represent platform founder Steve Aldana's guiding fascination with mid-century design and design history in California. Drawing from Aldana's personal collection as well as from his design-minded community, this collection includes iconic works as well as deeper cuts that represent lesser-known, but nonetheless integral, achievements of postwar artists and designers. 

An urban planner by vocation, Aldana has nurtured his fascination with modern design, particularly the strains that emerged in mid-century Southern California, through Esoteric Survey for nearly 15 years. With a desire to share fascinating obscure design figures and document visits to architecture and design sites, he created the blog he named Esoteric Survey in 2009. What first served primarily as a private log for personal reference eventually blossomed into a valuable resource for like-minded design aficionados, and has since taken the form of an immensely popular Instagram account.

Explore Steve Aldana's Blog Esoteric Survey