Eileen Gray designed some of the most copied furniture of the twentieth century, which is why the real thing matters here more than anywhere. Born in Ireland in 1878, she learned lacquer in Paris and built E-1027 above the Mediterranean, the house that gave her adjustable table its name. In 1973 she granted Aram of London the worldwide licence, and it still holds. Every piece here is a licensed original, authenticated and restored, then delivered in 1 to 5 days. Originals only.
Eileen Gray, Irish Modernist and the Licence That Protects Her Work
Eileen Gray was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland, in 1878, and settled in Paris in 1902. She trained in lacquer under the Japanese master Seizo Sugawara, one of the first Westerners to take up the craft, and opened her own gallery, Galerie Jean Désert, on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in 1922. Between 1926 and 1929 she designed and built E-1027 at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin with Jean Badovici, a house whose name is a cipher for both their initials. She was made a Royal Designer for Industry in 1972 and died in Paris in 1976, aged 98.
The furniture came out of those interiors. The Adjustable Table E 1027 of 1927 was designed so her sister could take breakfast in bed. The Bibendum armchair of 1926 takes its name from the Michelin Man, whose stacked form it echoes, and turns 100 this year. The Non Conformist armchair, the Lota sofa, the Tube Light and the Brick Screen belong to the same short, extraordinary run. Her Dragons armchair sold for €21,905,000 at Christie's in Paris in 2009, a world auction record for the artist and for any twentieth-century decorative art and design work.
Here is the part that matters when you buy. In 1973, in her own lifetime, Eileen Gray granted Aram Designs of London the worldwide licence to produce and market her designs. Aram still holds that head licence and remains the only UK source for new authorised product; ClassiCon of Munich manufactures under it. A licensed piece is marked accordingly, with an indelible embossed ClassiCon logo, Gray's signature, the Aram name and a coded serial number that carries the production year. An unlicensed copy has none of that, and the market is full of them. Every original at REHAUS is authenticated, restored where needed, and delivered in 1 to 5 days. Design doesn't depreciate. The Forever Guarantee and a 30-day home trial mean reduced risk. Browse the originals.
Eileen Gray: frequently asked questions
Who was Eileen Gray?
Eileen Gray was an Irish architect and furniture designer, born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, in 1878 and based in Paris from 1902 until her death in 1976. She trained in Japanese lacquer, ran her own gallery from 1922, and designed the villa E-1027 on the French Riviera. Her furniture, including the E-1027 table and the Bibendum chair, is among the most recognisable of the twentieth century.
What is the E-1027 table?
The Adjustable Table E 1027 is a circular glass and tubular steel side table Eileen Gray designed in 1927 for her villa of the same name, with a height-adjustable column so it could be used over a bed. The name encodes hers and Jean Badovici's initials. It is in the collection of MoMA in New York, and it is also one of the most widely copied designs in the world.
Who makes Eileen Gray furniture today?
In 1973, during her lifetime, Eileen Gray granted Aram Designs of London the worldwide licence to produce and market her designs. Aram still holds that head licence and is the only UK source for new authorised pieces, and ClassiCon of Munich manufactures under it. Anything sold as "Eileen Gray style" or as a reproduction sits outside that chain entirely.
How do I know an Eileen Gray piece is authentic?
A licensed piece carries an indelible embossed mark: the ClassiCon logo, Eileen Gray's signature, the Aram Designs name as licence holder, and a coded serial number that includes the production year. On the E-1027 table there is also a transparent label on the glass. Copies carry none of this, and often give themselves away on weight, welds and the glass fixing.
Where can I buy authentic, pre-owned Eileen Gray furniture in the UK?
REHAUS sells authenticated, licensed original Eileen Gray pieces in the UK. Every one is checked against the real thing, restored where needed, and delivered nationwide in 1 to 5 days, with the Forever Guarantee and a 30-day home trial. This matters more for Eileen Gray than for most designers, because the replica market is enormous. Stock is one of one.
How much is Eileen Gray, new versus pre-owned?
New and licensed, an E-1027 side table is around £835 from Aram, and a Bibendum chair runs into four figures. Unlicensed copies sell for a fraction of that, which is the tell. A pre-owned original at REHAUS, authenticated and restored, typically costs below the new licensed price and arrives in 1 to 5 days. You are buying the real piece second time around, not a copy.
How is Eileen Gray furniture delivered, and can I return it?
Each piece is delivered in 1 to 5 days, with white-glove delivery complimentary on qualifying orders. Every order comes with a 30-day home trial, so you can live with it before committing. If it is not right, returns are straightforward. Because each piece is one of one, it is only truly yours once it has shipped.
Why buy Eileen Gray from REHAUS?
REHAUS sells originals only, never replicas or pieces made in her style. Every Eileen Gray piece is authenticated against the licensed production, restored to a high standard, and delivered fast across the UK, with the Forever Guarantee and a 30-day home trial. On a designer this heavily copied, that check is the product.
