Rare Eames Films Up for Auction at Bruun Rasmussen

On October 29, Bruun Rasmussen will hold an exceptional live auction featuring a rare collection of 62 short films created by the legendary American designers Charles and Ray Eames. The films have a special Danish connection, as they were personally given in the 1970s to Ole and Monika Paustian, the founders of the renowned Paustian furniture store, who screened them on special evenings for architects and design students.

Charles and Ray Eames are among the most influential designers and architects of the 20th century. With their innovative approach to furniture, architecture, and film, they have left a lasting mark on the international design world. Their iconic Eames chairs, plywood furniture, and experimental film projects redefined both function and aesthetics, combining innovation, craftsmanship, and playful curiosity in a way that continues to inspire designers and architects worldwide.

"Paustian holds a special place as a flagship for modern design, and there is therefore a natural connection to Bruun Rasmussen. This feels like building a bridge between two chapters of Danish design history, while also celebrating the curiosity and experimental spirit that characterize both the Eameses and the two institutions," says Janne Moltke-Leth, CEO of Bruun Rasmussen.

Short Films as Art and Education: Eames’ Timeless Stories

At a time when digital technologies were limited and had not yet revolutionized communication, Charles and Ray Eames created over 125 short films as an innovative tool to explain complex ideas and stories. In this cinematic universe, topics range from furniture design, science, environment, and mathematics to art, technology, and lifestyles across different cultures. With playful precision, the Eameses transformed the seemingly mundane – such as washing a parking lot with soap and a hose – into visually captivating narratives.

"This collection represents a piece of design history, where film was used as a creative extension of furniture design, as well as an opportunity to share ideas that continue to inspire experimentation and innovative thinking in architectural and design processes," says Janne Moltke-Leth.

The auction offers collectors and design enthusiasts a rare opportunity to acquire original film works from one of the 20th century’s most visionary design couples.

The auction takes place on October 29 at bruun-rasmussen.dk, with bidding open from October 15. All works can be viewed in person at the Bruun Rasmussen showroom in Lyngby, Nørgaardsvej 3.

Selected Titles Include:

Worlds of Charles Eames, Tops, The Fibre Glass Chairs, Something About Photography, Powers of Ten (1978), The Expanding Airport, De Gaulle Sketch, Copernicus, Mathematical Peep Show, Day of the Dead, Clown Face, J. Roos "Paustian", Newton’s Method, Bread, SX 70, Soft Pad, Blacktop, Atlas, House, Parade, National Fisheries CTR & Aqurm, Black Ships, I.B.M. – At the Fair, Two Laws of Algebra, Two Baroque Churches in Germany, Dead Sequence, Westinghouse in ABC, Toccata for Toy Trains, View from the People, Vi Snakker Tage – Sten Eiler Rasmussen, Sydney – Jørgen Utzon, The Image of the City, Eames Celebration, The World of Franklin and Jefferson, The Look of America, House of Science, Meet Me in Saint Louis, Eames Lounge Chair, Charles Eames Answers Questions About Design, Two Puppet Shows, Polyorchis Haplus, Alvar Aalto, An Introduction to Feedback, Et Hus i Havnen, Indiana University, Cezanne, The Lick Observatory, Music Sequence, Alpha, Computer Perspective, Communications Primer, Daumier, etc.