Modern Conscience restoration bases are hand crafted locally in the United States in our own workshop. All of the wood components are made by our own furniture craftsmen with generations of experience. The metal components are made by local aerospace fabricators, and all of the powder-coatings and finishes are done by local aerospace shops. Keeping every aspect of the process in our own workshop and under our direct supervision ensures that we achieve the highest quality product available. We work with the materials with our own hands every day, we use our furniture in our own daily lives, we appraise mid-century furniture, and we sell the best in mid-century furniture. In total we have personally handled and often restored thousands upon thousands of authentic vintage pieces by Charles and Ray Eames. This puts us in the best possible position to understand your needs and expectations as well.



Hardwoods

Modern Conscience sources only the highest grade hardwoods from the best lumber yards in the United States. We select domestically grown hardwoods that are milled to suit high end furniture craftsmen. All wood is hand selected to ensure perfect compatibility. All components are hand crafted to the precise specifications of the originals. The result is an impeccable product that is trusted by vintage Eames dealers and collectors alike.

White Maple (shown top) and White Birch

In terms of color, grain, and pattern White Maple and White Birch are nearly indiscernible. Maple is slightly harder, stronger, and more durable than birch and will stand up to more aggressive use. Both will warm in color over time and develop a darker tone.

Natural Birch

Natural Birch is a clean, evenly grained, classic wood that is often referred to simply as "Birch". A great deal of mid-century furniture was exquisitely crafted using Birch. It is a beautiful mid-tone between Walnut and White Maple/White Birch and will develop a delicious, rich amber tone over time.

American Walnut

Walnut is a luxurious, dark, rich hardwood that imparts a level of sophistication to a piece of furniture. In the absence of sunlight, walnut will darken as it ages. When walnut is exposed to sunlight it gradually lightens; 50-year-old walnut that has been chronically exposed to sunlight will sometimes resemble a natural birch.








A note about Modern Conscience Eames style restoration bases and wood options:

The original vintage Eames dowel base was produced from 1954 to 1955 and was offered in both White Maple and Walnut. The original vintage Eames rocker bases were produced from 1950 to 1984 and were offered in Natural Birch and American Walnut. You will find that Modern Conscience bases are studio made in the US to exact specifications and are offered in all of the original hardwood options. You will not find better quality bases anywhere in the world.

Tung Oil Finish

Modern Conscience honors the original finish of the Eames bases and utilizes a time consuming process of hand oiling every wood component with several coats of tung oil. We use tung oil not only because it is essential to replicating the original intent of the design, but also because it is the best possible choice. It is durable, long lasting, won’t require refinishing, and best of all, it does not change the original visual qualities of the wood, it protects them, so if you bump your chair and mark the finish you can easily make it new again with another coat of oil. Finish qualities aside, tung oil is also sustainable and non-toxic which means it is not going to off-gas poisons into your home.

This also means we never use stains, varnishes, or polyurethanes, and we never spray-on a finish. Here’s why. Tung oil brings out the natural richness of the wood by conditioning and sealing it. As soon as you stain any piece of wood you have added a thin layer of color to the outside of the wood, but it will never penetrate the wood to look good enough if you accidentally damage it. Say you, or one of your kids, bumps your chair against another piece of furniture. If it’s been stained you’re going to see a mark where the true color of the wood shows through. This means you have to refinish the entire piece if you want it to be uniform again. Plus, varnishes and urethanes both have a tendency to crack and flake over time, requiring refinishing every five to seven years.

Our goal is for you to be able to use your treasured pieces without worry that doing so will damage the finish. For a piece of furniture that is going to be treasured for decades, tung oil is an excellent choice. We want the pieces in your collection to be useable, beautiful, and durable.