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Computer House of Cards

Card Game
1970 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Charles and Ray Eames are best known for their iconic modern furniture designs, but they also undertook other work for major companies such as IBM. They were responsible for the exhibitions, graphics, signage, and films for IBM’s pavilion at the New York World’s Fair in 1964-5. Later, they also designed a deck of cards for the IBM Pavilion at the 1970 World's Fair in Osaka, Japan. The cards were given away to visitors as souvenirs.

Each card has six slots, and is printed with an image of computer components. They can be assembled to make three-dimensional representations of the mainframe computer hardware that was becoming in the 1970s.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 58 parts.

  • Box
  • Instruction Booklet
  • Card
  • Card
  • Card
  • Card
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TitleComputer House of Cards (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Offset lithograph
Brief description
Computer House of Cards, designed by Charles and Ray Eames for IBM, offset lithograph, designed in the USA, printed in Germany by Otto Maier Verlag, 1970
Physical description
Set of 56 cards with original box and set of instructions. The image on one side of each card depicts a part of the inner workings of a pre-microchip computer. The reverse of each card is white with a black circle and straight lines spreading outside it from the centre in a spoke like pattern.
Credit line
Given by Eames Office, LLC
Production
Designed for the IBM Pavilion during the 1970 World’s Fair in Osaka, Japan. They were created as souvenirs for guests, and were printed only once.
Summary
Charles and Ray Eames are best known for their iconic modern furniture designs, but they also undertook other work for major companies such as IBM. They were responsible for the exhibitions, graphics, signage, and films for IBM’s pavilion at the New York World’s Fair in 1964-5. Later, they also designed a deck of cards for the IBM Pavilion at the 1970 World's Fair in Osaka, Japan. The cards were given away to visitors as souvenirs.

Each card has six slots, and is printed with an image of computer components. They can be assembled to make three-dimensional representations of the mainframe computer hardware that was becoming in the 1970s.
Collection
Accession number
E.3346:1 to 58-2018

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Record createdJanuary 9, 2017
Record URL
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