Vitra Eames Elephant (small)
Last updated: 23 October 2026
The small Eames Elephant is Vitra's scaled-down version of a toy elephant Charles and Ray Eames designed in plywood in 1945. This one is moulded from recycled plastic in seven colours, so it works as a child's toy or as an object on a shelf. Vitra sells it for £109, and Aram in London charges the same.
What the small Eames Elephant is
In the early 1940s Charles and Ray Eames spent years working out how to mould plywood into three-dimensional shapes. The elephant was the hardest of those early pieces because of its tight curves, and it never went into serial production. One prototype, given to Charles's daughter Lucia, was lent to the Museum of Modern Art in New York for an exhibition in 1946.
Vitra made a limited edition in 2007 and then put the plywood elephant into full production in 2017. After that it added a version in recycled plastic, aimed at children. The small Eames Elephant RE is the same design at a smaller scale, and Aram describes it as half the size of the full elephant.
What it does
- Works as a toy: the recycled plastic is robust enough for a child to play with.
- Works as decoration: the matt finish and the big ears make it a design object for a shelf, desk or nursery.
- Goes outside for a season: Vitra says it can be used outdoors on a temporary or seasonal basis, then cleaned and stored somewhere dry.
Key facts about the small Eames Elephant
- Price: £109 from Vitra UK and from Aram
- Designers: Charles and Ray Eames, 1945
- Maker: Vitra
- Material: post-industrial recycled polypropylene, dyed all the way through, 100% recyclable, matt finish
- Colours: pale rose, Eames red orange, deep black, emerald, sky blue, white and canary
- Size: a smaller version of the full-size Eames Elephant RE, which Vitra also sells
Who it suits
- New parents: a toy that also looks good in a nursery once the child moves on to other things.
- Designers and Eames fans: a piece of design history at a much lower price than an Eames chair.
- People with small homes: the small version takes up less floor space than the full-size elephant.
If it is going on a desk, our guide to the best desk accessories in the UK covers other things to put next to it.
The limits
£109 is a lot for a plastic toy. Because you are paying for the Eames design and the Vitra name, a child will get the same amount of play from a much cheaper elephant.
Vitra does not list the dimensions in text on its product page, only in a drawing. So check the drawing before you buy if you need it for a particular shelf.
Outdoor use is seasonal only. Vitra advises cleaning it and storing it under cover after long spells outside, so it is not a garden ornament to leave out all year.
Where to buy the small Eames Elephant in the UK
Vitra sells all seven colours direct on the Vitra UK product page, which also has the drawing with the dimensions. Aram, the London design shop, stocks the colours at the same £109. I struggled to find it on Amazon UK from a Vitra seller.
Small Eames Elephant at Vitra UK
FAQs
How much is the small Eames Elephant?
£109 from Vitra UK and from Aram.
What is the small Eames Elephant made of?
Post-industrial recycled polypropylene, dyed all the way through, with a matt finish. Vitra says the plastic is 100% recyclable.
Is the small Eames Elephant a toy?
Yes. Vitra made the plastic version for children, the group the Eameses first designed it for, and it also works as decoration.
Can the Eames Elephant go outside?
Yes, for a season at a time. Vitra recommends cleaning it and storing it somewhere dry and sheltered after long exposure to the weather.
Who designed the Eames Elephant?
Charles and Ray Eames, in 1945, as part of their experiments with moulded plywood. Vitra has made it in plywood since 2017 and also makes it in recycled plastic.
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I checked the prices on Vitra UK, Aram and Amazon on 23 October 2026. Prices and stock change.
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