John in NM
Got distracted looking at pictures from the other guys you mentioned, Oh well

Incidentally, looking at the pics is what lead me to the notion about the Barcelona chair -- Moser has the most defensible version, being wood framed rather than chromed steel.

I don't think there is much of a consensus on the question when it comes to furniture, much less so than with less functional crafts or even sculpture. Part of the reason is that, as I mentioned before, the customer is usually very conservative when it comes to furnishings. Another part is likely due to the difficulties in enforcing design patents vs. copyright (my understanding is that it gets easier the less functional something is).

Putting the legal questions aside, since few of us are really qualified to debate them intelligently, I still maintain that the most sensible course is to simply make a practice of acknowledging one's influences and get to building. Opening saying that your work is greatly influenced by your favorite designers is the best way to thank them for their contribution to our culture - and that is what Bill was alluding to. It is also honest, both to the world and to ourselves.

Should I ever be so fortunate as to come up with anything original (doubtful ),
I'd like to think that I genuinely wouldn't mind being copied, as long as the copier
acknowledges my contribution. Should they pass it off as their own, well the
only thing to do then is utter a few unprintable reflections on their ancestry and
get back to building