Baltic Empire Chair
Antique Mid-19th Century Baltic Neoclassical Side Chairs
Birch
Antique 1810s Baltic Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Birch
Antique 1810s Baltic Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century Baltic Baltic Bergere Chairs
Mahogany
People Also Browsed
2010s Czech Organic Modern Lounge Chairs
Beech
2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
Silk
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Chrome, Aluminum, Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary French Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Iron
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Bed Coronas
Wood, Giltwood
Antique 19th Century French Empire Chairs
Velvet, Walnut
Antique Early 1900s Czech Vienna Secession Dining Room Chairs
Beech, Bentwood, Cane
Vintage 1920s English George I Chairs
Giltwood
Antique Mid-19th Century English Regency Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Chairs
Wood, Upholstery
20th Century Italian Baroque Cabinets
Lapis Lazuli, Marble, Porphyry
Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Moroccan Chairs
Rattan
Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Recent Sales
Antique 19th Century Baltic Empire Chairs
Birch
Antique Early 19th Century Russian Empire Corner Chairs
Leather, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Baltic Empire Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Brass
Antique 19th Century Swedish Chairs
Antique Early 19th Century Baltic Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century Baltic Empire Revival Armchairs
Antique Late 19th Century Baltic Empire Bergere Chairs
Vintage 1910s Baltic Baltic Chairs
Mahogany, Upholstery
Antique Late 18th Century Baltic Empire Dining Room Chairs
Brass
Finding the Right seating for You
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.
- What is an Empire chair?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 26, 2021An Empire chair refers to a piece of seating furniture created in the Empire style. A phase of the neoclassical style, the Empire style gets its name from the rule of the Emperor Napoleon I. The furniture is colossal, weight-wise, and richly adorned with bronze and marble. Shop a collection of antique, vintage, and contemporary Empire chairs from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
Julien Sebban’s energetic design collective is radically reshaping the look of 21st-century European furniture and interiors.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
Rock Your Cares Away on This Sunny Hand-Crocheted Swing
The boho-chic Enchanted Forest Swing, handmade by marginalized women from Turkey and Syria, is uplifting in every way.
Learn Why Designer Maarten Baas Set This Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair on Fire
What happens when you do something to a piece of furniture that you shouldn’t? It becomes an entirely new object.
Eileen Gray’s Famed Cliffside Villa in the South of France Is Returned to Its Modernist Glory
After years of diligent restoration, E-1027, the designer-cum-architect’s marriage of romance and modernism, is finally complete.