Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
For more than two centuries, the name Howard & Sons Ltd has been synonymous with elegance and exceptional handcrafted quality. Their Victorian furnishings graced grand old hotels like The Savoy in London, British Royal residences and luxury yachts of the day, including American business tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt’s North Star.
Today, stately armchairs, sofas and rich, hand-carved serving tables from Howard & Sons continue to be a gold standard among the most discerning furniture collectors. Queen Elizabeth II is even said to have owned the world's most extensive collection of Howard & Sons chairs.
Howard & Sons Ltd was founded in 1820 on Leman street in London by cabinetmaker and upholsterer John Howard. Although he had three sons — George, Charles and Joseph — it was only George who later joined his father in running the family business. Before their upholstered armchairs and sofas garnered universal acclaim, Howard & Sons was a cabinetry company that collaborated with another well-known cabinetmaker, Gillows of Lancaster and London, on large projects and likely manufactured upholstered furniture for Gillows.
Howard & Sons Ltd showcased their pieces and won awards at several important exhibitions towards the end of the 19th century. They were given medals at the 1878 Paris Exhibition, the 1894 Antwerp Exhibition and the 1900 Paris Exposition. In 1901, they received their first Royal warrant to supply upholstered furniture to King Edward VII.
Howard & Sons Ltd continued production until 1947. During the 1950s, a London decorating firm called Lenygon & Morant began to trade under the Howard name. The company re-emerged in 1967 as Howard Chairs Ltd. Today, the brand is again known again as Howard & Sons and carries on the tradition of creating bespoke furniture from their London-based workshop.
On 1stDibs, find a range of antique Howard & Sons Ltd seating, case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and other collectibles.
20th Century English Victorian Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Hardwood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Hardwood
20th Century English Victorian Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Hardwood
1880s English Late Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Hardwood
1880s English High Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Fabric, Hardwood
1880s English High Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Fabric, Hardwood
20th Century English Victorian Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Hardwood
1880s English Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Mahogany
20th Century English Victorian Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Hardwood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Victorian Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather
1880s English High Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
1880s English High Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Hardwood
1860s English High Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Walnut
19th Century English Early Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather
19th Century English High Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Hardwood
1860s English High Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Hardwood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery
20th Century English Victorian Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery
1920s English Victorian Vintage Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery
1910s English Edwardian Vintage Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Fabric, Wood
20th Century British Art Deco Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather
Late 20th Century Swiss Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather, Mohair
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Walnut
1650s American Mid-Century Modern Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Velvet
20th Century British Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Fabric
1970s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Fabric
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Fabric, Wood
1930s Danish Art Deco Vintage Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Fabric, Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Teak
20th Century French Modern Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Fabric, Wood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Victorian Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Velvet
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Victorian Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery
1840s English Early Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
1860s English High Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Hardwood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery
20th Century English Victorian Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Leather
19th Century English Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Fabric, Wood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Howard & Sons Ltd Sofas
Walnut, Upholstery
Howard & Sons Ltd sofas for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to Howard & Sons Ltd
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Yes, all Howard and Sons chairs are stamped. However, the type and location of the stamp varies. You may see a name or number on a caster wheel or foot on some pieces. Others display the stamp on a paper label sewn onto the fabric. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of expertly vetted Howard and Sons chairs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To spot an authentic Howard & Sons chair, first look for a name or number on the inside of the back foot. There may also be a paper label sewn into the hessian or a name stamp on the wheel. On 1stDibs, you can shop a collection of expertly vetted Howard & Sons chairs from some of the world’s top sellers.