Folding Theatre Seat
Vintage 1950s Dutch Industrial Dining Room Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
Metal, Brass
Early 20th Century Art Deco Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Art Deco Dining Room Sets
Wood
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Metal
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Iron
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile, Wood
Vintage 1930s Spanish Art Nouveau Armchairs
Iron
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Beech, Plywood, Leather
Vintage 1960s Doors and Gates
Wood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Lounge Chairs
Iron
Vintage 1950s American Chairs
Aluminum
Vintage 1960s Chairs
Aluminum
20th Century American Scandinavian Modern Chairs
Rope, Walnut
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Rosewood, Suede
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Lounge Chairs
Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
Recent Sales
Antique Early 1900s Benches
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Benches
Wood
Vintage 1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Sheet Metal
Mid-20th Century Streamlined Moderne Armchairs
Steel, Chrome
Antique 1830s English William IV Armchairs
Leather
20th Century American Chairs
Steel
20th Century American Chairs
Steel
20th Century American Chairs
Steel
Mid-20th Century American American Classical Benches
Wood, Maple
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Steel
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Steel
20th Century Armchairs
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1970s Chinese Armchairs
Leather
Early 20th Century Chairs
Iron
Folding Theatre Seat For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Folding Theatre Seat?
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.
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.