Kagan Serpentine Sofa
Vintage 1950s Sofas
Fabric
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 2000s North American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Metal, Chrome
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Lucite
Vintage 1980s Modern Sofas
Chenille
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Goatskin, Plywood, Lacquer
2010s Modern Wingback Chairs
Walnut
Late 20th Century American Modern Sofas
Suede, Upholstery
Vintage 1970s Sofas
Bouclé
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Ultrasuede, Lucite, Wood
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Lucite
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Sofas
Fabric
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Lucite
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Brass
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Sectional Sofas
Bouclé, Walnut
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Velvet, Lucite, Walnut
1990s American Modern Sofas
Bouclé
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Ultrasuede
1990s American Modern Sofas
Velvet
Vintage 1980s Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Suede
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Sofas
Textile
Vintage 1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Suede
Vintage 1980s American Sofas
Metal
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Upholstery, Lucite
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
Bouclé, Oak
Early 2000s American Modern Sofas
Suede
2010s American Modern Sofas
Ultrasuede
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Goatskin
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
1990s Post-Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Ultrasuede, Wood
1990s North American Post-Modern Sofas
Upholstery
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Brass
Vintage 1980s North American Post-Modern Sectional Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
1990s Post-Modern Sectional Sofas
Fabric
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Velvet
1990s American Post-Modern Sofas
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric, Wood
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Wood, Velvet
Vintage 1960s American Brutalist Side Tables
Metal
Vintage 1980s Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Sectional Sofas
Upholstery
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Sofas
Faux Leather, Glass
Vintage 1980s North American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Chrome
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Sofas
Velvet
Vintage 1980s Post-Modern Sectional Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Sofas
Leather, Lucite
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Canapes
Fabric, Bouclé, Upholstery, Lucite
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
Steel, Iron
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Hardwood
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
Chrome
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass
Vintage 1960s American Brutalist Armchairs
Bronze
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Kagan Serpentine Sofa For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Kagan Serpentine Sofa?
Finding the Right sofas for You
Black leather, silk velvet cushions, breathable bouclé fabric — when shopping for antique or vintage sofas, today’s couch connoisseurs have much to choose from in terms of style and shape. But it wasn’t always thus.
The sofa is typically defined as a long upholstered seat that features a back and arms and is intended for two or more people. While the term “couch” comes from the Old French couche, meaning to lie down, and sofa has Eastern origins, both are forms of divan, a Turkish word that means an elongated cushioned seat. Bench-like seating in Ancient Greece, which was padded with soft blankets, was called klinai. No matter how you spell it, sofa just means comfort, at least it does today.
In the early days of sofa design, upholstery consisted of horsehair or dried moss. Sofas that originated in countries such as France during the 17th century were more integral to decor than they were to comfort. Like most Baroque furnishings from the region, they frequently comprised heavy, gilded mahogany frames and were upholstered in floral Beauvais tapestry. Today, options abound when it comes to style and material, with authentic leather offerings and classy steel settees. Plush, velvet chesterfields represent the platonic ideal of coziness.
Vladimir Kagan’s iconic sofa designs, such as the Crescent and the Serpentine — which, like the sectional sofas of the 1960s created by furniture makers such as Harvey Probber, are quite popular among mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts — showcase the spectrum of style available to modern consumers. Those looking to make a statement can turn to Studio 65’s lip-shaped Bocca sofa, which was inspired by the work of Salvador Dalí. Elsewhere, the furniture of the 1970s evokes an era when experimentation ruled, or at least provided a reason to break the rules. Just about every area of society felt a sudden urge to be wayward, to push boundaries — and buttons. Vintage leather sofas of that decade are characterized by a rare blending of the showy and organic.
With so many options, it’s important to explore and find the perfect furniture for your space. Paying attention to the lines of the cushions as well as the flow from the backrest into the arms is crucial to identifying a cohesive new piece for your home or office.
Fortunately, with styles from every era — and even round sofas — there’s a luxurious piece for every space. Deck out your living room with an Art Deco lounge or go retro with a nostalgic '80s design. No matter your sitting vision, the right piece is waiting for you in the expansive collection of unique sofas on 1stDibs.
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