Steelcase On Sale
21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery, Plastic, Polyester
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Conference Tables
Laminate
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Sectional Sofas
Velvet
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1950s American Dining Room Sets
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Chrome
Early 2000s American Post-Modern Sectional Sofas
Chrome
Early 20th Century North American Modern Sectional Sofas
Wood
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Metal, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary North American Modern Sofas
Fabric
2010s Italian Modern Stools
Ash
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Loveseats
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Brass
Vintage 1980s Finnish Bauhaus Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Benches
Steel
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Scandinavian Modern Benches
Rattan, Oak
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Benches
Chrome
20th Century Sofas
Upholstery
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Mid-Century Modern Benches
Leather
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Chrome
Vintage 1970s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Apothecary Cabinets
Steel
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Wool, Ash
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Stools
Metal
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Chrome
Vintage 1970s American Space Age Lounge Chairs
Fiberglass, Leather
Vintage 1970s American Space Age Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Fiberglass, Plexiglass
Vintage 1970s American Space Age Living Room Sets
Leather, Mirror, Fiberglass, Lucite
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Benches
Steel
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Steel
Vintage 1970s American Sofas
Fabric, Fiberglass, Lucite
Vintage 1980s American Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
Oak, Upholstery
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Steel
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Chrome
20th Century American Modern Lounge Chairs
Metal, Steel
Steelcase On Sale For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Steelcase On Sale?
Steelcase for sale on 1stDibs
The Michigan-based furniture maker Steelcase has a long and distinguished history, but collectors focus on its vintage office furniture and desk chairs from the 1950s to the ’70s, when, along with such companies as Knoll and Herman Miller, the firm helped define the aesthetics of American mid-century modernism.
Steelcase was founded in Grand Rapids in 1912 as the Metal Office Furniture Company, promoting steel desks and other furnishings as safer, fireproof alternatives to wooden pieces at a time when smoking in the workplace was common. Boston’s first skyscraper — the 32-story Customs House — was furnished by the company in 1915. Frank Lloyd Wright, an American architect and furniture designer whose work had a profound influence on the shape of modern life, turned to the firm in 1937 to fabricate the enameled metal chairs and desks for his Johnson Wax Headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin.
In the 1950s, when Steelcase formally adopted the name it still uses today, the company developed a sleek and functional style employing rectilinear chrome frames for glass-topped tables and upholstered seating pieces. The look is similar to that of the minimal, Bauhaus-inspired designs of Florence Knoll, another icon of furniture design who helped shape the ethos of the postwar business world.
By the 1970s, Steelcase had enlivened its styling, offering such pieces as chairs and side tables designed by Gardner Leaver, with circular bases and curving supports. As you will see on these pages, Steelcase designs offer a perfect foundation for a modernist decor, with a touch of flair.
Find vintage Steelcase furniture on 1stDibs.
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.