{"id":436228,"date":"2026-09-16T11:50:34","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T15:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/?p=436228"},"modified":"2026-09-30T11:51:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T15:51:03","slug":"types-of-antique-and-vintage-chairs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/types-of-antique-and-vintage-chairs\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Antique and Vintage Chairs: A Visual Buying Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"English<\/a>
English Chippendale mahogany armchair in leopard, late 20th century<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A chair\u2019s shape can reveal surprising information about when and where it was crafted. Among the many types of antique chairs, five silhouettes are the best known: Queen Anne<\/a>, Chippendale<\/a>, Windsor, wingback and berg\u00e8re. The same terms can help you identify related types of vintage chairs, including revivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An antique is at least 100 years old; although vintage furniture is younger, it\u2019s still highly collectible. Style and age don\u2019t always match, however. A 20th-century Chippendale revival chair follows an 18th-century design without qualifying as an antique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Queen Anne Chairs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Queen<\/a>
Queen Anne walnut side chair, ca. 1700-1710<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You’ll recognize Queen Anne chairs by their sturdy cabriole legs, which form gentle S-curves, and the fiddle-shaped splat in the center of their backs. They are often made of walnut engraved with small shells or scrolls. The style was popular in England and its colonies during the early to mid-18th century, roughly 1720 to 1760.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re thinking of buying a Queen Anne chair<\/a>, look under the seat and around the rails that support it. Slight variations in hand-cut joints and softened edges can indicate its age. Perfect machine work suggests a replica, but no single clue proves age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chippendale Chairs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Pair<\/a>
Pair English Chippendale mahogany side chairs, ca. 1890<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Chairs in the Chippendale style, an offshoot of the Queen Anne style, often have similar cabriole legs but with bolder carving. Many have pierced or carved splats and ball-and-claw feet<\/a>. Thomas Chippendale helped spread his designs through his 1754 pattern book, The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker\u2019s Director<\/em>, which included Gothic, Rococo and Chinese-inspired variations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chippendale chairs<\/a> don’t always display every feature, so assess the entire piece rather than just the feet. A listing may also be for a later, Chippendale revival piece. These 19th- or 20th-century chairs can have genuine decorative and collectible value, but buyers shouldn\u2019t confuse them with period 18th-century examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Windsor Chairs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Windsor<\/a>
Windsor chair, 18th century<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Windsor chairs take different forms. What they have in common are the slender spindles that form the back \u2014 often hooped or bow-shaped \u2014and rise from a solid seat. The seat usually has a shallow saddle shape, while the legs splay outward for stability. The form emerged in England in the early 1700s and had reached the American colonies within a few decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Windsor chairs<\/a> have enjoyed popularity for more than 300 years, and their age can’t be determined by their basic style. Look for original paint, wear patterns, wood choices, maker histories and construction details to differentiate between early examples and later versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wingback Chairs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"English<\/a>
English wingback armchair, 1760<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You’re probably familiar with wingback chairs. The tall upholstered back with side panels or wings is the main clue. Early English versions appeared in the 1600s, when the wings helped shield people from drafts and retain warmth near a fireplace. Deep upholstery and generous proportions also made the form comfortable for long periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wingback describes a form rather than a fixed historical style. Wingback chairs<\/a> may display Queen Anne cabriole legs, Chippendale carving, Georgian proportions or mid-century lines. When identifying one, separate the chair\u2019s overall form from the period details in its legs, arms, frame and upholstery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Berg\u00e8re Chairs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Pair<\/a>
Pair of French Berg\u00e8re chairs, 20th century<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

An 18th-century French berg\u00e8re is an upholstered armchair with closed padded panels between the arms and seat and an exposed carved-wood frame. The enclosed sides make it easy to distinguish it from an open-arm fauteuil<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leg shape and carving narrow down the style. Louis XV berg\u00e8res have curved cabriole legs and display floral or shell motifs. Louis XVI examples generally have straighter, often fluted legs and a more geometric shape. Comparing Louis XV and Louis XVI chair styles<\/a> can help you recognize the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to Evaluate a Chair Before You Buy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You’ll want to look beyond the chair\u2019s style and surface condition before you buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n