1930s Banquette
Vintage 1930s Sofas
Linen
Vintage 1930s Czech Industrial Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Leather, String
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Benches
Fabric, Wood, Linen, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Daybeds
Leather, Velvet
20th Century French Louis XIV Benches
Fabric, Wood, Walnut, Linen
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Benches
Velvet, Wood, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary English Post-Modern Sofas
Metal
20th Century Spanish Louis XIV Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Wood, Leather, Walnut
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2010s North American Modern Night Stands
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2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
Silk
Vintage 1940s Danish Art Deco Sofas
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
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21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
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21st Century and Contemporary Bergere Chairs
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Antique Mid-19th Century English Stools
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
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2010s British Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
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2010s Austrian Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
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2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chaise Longues
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Recent Sales
Vintage 1930s French Benches
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Vintage 1930s Spanish Art Deco Benches
Fabric, Walnut
Vintage 1930s English Benches
Wood, Fabric
Vintage 1930s American Settees
Vintage 1930s French Benches
Wood, Upholstery
Vintage 1930s French Sofas
Vintage 1930s French Benches
Wood, Glass
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Wood, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Benches
Walnut, Fabric, Velvet, Wood
Vintage 1930s Italian Sofas
Wood
20th Century American Settees
Wood
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
Wool, Leather, Mahogany
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.
- What is a banquette?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021A banquette is an upholster bench that sits along a wall. Typically, banquettes are found in restaurants and bars. This type of seat, however, is also popular in at-home breakfast nooks. A banquette can be freestones or built-in to the wall.
- What is a seating banquette?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A banquette is a bench that accompanies a table to provide more seating for guests. They usually come upholstered and are different from a booth, which you typically sit in, not on. You can shop a collection of banquette seating from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- What is banquette seating?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Banquettes are a bench-like seat that can be either freestanding or built into a wall. They're similar to a booth in a restaurant in that they can seat multiple people.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023Yes, people had record players in the 1930s. In fact, record players began to become more common during the decade and continued to grow in popularity throughout the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Thomas Edison made the first phonograph record player in 1877. Shop a variety of record players on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 31, 2023In the 1930s, phones typically looked like rotary telephones. They had either a round or square base with a numbered dial that spun when you dialed and a handset receiver with both an earpiece and a mouthpiece. A cord connected the handset to the base. Find a variety of rotary phones on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertJune 30, 2023What brides wore in the 1930s varied. Some wore long flowing dresses made of satin or silk. Long sleeves were popular and designs often featured only minimal embellishments like appliqués and beading. Because many people faced difficult financial situations due to the Great Depression, brides also sometimes simply wore their best dresses on their wedding days. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of vintage wedding dresses.
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