19th Century Chesterfield Sofas
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Sofas
Beech
Vintage 1920s British Chesterfield Sofas
Leather, Wood
Antique 1870s English Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather, Mahogany
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
Antique 1890s American Late Victorian Sofas
Mohair
Antique 19th Century English William IV Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century British Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Antique Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Sofas
Leather, Walnut
Antique 19th Century Chesterfield Sofas
Cowhide
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Late Victorian Sofas
Leather
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Sofas
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century British Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather
Antique 19th Century English Early Victorian Sofas
Leather
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather
Antique 19th Century British Georgian Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
Antique 19th Century American Victorian Sofas
Fabric, Satinwood, Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century English High Victorian Sofas
Leather, Hardwood, Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century British Chesterfield Settees
Leather
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Armchairs
Leather, Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century British Country Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Hemp
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Sofas
Leather
Antique 1880s English Edwardian Sofas
Mohair
Antique 19th Century British Settees
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Sofas
Wood
Antique 19th Century Sofas
Fabric
Antique 19th Century English Sofas
Leather, Mahogany
Antique 19th Century Sofas
Beech
Antique Late 19th Century English Sofas
Brass
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Sofas
Walnut
Antique 1890s British Sofas
Leather
Antique 19th Century English Sofas
Brass
Antique 19th Century Sofas
Leather
Vintage 1950s British Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Metal
Antique Mid-19th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Upholstery
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Hardwood, Leather
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Fabric
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
2010s American Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Antique 19th Century English Sofas
Fabric, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Sofas
Antique 1880s English Victorian Sofas
Leather, Walnut
Antique 19th Century English Sofas
Upholstery
Antique 19th Century English Sofas
Brass
Antique 19th Century Sofas
Beech
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Sofas
Leather
2010s English Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
Antique 19th Century English Sofas
Brass
Antique 19th Century British Early Victorian Sofas
Upholstery
Antique 1880s American Victorian Sofas
Oak, Upholstery, Velvet
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19th Century Chesterfield Sofas For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are 19th Century Chesterfield Sofas?
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022British artist John Singer Sargent was one of the most important portrait painters of the 19th century. Other notable portraitists from the period include James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Eugène Delacroix, Théodore Géricault, Gustave Courbet, Édouard Manet, Mary Cassat, Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. On 1stDibs, find a wide variety of portrait paintings.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The French painters of the 19th century worked in two styles. Neoclassicism dominated the first half of the century, and Impressionism was the most common style during the second half. On 1stDibs, you can find a variety of French paintings.
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