An Italian terracotta garden seat, C. 1920.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Modeled after the ancient Roman Chair of State, this garden seat back is formed from the wings of
Terracotta
$28,000
H 32.25 in W 28 in D 22.5 in
American Classical Revival Macassar Ebony Throne Chair From The Frick Estate
Located in Essex, MA
ancient Roman throne chair. Fricks home 104 room Eagle Rock now gone was the largest home ever built on
Ebony, Macassar
Pair of Barcelona Chairs with Ottomans
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in New York, NY
. Inspired by ancient Roman curule chairs, the Barcelona Chair combines classical form with modern
Steel
$1,800
H 38 in W 24.25 in D 20.25 in
Antique Italian Savonarola Dante Chair Carved Oak Renaissance Lion Shield
Located in Tyler, TX
Girolamo Savonarola, an Italian priest in Florence from 1494-1498~~the design comes from an ancient Roman
Oak
$13,000 / set
H 38.5 in W 19 in D 21.5 in
20th C. Set 12 Jansen Ebonized Louis XVI Style Lyre Back Dining Chairs
By Maison Jansen
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
neoclassical design inspired by ancient Greek and Roman motifs. Each chair is expertly crafted with a finely
Brass
$3,300
H 29.25 in W 28 in D 18 in
19th Century French Carved Walnut Lyonnaise Curule Bench with Upholstered Seat
Located in Birmingham, AL
the Second Empire’s revival of classical forms. Inspired by the ancient Roman curule chair — the
Walnut
Pair of painted open armchairs/ fauteuils
Located in Cheltenham, GB
and simplicity of ancient Greek and Roman designs, these chairs boast a dignified old paint finish in
Beech
Sold
H 29.5 in W 24 in D 22.44 in
18th Century Swedish Gustavian Period Original Paint Chair Signed Ephraim Stahl
By Ephraim Stahl
Located in Wichita, KS
backrest inspired by ancient Roman "sulla" models. This beautiful chair has been newly upholstered in
Linen, Pine, Paint
Sold
H 33 in W 24.5 in D 20.5 in
20th Century Renaissance Revival Savonarola x Folding Lion Head Throne Armchair
Located in Dayton, OH
brass rings. The Savonarola chair design comes from the ancient Roman X-shaped chair that was very
Brass
Sold
H 47.45 in W 30.12 in D 26.38 in
Fine Antique Hand Carved Walnut Italian Renaissance Revival Savonarola Armchair
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Savonarola chair is another misnamed piece of furniture. The design comes from the ancient Roman X-shaped
Walnut
Sold
H 34.5 in W 26 in D 21.5 in
Antique Carved Mahogany Savonarola Folding X Figural Dragon Throne Arm Chair Sea
Located in Dayton, OH
. The Savonarola chair design comes from the ancient Roman X-shaped chair that was very popular in
Mahogany
Framed Antique Etching by Piranesi of an Ancient Roman Curule Chair
By Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Located in New York, NY
Plate 81, "Sedia curule di marmo in prospettiva", from Giovanni Battista Piranesi's Vasi Candelabri Cippi Sarcofagi, first available in bound form in 1778.
Murano Sputnik Spherical Green Glass and Brass Chandelier
Located in Roma, Lazio
A fantastic emerald green sputnik, with a surprising design and for its very low height, which allows it to fit in both high and low ceilings. Very elegant, it will furnish and decor...
Brass
Pair of Murano Glass Wall Sconces, Art Deco Style, in Stock
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of Murano glass wall sconces, in stock Fume color and horizontal striation texture Black opaline finials and brass accents Art Deco inspired design. Gives off warm beams of lig...
Brass
French Art Deco Carved Walnut Chaise
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Fans of the pioneering furniture designer Emile-Jacque Ruhlmann will delight in this glamorous French Art Deco period chaise with a swooping crest of a seat back that rises from the ...
Textile, Walnut
$2,595 / set
H 28.75 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
Pair of High Quality Barcelona Lounge Chairs with Brown Naughahyde Vinyl Seats
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous pair of Mid Century Modern Sculptural Chairs from the designs of the Bauhaus period by Ludwig Mies van DerRohe c1926. Heavy duty steel with more than adequate chrome plating...
Steel, Chrome
$4,000
H 95.5 in W 59.5 in D 21.5 in
Antique French Renaissance Revival Walnut Buffet Cabinet Cupboard Hutch 96"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique French Renaissance / Henry II style walnut buffet a deux corps / vaisselier / cupboard / cabinet / hutch featuring Neoclassical carved figural / floral / acanthus theme. The...
Walnut
$42,000 / set
H 30.52 in W 41.74 in D 33.08 in
René Drouet Pair of Lounge Chairs in Olive Green Corduroy and Walnut
By René Drouet
Located in Waalwijk, NL
René Drouet, pair of lounge chairs, corduroy velvet, walnut, France, 1930s Designed by French decorator René Drouet, these club chairs are a quintessential example of French Art Dec...
Velvet, Walnut
$6,613 / set
H 29.14 in W 29.53 in D 30.32 in
Vintage 1970s Barcelona Lounge Chairs Set of 2 by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in Antwerp, BE
This rare set of Barcelona chairs was designed by Architect Mies van der Rohe and Designer Lily Reich in 1929 and produced by Knoll International in the 70s labeled The Barcelona ch...
Stainless Steel, Chrome
Large Mies van der Rohe Style Black Leather Lounge Chair
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large Mies van der Rohe style black leather lounge chair. Not the usual copy of the Barcelona chair. 18 in. seat height. 3 chairs are available. Priced Individually.
Chrome
17th century Spanish or Italian carved solid wood chest
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Spanish or Italian 17th century bis chest. Chest structure in solid walnut, entirely hand-carved. Exceptional craftsmanship. Very naive vintage conduction with a nice patina on the...
Walnut
Pair of Knoll Barcelona Chairs by Mies Van Der Rohe
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in San Mateo, CA
Pair of Barcelona chairs manufactured by Knoll. These have a polished stainless steel frame with tan or saddle colored leather. These were purchased in the 1970's. The chair frames s...
Stainless Steel
$5,500
H 29.53 in W 29.53 in D 29.53 in
Vintage Cognac Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe Knoll 1970s Ex Estée Lauder
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Aachen, NW
This rare Barcelona chair was designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1929 and produced by Knoll International in the 1970s. From the company property of Estée Lauder. The piece features a...
Stainless Steel
$17,555
H 70.87 in W 25.6 in D 25.6 in
Italian Stone Garden Sculpture of Roman Mythological Subject Bacchus
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological roman subject of Bacchus or Dionysus in limestone. Excellent condition from an estate of Veneto. Measurements: Statue cm 180, base cm 85. Price is not inc...
Limestone
$3,080
H 26 in Dm 37 in
Antique French Round Table Entry Sofa Foyer Coffee Table Renaissance Revival Oak
Located in Tyler, TX
Superb highly carved late 19th century antique oak round entry, coffee, sofa, center, parlor or end table ~~Victorian Era Renaissance Revival ~~c. 1890s These versatile tables were ...
Oak
$5,000
H 30.25 in W 29.5 in D 30 in
1960s Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Barcelona Chair in Black Distressed Leather
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a 1960s vintage Barcelona chair in distressed black leather with a polished stainless frame by Mies van der Rohe and produced by Knoll. This example came directly from Gratz ...
Steel
$4,875
H 43.75 in W 82.5 in D 24 in
Antique Early 1900s Italian Renaissance Revival, Carved, Trim, Walnut Sideboard!
Located in Austin, TX
Gorgeous Antique Early 1900s Italian Renaissance Revival, Carved, Walnut Sideboard! Antique Sideboard, Italian Renaissance Revival, Carved, Walnut, Early 1900s, 20th Century! This...
Wood, Walnut
$16,833
H 25.6 in W 37.8 in D 77.96 in
Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe Bauhaus Brown Leather Barcelona Daybed for Knoll
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Vicenza, IT
Barcelona daybed, designed by Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe in 1929 and manufactured by Knoll International. Made of chromed steel and coffee brown leather. Fully restored in Italy. The ...
Chrome
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.
Modern icons are showing up in gracefully layered dining nooks, living rooms and lounges — proof that great design only gets better with context.
Andrianna Shamaris has filled her epic new home with pieces of her own design.
Top interior designers show — and tell — us how to create delectable spaces for hosting dinner parties.
With its plush cushions, cane details and dazzlingly colorful back, it’s inviting from every angle.
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.