Andre Simard Airborne
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Canapes
Iron
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
People Also Browsed
2010s Table Lamps
Iron
2010s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Alabaster, Brass
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Daybeds
Teak
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Dining Room Chairs
Oak
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Daybeds
Cane, Rattan, Oak, Wool
21st Century and Contemporary French Brutalist Night Stands
Oak
2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Vintage 1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Metal
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Beech, Plywood, Leather
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Daybeds
Mohair, Wood
Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Daybeds
Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Nickel, Brass
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal, Chrome
Vintage 1960s French Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s French Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Steel, Nickel
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1950s French Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1950s French Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Finding the Right chairs for You
Chairs are an indispensable component of your home and office. Can you imagine your life without the vintage, new or antique chairs you love?
With the exception of rocking chairs, the majority of the seating in our homes today — Windsor chairs, chaise longues, wingback chairs — originated in either England or France. Art Nouveau chairs, the style of which also originated in those regions, embraced the inherent magnificence of the natural world with decorative flourishes and refined designs that blended both curved and geometric contour lines. While craftsmanship and styles have evolved in the past century, chairs have had a singular significance in our lives, no matter what your favorite chair looks like.
“The chair is the piece of furniture that is closest to human beings,” said Hans Wegner. The revered Danish cabinetmaker and furniture designer was prolific, having designed nearly 500 chairs over the course of his lifetime. His beloved designs include the Wishbone chair, the wingback Papa Bear chair and many more.
Other designers of Scandinavian modernist chairs introduced new dynamics to this staple with sculptural flowing lines, curvaceous shapes and efficient functionality. The Paimio armchair, Swan chair and Panton chair are vintage works of Finnish and Danish seating that left an indelible mark on the history of good furniture design.
“What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts,” said Ray Eames.
Visionary polymaths Ray and Charles Eames experimented with bent plywood and fiberglass with the goal of producing affordable furniture for a mass market. Like other celebrated mid-century modern furniture designers of elegant low-profile furnishings — among them Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Finn Juhl — the Eameses considered ergonomic support, durability and cost, all of which should be top of mind when shopping for the perfect chair. The mid-century years yielded many popular chairs.
The Eameses introduced numerous icons for manufacturer Herman Miller, such as the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, molded plywood dining chairs the DCM and DCW (which can be artfully mismatched around your dining table) and a wealth of other treasured pieces for the home and office.
A good chair anchors us to a place and can become an object of timeless appeal. Take a seat and browse the rich variety of vintage, new and antique chairs on 1stDibs today.