Carved Wooden Swan Chair
Antique Early 19th Century French Charles X Side Chairs
Maple
Antique Late 19th Century European Gothic Revival Armchairs
Brass
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Armchairs
Wood
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Armchairs
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century French Charles X Armchairs
Leather, Oak
Antique 1880s Spanish Rococo Paintings
Canvas, Giltwood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Beech, Mahogany, Teak, Plywood
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Antique Late 19th Century English Benches
Fruitwood
Vintage 1950s American Decoys
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Chairs
Silk, Mahogany
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Armchairs
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Club Chairs
Upholstery, Hardwood
Early 20th Century Chinese Ming Chairs
Elm
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Chairs
Lacquer, Wood
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Daybeds
Rattan, Wood
Early 20th Century Chinese Cabinets
Brass
Mid-20th Century Burmese Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Paintings and Screens
Wood, Elm
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Brass, Steel
20th Century Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Wood, Beech
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Cabinets
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Lounge Chairs
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Cast Stone
Recent Sales
Antique 1860s Italian Chairs
Wood
Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Armchairs
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Black Forest Chairs
Nutwood
Antique Mid-19th Century French Charles X Chairs
Leather, Oak
Late 20th Century American Club Chairs
Wood
Late 20th Century American Club Chairs
Wood, Upholstery
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.
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This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
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Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
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Rock Your Cares Away on This Sunny Hand-Crocheted Swing
The boho-chic Enchanted Forest Swing, handmade by marginalized women from Turkey and Syria, is uplifting in every way.
Learn Why Designer Maarten Baas Set This Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair on Fire
What happens when you do something to a piece of furniture that you shouldn’t? It becomes an entirely new object.
Eileen Gray’s Famed Cliffside Villa in the South of France Is Returned to Its Modernist Glory
After years of diligent restoration, E-1027, the designer-cum-architect’s marriage of romance and modernism, is finally complete.