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Contemporary Shell Chairs

Set of Six Pierre Cardin Z Dining Chairs by Contemporary Shells Inc. c. 1970's
By Contemporary Shells Inc. 1, Pierre Cardin
Located in New York, NY
Cardin, for Contemporary Shells Inc. The set consists of four side, and two captains chairs ( arm chairs
Category

Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Metal

Set of Six Pierre Cardin Z Dining Chairs  by Contemporary Shells Inc. c. 1970's
Set of Six Pierre Cardin Z Dining Chairs  by Contemporary Shells Inc. c. 1970's
$4,960 Sale Price / set
20% Off
H 35.5 in W 19 in D 24 in
Set of Six Black and Chrome Cantilever Dining Armchairs
By Contemporary Shells Inc. 1
Located in Dallas, TX
Featured here is an amazing set of cantilevered chrome dining chairs armchairs by Contemporary
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Chrome

Mid Century Chrome Dining Chairs Six Milo Baughman Style
By Contemporary Shells Inc. 1, Milo Baughman
Located in Baltimore, MD
Mid century chrome dining chairs by contemporary shell, two arm chairs and four side chairs
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Chrome

Mid Century Chrome Dining Chairs Six Milo Baughman Style
Mid Century Chrome Dining Chairs Six Milo Baughman Style
$3,695 / set
H 39.25 in W 20 in D 25 in
Curved Back Dining Chair in Gray Fabric and Black Matte Finish, Shell Line
By Uultis Design
Located in Miami, FL
Sleek, sculptural, and highly versatile, this contemporary Shell dining chair features a gently
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood, Fabric

Contemporary one of a kind Nocturne Shell Chair
Located in 1204, CH
With a keen interest in the uncomfortable relationship between intimacy and voyeurism, Middernacht & Alexander thrive on investigating the psychological aspects of everyday life. Per...
Category

2010s Daybeds

Materials

Steel

Contemporary one of a kind Nocturne Shell Chair
Contemporary one of a kind Nocturne Shell Chair
$7,166
H 37.8 in W 13.78 in D 13.78 in

Recent Sales

Contemporary Dining Chair Leather Shell Fabric Interior Backrest and Seat
Located in Modugno, IT
Nora dining chair, a wood padded structure with multi density foams covered in velvet or leather
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Fabric, Velvet, Ebony, Oak, Walnut

Chrome and white leather chairs by Contemporary Shells, circa 1970
By Contemporary Shells Inc. 1
Located in View Park, CA
A pair of chrome and white leather cantilever lounge chairs by Contemporary Shells, early 1970s
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Chrome

Midcentury Contemporary Shells Inc Overman White Vinyl Swivel Lounge Pod Chair
By Contemporary Shells Inc. 1
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Mid-Century Modern contemporary Shells Inc Overman style white vinyl swivel lounge pod chair. Item
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modern Set of Five Saarinen-Style Tulip Dining Chairs and Table
By Contemporary Shells Inc. 1
Located in Wilmington, DE
. They are similar to the style of Eero Saarinen's Tulip dining set. Signed by Contemporary Shells Inc
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets

Materials

Metal

Lawrence Peabody for Selig Fibreglass Chair
By Selig
Located in London, GB
compelling contemporary to the pervasive Eames shell chair, playfully filtered through American Atomic Age
Category

Vintage 1950s Central American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Lawrence Peabody for Selig Fibreglass Chair
Lawrence Peabody for Selig Fibreglass Chair
H 33.08 in W 26.78 in D 18.12 in
20th century lounge chair Groovy, model F598, by Pierre Paulin for Artifort
By Pierre Paulin, Artifort
Located in Amstelveen, NL
-orange fabric. Pierre Paulin (1927-2009) made a considerable impression with a contemporary shell
Category

Vintage 1980s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Contemporary Modern Pair of Black Modernica Shell Chairs on Eiffel Tower Base
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is a pair of Modernica black shell chairs on Eiffel tower bases. Dimensions
Category

Late 20th Century Armchairs

Materials

Shell

Cantilever Chrome Dining Chairs Set of Ten
By Contemporary Shells Inc. 1
Located in Denton, TX
Set of 10 cantilevered dining chairs made by Contemporary Shells inc. Contemporary Shell Inc was
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Chrome

4 Tulip Style White Fiberglass Swivel Armchairs, Arthur Umanoff for Contemporary
By Arthur Umanoff, Eero Saarinen, Contemporary Shells Inc. 1, Knoll
Located in Topeka, KS
designed by Arthur Umanoff for Contemporary Shells. These are era appropriate vintage chairs done in the
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Tulip Style White Fiberglass Swivel Chairs and Table by Umanoff for Contemporary
By Eero Saarinen, Contemporary Shells Inc. 1, Arthur Umanoff
Located in Topeka, KS
of his own. This set of four chairs are comprised of a fiberglass armed shell seat, with Contemporary
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets

Materials

Aluminum

Wingback Fiberglass Chair by Lawrence Peabody for Selig
By Lawrence Peabody
Located in Los Angeles, CA
contemporary to the pervasive Eames shell chair, peabody's take is a more traditional form playfully filtered
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Wrought Iron

Set of 4 Upholstered in Black Felt Wool and Chrome Armed Dining Chairs
By Contemporary Shells Inc. 1
Located in Houston, TX
Offered is a unique set of four chrome and wool felt dining chairs armchairs by Contemporary Shells
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Chrome

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Organic Modern Bordeira Coffee Tables, Onyx, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
By Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Bodeira Coffee Table, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. Designed by Rute Martins for the Contemporary Collection, the Bordeira modern coffee t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Onyx, Marble, Brass

Serpentine Vertical Ceramic Wall Sconce by Farrah Sit - Single or Mirrored Pair
By Farrah Sit
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In this sandy slipcast ceramic wall sconce, generous curves are paired with crisp edges and the repetition of geometry to create a flow. The sconce snakes up and off the wall, a scul...
Category

2010s American Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Organic Modern Small Table Lamp Natural Wood Handmade Ivory Fluted Shade
By Isabel Moncada
Located in San Antonio, TX
PATA DE ELEFANTE SMALL table lamp was designed for the Atomic collection by Mexican artist Isabel Moncada. Named Pata de Elefante –Elephant's Foot– for the prominent shape at its ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Wood, Fabric, Linen, Fiberglass

Serenity Sofie Contemporary Wall Sconce/Light, White Plaster, Hannah Woodhouse
By Hannah Woodhouse
Located in London, GB
Handmade Serenity Sofie wall light or sconce, in silky smooth white plaster, created by artist Hannah Woodhouse in her London studio. Contemporary design inspired by nature and midce...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary British Organic Modern Wall Lights and Sco...

Materials

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Tobia Scarpa, Set of four Pigreco wooden Chairs for Gavina, Italy (1959)
By Gavina, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Argelato, BO
The Pigreco chair was designed by the famous Italian architect Tobia Scarpa in 1959 for the Gavina company. This is an extremely important work in Scarpa's artistic career, in fact i...
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Counter Stool Fox in Fabric Dedar Tiger 001 Designer Seating for Kitchen Islands
Located in Kyiv, UA
"Fox" counter Stool by Dmytro Kozinenko – Subtle Elegance with a Nature-Inspired Touch The "Fox" counter stool, designed by Dmytro Kozinenko, merges modern minimalism with a playful...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Ukrainian Stools

Materials

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Patinated brass and Ivory, Adjustable Three-Arm 'Triennale' Style Chandelier
By Arteluce, Stilnovo
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
A wonderful interpretation of the Mid-Century iconic three-arm chandelier. Everything is done with a passion for details and materials. Shades: Each shade is 11in;/27.5cm and carri...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...

Materials

Brass

Coralina II Nightstand Glossy Lacquered and Antique Brass Handle
Located in Frazão, Porto
Elegant and sophisticated, the bedside table Coralina is characterized by a curved structure in lacquered finish, on which the drawers in are inserted.‎ This bedside table also allow...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Night Stands

Materials

Brass, Stainless Steel

Coralina II Nightstand Glossy Lacquered and Antique Brass Handle
Coralina II Nightstand Glossy Lacquered and Antique Brass Handle
$3,240 / item
H 21.66 in W 23.63 in D 19.3 in
LRC Dining Chairs by Wiel Arets for Lensvelt, Netherlands, circa 2005
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Sculptural modernistic dining chairs designed by architect Wiel Arets and manufactured by Lensvelt. The chairs were designed for the Leidsche Rijn College (LRC) in Utrecht, The Nethe...
Category

Early 2000s Dutch Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Bruno Rey for Dietiker Red Barstool
By Bruno Rey, Dietiker
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Bruno Rey for Dietiker, barstool, plywood, leather, metal, Switzerland, 1970s Constructed from vibrant red lacquered plywood, the stool exudes a sense of warmth and sophistication, ...
Category

Vintage 1970s Swiss Post-Modern Stools

Materials

Metal

Bruno Rey for Dietiker Red Barstool
Bruno Rey for Dietiker Red Barstool
$550
H 32.29 in W 17.33 in D 17.33 in
Late 19th Century Carved Wooden Lüsterweibchen Four-Light Chandelier
Located in Barntrup, DE
Unique and adorable late 19th or very early 20th-century smaller-size chandelier - Lüsterweibchen. Finely hand-carved from linden wood, a unique piece, made by a master wood carver ...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century German Medieval Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Brass

Authentic Vintage Industrial Cart Coffee Table Factory Shop Wood Steel and Iron
Located in Oakville, CT
Authentic, Original Vintage Industrial modern coffee table or cart, made from rough sawn pine, steel, metal, and cast iron. Wood top measures 32" x 32", overall dimensions measure 34...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Industrial Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

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Soda Blown Murano Glass High Coffee Table in Petrol by Yiannis Ghikas
By Yiannis Ghikas, Miniforms
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soda was born upside-down, with a puff of air. It weighs 20 kilos, and it is blown, drawn out and shaped by three master glassmakers. The result is a single volume of glass with thre...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Blown Glass

Set of Two Shagreen Nightstands with beveled drawers by R&Y Augousti
By R & Y Augousti
Located in New York, NY
The Paris based label has distinguished themselves since their launch, with their iconic use of shagreen mixed with brass and other exotic materials. All furniture is handcrafted by ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Night Stands

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Brass

Anza Upholstered Pouf with Floating Cushion
By Ryosuke Fukusada, Rui Pereira, Please Wait to be Seated
Located in Brooklyn, NY
For the past six years Portuguese designer Rui Pereira and Japanese designer Ryosuke Fukusada have been collaborating on projects that tap into their respective cultural heritage to ...
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21st Century and Contemporary Danish Modern Ottomans and Poufs

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Anza Upholstered Pouf with Floating Cushion
Anza Upholstered Pouf with Floating Cushion
From $1,054 / item
Indian RedStained BlackNatural OakCedar Green
H 16.93 in Dm 25.6 in
Set of 12 Contemporary Dining / Conference Chairs Fully Upholstered in Leather
Located in Kensington, MD
Set of 12 Contemporary Dining / Conference Chairs Fully Upholstered in Pearl Gray Leather Purchased from a leading advertising agency as used in one of their conference rooms Fully ...
Category

Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Upholstery

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Contemporary Shell Chairs For Sale on 1stDibs

Find a variety of contemporary shell chairs available on 1stDibs. The range of distinct contemporary shell chairs — often made from metal, fabric and chrome — can elevate any home. Find 8 antique and vintage contemporary shell chairs at 1stDibs now, or shop our selection of 2 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished furniture. Contemporary shell chairs have been made for many years, and versions that date back to the 20th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century. Mid-Century Modern and Modern contemporary shell chairs are consistently popular styles. Contemporary shell chairs have been a part of the life’s work for many furniture makers, but those produced by Contemporary Shells Inc., Arthur Umanoff and Uultis Design are consistently popular.

How Much are Contemporary Shell Chairs?

Contemporary shell chairs can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price at 1stDibs is $2,654, while the lowest priced sells for $550 and the highest can go for as much as $14,859.

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.