Pair of Italian Crab-Form Grotto Chairs, Attributed to Pauly et Cie, Venice
By Pauly et Cie
Located in London, GB
The trend originated with the European nobility of the 18th and 19th centuries, who designed and built whole rooms as shell-encrusted pavilions, to resemble grottos. These chairs ar...
Velvet, Wood
Ch. 1102 Crab Chair by Peter Hedstrom
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by Eames molded plywood chair. This unique crab chair uses laminated bleach ashwood from Maine.
Bentwood
Crab Leg Lounge Chairs
Located in San Francisco, CA
Pair of american crab leg lounge chairs. Frames refinished in black lacquer and re-upholstered in a charcoal wool blend.
Wood
Set of Two Crab Chairs by Peter Hedstrom
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by Eames Molded plywood chair. This unique crab chair uses laminated bleach ash wood from Maine.
Mid 20th Century Design Crab Claw Chair
Located in London, GB
Crab Claw Chair with button back upholstery This fantastic Chair will add great style to any interior.
Fabric
Early Oak Wainscot Chair
Located in Sutton Coldfield, GB
Tobias Jellinek explains that the two things which distinguish the ‘caqueteuse’ from all other types of armchair are the trapezium shaped seat and the horizontal arms which are crook...
Oak
$1,520Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 36 in W 24 in D 21 in
French Pair of Armchair Carcasses, Montespan Style, 19th Century
Located in Montreal, Quebec
French pair of armchair carcasses, Montespan style, 19th century Very beautiful model and lovely wood finish, to be upholstered to your taste.
Wood
Pair of Early 20th-century Venetian Grotto Chairs
Located in San Francisco, CA
Odds are good that you haven't seen many of these, with their scallop shell backs and seats, dolphin-head arms, and particularly such strange, roughened, coral-textured legs suggesti...
Wood, Paint
$6,521 / set
H 39.38 in W 16.93 in D 15.75 in
Exquisite Pair of Chairs by Gabriel Viardot - France, Circa 1890
By Gabriel Viardot
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Rare and wonderful pair of "Pagoda" side chairs by Gabriel Viardot. Mahogany, with ivory and bronze detailing. The back medallions feature a dragon. Newly reupholstered with ve...
A Pair of Grotto Shell Chairs
Located in New York, NY
A pair of hand-carved fruitwood frames with stylized dolphin-form arm from the mid 1900s. The chairs has very high quality and are unusually generous in proportions. The height of th...
Fruitwood
Antique Venetian Carved Grotto Rocking Chair, ca. 1890
Located in Berghuelen, DE
An antique handcarved Venetian rocking chair in grotto design. Seat and backrest in the shape of sea shells, backrest supported by a sea horse. The base features fish heads and sea s...
Wood
A pair of large armchairs, early 20th century France.
Located in VILLERS-SUR-MER, FR
A pair of large red silk armchairs with high curved backs and rolled armrests. Early 20th century France.
Silk, Wood
Fantastic Pair of Venetian Grotto Style Side Chairs
Located in East Hampton, NY
Unique pair of Venetian style grotto chairs with seahorse carved back and scallop seats in a silvered wood.... the legs are carved in the shape of shells.
Wood
Pair of Shell Back Italian Grotto Armchairs
Located in Dallas, TX
A striking pair of Italian grotto-style armchairs featuring sculptural shell-form backs and a wonderfully theatrical silhouette. Inspired by the fanciful shell furniture associated w...
Wood
$6,500 / set
H 51.25 in W 23 in D 25 in
Antique Venetian Grotto Chairs, Hand Painted, Circa 1870s, Unique Pair
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Outstanding pair of Venetian carved and pierced wood grotto style side chairs. Beautifully painted by an artisan featuring faux marble seat supported by a garden urn. A very unique p...
Wood
$13,200Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 39 in W 27.5 in D 32 in
Pair of shell form carved chairs in a grotto style
Located in Houston, TX
The carving in this pair of chairs is spectacular due to the quality of the technique used To achieve the shape and whimsical nature of the design. The backs are gracefully curved I...
Mahogany
$2,928Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 30.71 in W 26.38 in D 27.56 in
Pair of Small Antique Horn Chairs, Austria ca. 1870
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Pair of Small Antique Horn Chairs, Austria ca. 1870 Item e5681 A pair small bull horn chairs ca. 1870, one covered with vintage cattle coat which has to be renewed (is loosing the ha...
Metal
Large Pair of 19th Century Oriental Armchairs
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very impressive large pair of Japanese carved softwood armchairs, each depicting carved exotic flowers and foliage.
Softwood
$10,513Sale Price / set|44% Off
H 49.61 in W 18.9 in D 19.69 in
Pair of Seashell Encrusted Chairs by J. Antony Redmile, around 1970
By J. Antony Redmile
Located in Berlin, DE
Evoking a whimsical, nautical fantasy, this pair of seashell-encrusted chairs by J. Antony Redmile, crafted in the United Kingdom around 1970, represent the pinnacle of decorative ar...
Shell, Beech
$20,801 / set
H 40.16 in W 26.38 in D 21.66 in
Pair of Aesthetic Movement Armchairs Attributed to G.Viardot, France, Circa 1880
By Gabriel Viardot
Located in PARIS, FR
These armchairs made of tinted wood are to be linked to another pair of armchairs executed by Gabriel Viardot, and now exhibited at the Decorative Arts Museum in Paris (Inv. 2006.105...
Fabric, Wood
$13,500 / set
H 43.13 in W 27.25 in D 18.25 in
Pair of Italian 18th Century Regence Fauteuils, Armchairs
Located in Round Top, TX
An outstanding and very elegant pair of Regence period Venetian Fauteuils - armchairs. Beautifully constructed from painted and gilt wood with stunning color and original silk uphols...
Wood
$4,272 / set
H 34.26 in W 25.99 in D 19.69 in
Pair of Antique French Louis XV Armchairs, Carved Wood & Cane, 1970
Located in Marbella, ES
An elegant pair of Louis XV-style armchairs, crafted from carved wood with delicate curved motifs and floral ornamentation. The backs and seats feature natural cane webbing, lending ...
Wicker, Wood
Fabergé Style Bejewelled and Enamelled Gold Egg by Asprey
By Asprey International Limited, Garrard & Co. Ltd.
Located in London, GB
This exceptional, 18 carat gold Easter egg was crafted by the famous London-based royal jewellers, Asprey & Co. The piece was then retailed by Garrard & Co, who once worked i...
Gold
$22,500
H 33 in W 26 in D 44 in
Italian Baroque Rocking Chair by Pauly & Co., 19th Century Silver Leaf
By Pauly & Co.
Located in Queens, NY
Italian Venetian Grotto (19th cent.) silver gilt rocker with carved seashell seat & back and seahorse sides (att: Pauly et Cie, Venice)
Silver Leaf
Sold|$1,100
H 9.85 in W 36.23 in D 13.19 in
Japanese antique wooden wabi-sabi low table / 1850-1912 / "Fu-zukue"
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
This wooden writing desk, known as a "Fu-zukue", dates back to the late Edo to Meiji period. Tatami culture has long been an integral part of Japanese life, where people sat on the ...
Cedar
20th Century Italian Rococo Bird Cage, Hand-Painted Metal & Wood
Located in Queens, NY
Italian Venetian style (20th Cent) octagonal shaped painted and decorated metal and wood bird cage with 8 upholstered seat and back cushions around base. (Franco Zefferelli Collection)
Metal
French Art Deco Pendant Chandelier by Genet et Michon
By Genet & Michon
Located in Long Island City, NY
A French Art Deco chandelier by the French artist " Gent et Michon " is in great condition. Both shades are in clear frosted glass with overflowing intricate flowers motif details su...
Bronze
$574,500
H 84 in W 56 in D 20 in
An Imperial Japanese Meiji Shibayama Tea Cabinet by The Tokugawa Samurai Clan
Located in Long Island City, NY, NY
An Imperial Japanese Meiji Shibayama Tea Ceremony Cabinet by The Tokugawa Samurai Clan. This extraordinary Meiji-period shibayama cabinet, attributed to the Tokugawa samurai clan, s...
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood, Lacquer
Ugo Trevisan Fireplace in Hammered Steel
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ugo Trevisan (Officina d’Arte), fireplace, hammered steel, copper, Italy, 1950s The Turin-based atelier Officina d’Arte was established by the Venetian-born metalworker and designe...
Copper, Steel
Shaped Post-Medieval Stained Glass Panel
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A late 19th century flower-shaped stained glass panel with a medieval style design dating from circa 1880. It’s unusual shape and vibrant colours will make an instant feature in any ...
Lead
Swedish Rococo Black Painted Fall Front Bureau, Circa 1770
Located in Kastrup, DK
Swedish Rococo fall front bureau crafted in the distinctive Scandinavian Rococo style, featuring elegantly curved sides and balanced proportions. The fall front opens to reveal a bea...
Brass
$10,800
H 26.78 in W 82.68 in D 44.49 in
Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena 'Toro' Sofa in Dark Forest Green Upholstery
By Azucena, Luigi Caccia Dominioni
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena, 'Toro' sofa, model ‘P20B', fabric, metal, Italy, 1979 This sofa model 'P20B Toro' is designed by Luigi Caccio Dominioni in Milan and produced by ...
Metal
Una 'Articolo Indeterminativo' Wood Chaise Longue
By Stefano Marolla
Located in Roma, IT
The chaise longue is the third piece of the collection Una (Articolo Indeterminativo) by Stefano Marolla. The name of the collection comes from the Italian grammar where the indeterm...
Wood
$2,000
H 59.06 in W 94.49 in D 0.2 in
F20 Japanese Antiques, Ink painting Noren (traditional Japanese curtain)
Located in Niiza, JP
unfolded size: Width *About 240cm Height *About 150cm 1-2kg Estimated packing size: 37 × 30 × 18cm 6kg A charming, off-white noren (traditional Japanese curtain). The fabric, w...
Linen
$114,727
H 61.82 in W 38.59 in D 22.05 in
17th Century Japanese Lacquer Cabinet On French Giltwood Regence Stand
Located in Benington, Herts
An Extremely Fine and Very Important 17th Century Japanese Lacquer Cabinet on French Giltwood Stand of Regence Period circa 1680-1690 Provenance Likely acquired by Herman Willem ...
Giltwood, Lacquer
$21,925
H 27.56 in Dm 15.36 in L 27.56 in
1921 René Lalique Ceiling Fixture Light Chandelier Deux Sirenes Mermaids Glass
By René Lalique
Located in Boulogne Billancourt, FR
Ceiling fixture light chandelier "Deux Sirenes" (Mermaids) made in glass created by René Lalique in 1921. Molded signature. New rops. New wiring. Original ceiling cap. Perfect con...
Blown Glass
$2,962Sale Price|75% Off
H 33 in W 22 in D 22 in
19th Century Venetian Gilded, Carved Wood Grotto Style Table
Located in Jensen Beach, FL
Mid-19th century, Venetian grotto style table. Shell form top, mythical dolphin, sitting atop three shell legs.
Giltwood
1940s Guillotine Cigar Cutter in Wood and Brass
Located in Madrid, ES
Unusual and highly decorative cigar cutter designed in the form of a traditional guillotine, dating from the 1940s. Crafted from a combination of wood and brass, this charming object...
Fruitwood
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.