Desmalter Chairs
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Side Chairs
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century French Bergere Chairs
Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Empire Revival Bergere Chairs
Ormolu
Antique 1810s French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique Early 1800s French Empire Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Mahogany
Antique Late 18th Century French Directoire Chairs
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique 1790s French Directoire Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Antique 19th Century French Empire Revival Side Chairs
Ormolu
Antique Early 1800s French Empire Sofas
Bronze
Antique Early 1800s French Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Revival Living Room Sets
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Bookcases
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Armchairs
Wood
Antique 1770s French Louis XVI Armchairs
Wood, Linen
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
People Also Browsed
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Sofas
Wood, Giltwood
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Center Tables
Marble
20th Century Russian Neoclassical Vases
Malachite, Ormolu
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Bergere Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Wood
Antique Early 18th Century French Baroque Western European Rugs
Silk, Wool
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Cabinets
Carrara Marble, Ormolu
20th Century French Floor Lamps
Crystal
Antique 1780s Italian Neoclassical Daybeds
Gold Leaf
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Vintage 1950s English Renaissance Beds and Bed Frames
Oak
Antique 1890s French Art Nouveau Daybeds
Iron
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Chaise Longues
Mahogany
2010s British Louis XVI Beds and Bed Frames
Wood
Early 1800s French School Figurative Sculptures
Marble
1660s Portrait Paintings
Oil
Recent Sales
Antique Early 1800s French Napoleon Armchairs
Beech
Antique 19th Century French Empire Tables
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century French Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Antique 1760s French Louis XVI Chairs
Fabric, Paint, Wood
Antique 19th Century French Console Tables
Marble
Antique 19th Century French Sofas
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Chairs
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Revival Chairs
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French First Empire Chairs
Mahogany
1990s European Empire Club Chairs
Antique 19th Century French Chairs
Giltwood
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Silk, Mahogany
Antique 1810s French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Side Tables
Marble, Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Desks
Ormolu
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Louis XVI Armchairs
Wood
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Louis XVI Benches
Antique 1870s French Louis XVI Armchairs
Giltwood
Antique 1770s French Louis XVI Armchairs
Beech, Linen
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Revival Chairs
Mahogany
Antique 1830s French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Neoclassical Side Chairs
Antique 1810s French Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century French Directoire Chairs
Mahogany
Antique Early 1800s French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Chairs
Fruitwood
Antique 19th Century French Side Chairs
Giltwood, Silk
20th Century French Armchairs
Mahogany, Silk
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Armchairs
Antique 1880s Victorian Armchairs
Antique Late 18th Century French Directoire Armchairs
Beech
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Canapes
Fruitwood
Desmalter Chairs For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Desmalter Chairs?
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.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
Julien Sebban’s energetic design collective is radically reshaping the look of 21st-century European furniture and interiors.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
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.
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.