Art Nouveau 1910 Armchair Light Brown Bamboo Emilio Paoli Firenze
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Art Nouveau 1910 liberty armchair light brown bamboo in original patina for an original. Elegant, unique of its kind and very rare, the supporting structure seems to be a sculpture.
Bamboo
$15,346
H 31.5 in W 31.5 in D 36.62 in
Monofilo Armchair by Grassi, Conti and Forlani for Emilio Paoli, Italy, 1959
By Luciano Grassi
Located in Argelato, BO
Monofilo chairs are very rare handcrafted creations made from the union of nylon and iron, conceived in post-war Florence they amaze for the extraordinary visionary nature of the pro...
Iron
$42,000
H 32.29 in W 35.83 in D 31.5 in
Sergio Conti, Marisa Forlani and Luciano Grassi for 'Artigianato' Lounge Chair
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Dating back to 1895, Emilio Paoli established a small household items company in Florence, Italy, which rose to prominence as a producer of straw products.
Iron
"Monofilo-Chair" by Conti, Grassi, Forlani, Emilio Paoli, 1962
By Marisa Forlani, Sergio Conti, Luciano Grassi
Located in Berlin, DE
"Monofilo-Chair" by Sergio Conti, Luciano Grassi, Marisa Forlani, manufactured by Emilio Paoli, 1962
Iron
Sold
H 25.99 in W 31.89 in D 30.32 in
‘Cesto’ Chairs by Grassi, Conti and Forlani for Emilio Paoli, Italy, circa 1959
By Paoli, Luciano Grassi, Marisa Forlani, Sergio Conti
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Rare pair of 'Cesto' chairs by Luciano Grassi, Sergio Conti and Marisa Forlani by Emilio Paoli, Italy circa. 1959. The chairs are from the 'Monofilo' series.
Iron
Fischer Chair by Luciano Grassi, Sergio Conti & Marisa Forlani
By Luciano Grassi, Marisa Forlani, Sergio Conti
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Rare Fischer chair by Luciano Grassi, Sergio Conti & Marisa Forlani, Italy, circa 1958, in black painted metal and nylon, from the Monofilo series, manufactured by Emilio Paoli, Flor...
Metal
$1,800 / item
H 26 in W 18 in D 18 in
Bertu Counter Stool, Cicely Modern Sheepskin Counter Stool, White Oak
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Bertu Counter Stool, Cicely Modern Sheepskin Counter Stool, White Oak This Modern Cicely Counter Stool with Sheepskin Seat is beautifully constructed from solid white oak in Ohio, ...
Sheepskin, Wood, Oak
$3,305 / item
H 14 in W 48 in D 8 in
4-foot Pendant Light in Black Walnut with Brass Fixtures by Hinterland Design
By Hinterland Design
Located in Vancouver, BC
It’s believed that ancient Egyptians may have had the technology to harness electricity and create light thousands of years ago. This technology is referred to as the light of the De...
Brass
Vladimir Kagan "Zoe" Sofa, 2000s
By Vladimir Kagan, American Leather
Located in Coronado, CA
A stunning and sophisticated serpentine sofa by Vladimir Kagan for American Leather circa 2000s. This piece has been masterfully reupholstered: the front back and the bottom band fea...
Fabric
$4,485
H 19.1 in W 40.01 in D 16.15 in
A MID-CENTURY-MODERN MODERNIST COFFEE TABLE att. to GUSTAVE GAUTIER, France 1950
By Gustave Gautier, Jacques Adnet
Located in PARIS, FR
An elegant architectural and square rectangular coffee table, Mod-Century-Modern, Modernist, Constructivist, black geometric structure made of square-section metal tubes, with a grap...
Metal
LU Mono Spot Sconce S
By Lumfardo Luminaires
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The sharply elegant LU Mono Spot Sconce S (switch) is an all brass wall spot sconce inspired by mid century Italian design. Created as a fully directional sconce in a lightly patinat...
Brass
$10,660 / item
H 33.47 in W 32.29 in D 32.29 in
Brutalist Black Leather Lounge Chair with Cast Brass Legs, Egg Designs
By Egg Designs
Located in Bothas Hill, KZN
A commanding interpretation of Brutalist design, this sculptural lounge chair explores weight, proportion, and material contrast through a distinctly contemporary lens. Its bold, arc...
Brass
Italian Large Cabinet in Teak and Geometric Fronts
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Wardrobe or highboard, teak, Italy, 1950s Beautiful cabinet originating from Italy. This spacious 1950s piece showcases timeless modernist elegance. The graphic front of this cabine...
Teak
Studio BBPR Urania Armchair for Arflex, Italy, 1954
By Arflex, Studio BBPR
Located in Milan, IT
Studio BBPR "Urania" Armchair for Arflex, Italy, 1954 reupholstered in bright curry yellow fabric.
Metal
$13,575 / item
H 49.22 in Dm 70.87 in
Brass and Parchment Paper Chandelier by Diego Mardegan for Glustin Luminaires
By Diego Mardegan
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Impressive chandelier made of white enameled brass arms holding six beautiful parchment paper shades, which can be adjusted thanks to the handle of each socket. Signed by the arti...
Brass
$22,000
H 29.53 in W 55.12 in D 55.12 in
Gianfranco Fini for Poltronova 'Regolo' Square Dining Table in Pine and Glass
By Poltronova
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gianfranco Fini for Poltronova, 'Regolo' dining table, pine, glass, Italy, 1975 This dining table by Gianfranco Fini for Poltronova, introduced in in 1975, is a truly special piece ...
Glass, Pine
Echo Outdoor Lounge Chair
By DING DONG
Located in Matosinhos, 13
Ding Dong presents its first outdoor collection, Echo. Inspired by the echo of a longtime memory built within the beauty of the natural greenery, this collection appeals to the sinuo...
Metal
$18,700
H 35.63 in W 89.38 in D 32.68 in
Rare René Drouet Three-Seat Sofa in Olive Green Velvet and Walnut
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Attributed to René Drouet, three-seat sofa, corduroy velvet, walnut, France, 1930s Attributed to the French decorator René Drouet, this sofa is an example of French Art Deco. The st...
Velvet, Walnut
André Sornay Large Cabinet in Oregon Pine and Copper
Located in Waalwijk, NL
André Sornay, large cabinet, Oregon pine, copper, France, circa 1934 This large cabinet, designed by André Sornay around 1934, exemplifies his idiosyncratic approach to design. Craf...
Copper
$11,000 / set
H 30.71 in W 19.69 in D 19.49 in
Mario Marenco for Mobil Girgi Set of Four 'Sapporo' Dining Chairs in Walnut
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Marenco for Mobil Girgi, set of four dining chairs model ‘Sapporo’, walnut, leather, Italy, 1970s A stunning set of dining chairs designed by Mario Marenco in the 1970s, craft...
Leather, Walnut
The 'Nanna' Pendant Light - By TallBoy
Located in Malton, GB
This is our 'Nanna' Pendant light. The Norse goddess of joy and peace. Wife of Baldr. Made from forged steel right here in Yorkshire by Sam our incredible blacksmith. The wh...
Steel
$37,500 / set
H 29.93 in W 17.72 in D 20.08 in
Guglielmo Pecorini Dining Room Set with Chairs and Table in Wood
By Guglielmo Pecorini
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Guglielmo Pecorini, dining room set, chestnut, pine, Italy, 1950s Striking dining set by Italian designer Guglielmo Pecorini, consisting of a freeform table and five sculptural chai...
Pine, Chestnut
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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