Elk Armchair
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Armchairs
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary French Armchairs
Bronze
Vintage 1940s Signs
Paper
Antique 19th Century German Black Forest Chairs
Antler, Fabric
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Leather
2010s American Animal Sculptures
Feathers
Vintage 1950s American Folk Art Signs
Sheet Metal
Vintage 1970s Swiss Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1960s Posters
Paper
Antique Mid-19th Century French Arms, Armor and Weapons
Steel
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Leather
Late 20th Century African Modern Historical Memorabilia
Other
Vintage 1950s American Steampunk Signs
Canvas
Antique Late 19th Century German Rustic Candlesticks
Antler
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Wall-mounted Sculptures
Wood
Antique 1890s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Animal Sculptures
Crystal, Gold Plate, Brass
Early 20th Century North American Other Glass
Cut Glass
Vintage 1980s French Posters
Linen, Paper
Vintage 1980s American Posters
Paper
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Art Deco Armchairs
Upholstery, Cotton
Antique Late 17th Century Swedish Baroque Armchairs
Lacquer
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Copper
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Aluminum
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Copper
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Aluminum
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Aluminum
Antique 19th Century Unknown Adirondack Armchairs
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Antique 19th Century Armchairs
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Copper
Unknown Armchairs
Leather, Upholstery
Antique Late 19th Century German Armchairs
Antler, Wood
Antique 19th Century German Chairs
Antler
Late 20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Iron
Late 20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Iron
Late 20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Iron
Late 20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Iron
Late 20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Iron
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Aluminum
Vintage 1960s American Armchairs
Late 20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Brass
Late 20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Brass
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Copper
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Copper
Late 20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Copper
20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Armchairs
Copper
Finding the Right armchairs for You
Armchairs have run the gamut from prestige to ease and everything in between, and everyone has an antique or vintage armchair that they love.
Long before industrial mass production democratized seating, armchairs conveyed status and power.
In ancient Egypt, the commoners took stools, while in early Greece, ceremonial chairs of carved marble were designated for nobility. But the high-backed early thrones of yore, elevated and ornate, were merely grandiose iterations of today’s armchairs.
Modern-day armchairs, built with functionality and comfort in mind, are now central to tasks throughout your home. Formal dining armchairs support your guests at a table for a cheery feast, a good drafting chair with a deep seat is parked in front of an easel where you create art and, elsewhere, an ergonomic wonder of sorts positions you at the desk for your 9 to 5.
When placed under just the right lamp where you can lounge comfortably, both elbows resting on the padded supports on each side of you, an upholstered armchair — or a rattan armchair for your light-suffused sunroom — can be the sanctuary where you’ll read for hours.
If you’re in the mood for company, your velvet chesterfield armchair is a place to relax and be part of the conversation that swirls around you. Maybe the dialogue is about the beloved Papa Bear chair, a mid-century modern masterpiece from Danish carpenter and furniture maker Hans Wegner, and the wingback’s strong association with the concept of cozying up by the fireplace, which we can trace back to its origins in 1600s-era England, when the seat’s distinctive arm protrusions protected the sitter from the heat of the period’s large fireplaces.
If the fireside armchair chat involves spirited comparisons, your companions will likely probe the merits of antique and vintage armchairs such as Queen Anne armchairs, Victorian armchairs or even Louis XVI armchairs, as well as the pros and cons of restoration versus conservation.
Everyone seems to have a favorite armchair and most people will be all too willing to talk about their beloved design. Whether that’s the unique Favela chair by Brazilian sibling furniture designers Fernando and Humberto Campana, who repurposed everyday objects to provocative effect; or Marcel Breuer’s futuristic tubular metal Wassily lounge chair; the functionality-first LC series from Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret; or the Eames lounge chair of the mid-1950s created by Charles and Ray Eames, there is an iconic armchair for everyone and every purpose. Find yours on 1stDibs right now.
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