Fan Back Sofa

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal fan back sofa for your home. Frequently made of wood, fabric and metal, every fan back sofa was constructed with great care. There are 12 variations of the antique or vintage fan back sofa you’re looking for, while we also have 17 modern editions of this piece to choose from as well. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect fan back sofa — we have versions that date back to the 19th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. When you’re browsing for the right fan back sofa, those designed in mid-century modern, Art Deco and Baroque styles are of considerable interest. Many designers have produced at least one well-made fan back sofa over the years, but those crafted by Pieter Compernol, Stephanie Grusenmeyer & Jerôme Barrier, Pieter Compernol & Stephanie Grusenmeyer and COR are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

A fan back sofa can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $5,800, while the lowest priced sells for $380 and the highest can go for as much as $28,000.

Black leather, silk velvet cushions, breathable bouclé fabric — when shopping for antique or vintage sofas, today’s couch connoisseurs have much to choose from in terms of style and shape. But it wasn’t always thus. 

The sofa is typically defined as a long upholstered seat that features a back and arms and is intended for two or more people. While the term “couch” comes from the Old French couche, meaning to lie down, and sofa has Eastern origins, both are forms of divan, a Turkish word that means an elongated cushioned seat. Bench-like seating in Ancient Greece, which was padded with soft blankets, was called klinai. No matter how you spell it, sofa just means comfort, at least it does today.

In the early days of sofa design, upholstery consisted of horsehair or dried moss. Sofas that originated in countries such as France during the 17th century were more integral to decor than they were to comfort. Like most Baroque furnishings from the region, they frequently comprised heavy, gilded mahogany frames and were upholstered in floral Beauvais tapestry. Today, options abound when it comes to style and material, with authentic leather offerings and classy steel settees. Plush, velvet chesterfields represent the platonic ideal of coziness. 

Vladimir Kagan’s iconic sofa designs, such as the Crescent and the Serpentine — which, like the sectional sofas of the 1960s created by furniture makers such as Harvey Probber, are quite popular among mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts — showcase the spectrum of style available to modern consumers. Those looking to make a statement can turn to Studio 65’s lip-shaped Bocca sofa, which was inspired by the work of Salvador Dalí. Elsewhere, the furniture of the 1970s evokes an era when experimentation ruled, or at least provided a reason to break the rules. Just about every area of society felt a sudden urge to be wayward, to push boundaries — and buttons. Vintage leather sofas of that decade are characterized by a rare blending of the showy and organic.

With so many options, it’s important to explore and find the perfect furniture for your space. Paying attention to the lines of the cushions as well as the flow from the backrest into the arms is crucial to identifying a cohesive new piece for your home or office.

Fortunately, with styles from every era — and even round sofas — there’s a luxurious piece for every space. Deck out your living room with an Art Deco lounge or go retro with a nostalgic '80s design. No matter your sitting vision, the right piece is waiting for you in the expansive collection of unique sofas on 1stDibs.