UP7 Foot Sculpture by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, Italy, 2000s
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in DE KWAKEL, NL
A striking UP7 foot sculpture by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, part of his iconic UP series.
PU Foam
Gaetano Pesce B&B Italia UP7 iL PIEDE Foot Lounge Chair, Monumental 2000
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Miami, FL
Gaetano Pesce B&B Italia UP7 iL PIEDE Foot Lounge Chair, Monumental 2000 Offered for sale is a monumental UP7 "iL PIEDE" foot lounge chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia.
Plastic, Foam
$3,600Sale Price / item|20% Off
UP7 FOOT Lounge Chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia - Gran Salotto by Duplex
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In 1969, Gaetano Pesce designed Il Piede (UP7), the final piece in his renowned Up Series, which featured seven iconic seating elements.
Foam
UP7 Foot by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
Located in PARIS, FR
Born in La Spezia in 1939 and trained as an architect at the University of Venice, Gaetano Pesce spent six decades dismantling the conventions of Italian design from his studios in V...
Foam, Lacquer
Senzafine armchair with foot rest by Gaetano Pesce 2010s
Located in PARIS, FR
Born in La Spezia in 1939, Gaetano Pesce spent six decades dismantling the conventions of Italian design from his studios in Venice, Paris and finally New York. Trained as an archite...
Foam
Gaetano Pesce, "Foot"
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Utrecht, NL
Pesce, an Italian designer which was experimenting with new materials and unusual shapes inspired by life and emotions. The UP7 "Foot" armchair was designed in 1969 for B & B, Ital...
Foam
B&B Italia Up7 foot by Gaetano Pesce NEW condition!
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Izegem, BE
UP7 by Gaetano Pesce (°1939, Italy), designed in 1969, produced by B&B Italia, from the 2000 series.
Plastic
Sold
H 19.3 in W 63 in D 34.65 in
Gaetano Pesce, 1969 For B&B Italia "UP-7 Piede" Sculpture Lounge Chair "Foot"
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brussels, BE
Gaetano Pesce, 1969 for B&B Italia "UP-7 Piede" sculpture lounge chair "Foot".
Foam
Sold
H 33.08 in W 59.06 in D 23.63 in
Spectacular Early Version of Sofa Foot by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italy 1969.
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brussels, BE
Early version around 1970. Designed by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italy. Stamped underneath the sculpture.
Foam, Polystyrene
Gaetano Pesce Up7 Piede / Foot by B&B Italia, 1969
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Up-7 Piede / Foot by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, designed in 1969.
Foam
Gaetano Pesce Up7 Piede / Foot by B&B Italia, 1969
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Rare Up-7 Piede / Foot by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, 1969. It is made of polyurethane foam with a black coating.
Foam
"UP 7" Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italian Sculptural Foot
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Part of the smooth, somewhat futuristic collection of sculptural furniture pieces known as the UP Series by Gaetano Pesce is a giant polyurethane rubber foot dubbed the UP7.
Rubber
Sold
H 32.68 in W 65.75 in D 26.38 in
Italian Modern Black UP7 Foot Sculpture by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, 2000s
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian moder polyurethane with black coating UP7 foot sculpture by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia and reissued around 2000.
Plastic
Sold
H 33.08 in W 64.18 in D 26.38 in
Gaetano Pesce, 1969 for B&B Italia "Up-7 Piede" Sculpture Lounge Chair "Foot"
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Munster, NRW
Designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969 for B&B Italia. The legendary "UP-7" foot is made of flexible cold-shaped polyurethane foam with a smooth and flexible black coating.
Foam, Coating
Sold
H 33.08 in W 64.18 in D 26.38 in
Gaetano Pesce, 1969 for B&B Italia "Up-7 Piede" Sculpture Lounge Chair "Foot"
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Munster, NRW
Designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969 for B&B Italia. The legendary "UP-7" foot is made of flexible cold-shaped polyurethane foam with a smooth and flexible black coating.
Foam, Coating
Sold
H 33.08 in W 64.18 in D 26.38 in
Gaetano Pesce, 1969 for B&B Italia "UP-7 Piede" Sculpture Lounge Chair "Foot"
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Munster, NRW
Designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969 for B&B Italia The legendary "UP-7" foot is made of flexible cold-shaped polyurethane foam with a smooth and flexible black coating.
Foam, Coating
Sold
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in
Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia UP5 Black Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Restored, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Milano, IT
The image of comfort and convenience is therefore combined with the more figurative image of a woman with a ball and chain at her foot. Gaetano Pesce explains the project as follows:...
Fabric, Jute, Nylon
Sold
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in L 40.56 in
UP5 La Mamma UP 2000 Chair & UP6 Ball Ottoman by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Izegem, VWV
But that’s not all: a spherical ottoman tied to the armchair contrasts the image of comfort and convenience with a more figurative one of a woman with a ball and chain tied to her fo...
Fabric, Foam, Latex, Polyester
Sold
H 40.5 in W 47.25 in D 51.13 in
B&B Italia UP 2000 Series Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Special Edition Striped
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Therefore, the image of comfort and convenience is combined with a more figurative image of a woman with a ball and chain on her foot. Gaetano Pesce explains the project as follows: ...
Fabric
Sold
H 32 in W 23 in D 64 in
Up7 "Il Piede" Foot Lounge Chair in Black by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Modern Black UP7 foot sculpture lounge chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, 2000s.
Foam
Gaetano Pesce Up7 Piede / Foot by B&B Italia, 1969
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Up-7 Piede / Foot by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, designed in 1969.
Foam
Gaetano Pesce Up7 Piede / Foot by B&B Italia, 1969
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Up-7 Piede / Foot by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, designed in 1969.
Foam
Gaetano Pesce Up7 Piede / Foot by B&B Italia, 1969
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Rare Up-7 Piede / Foot by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, 1969. It is made of polyurethane foam with a black coating.
Foam
Sold
H 33.08 in W 64.18 in D 26.38 in
Gaetano Pesce, 1969 for B&B Italia "UP-7 Piede" Sculpture Lounge Chair "Foot"
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Munster, NRW
Designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969 for B&B Italia The legendary "UP-7" foot is made of flexible cold-shaped polyurethane foam with a smooth and flexible black coating.
Foam, Coating
Sold
H 33.08 in W 64.18 in D 26.38 in
Gaetano Pesce, 1969 for B&B Italia "UP-7 Piede" Sculpture Lounge Chair "Foot"
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Munster, NRW
Designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969 for B&B Italia The legendary "UP-7" Foot is made of flexible cold-shaped polyurethane foam with a smooth and flexible black coatin...
Foam, Coating
Gaetano Pesce Up 5 Lounge Chair with Ottoman
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Madrid, ES
The image of comfort and convenience is combined with the more figurative image of a woman with a ball and chain at her foot. Gaetano Pesce explained the design as follows: "At that ...
Fabric, Upholstery
Sold
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in
Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia UP5 Black Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Restored, 1970s
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Milano, IT
The image of comfort and convenience is therefore combined with the more figurative image of a woman with a ball and chain at her foot. Gaetano Pesce explains the project as follows:...
Fabric, Jute, Nylon
Chair & Foot Rest by Gaetano Pesce for C&B (B&B) Italia
Located in London, London
Chair & Foot Rest designed by Gaetano Pesce for C&B (B&B) Italia 1969.
Sold
H 32.68 in W 26.38 in D 63.78 in
1969 UP7 "Foot" Armchair or Sculpture by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Italian designer experimenting with new materials and unusual shapes inspired by life and emotions, he created this UP7 "Foot" armchair in 1969 for B & B Italia. The foot is made of...
Foam
Oversized Foot Sculpture by Gaetano Pesce
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Designed by Italy's Gaetano Pesce, and produced in 1969 as the "UP7" series by B&B Italia, this fantasy foot is Pop Art at it's finest!
Amazonia Series Vase by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Fish Design
Located in Providence, RI
Amazonia series vase by Gaetano Pesce. multicolored resin. Stamped on foot "Fish Design".
Resin
$6,774 / set
H 40.56 in W 51.19 in D 47.25 in
Up Du5 and Du6 Armchair and Ottoman by Gaetano Pesce for B&B, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Roma, IT
Armchair Gaetano Pesce for b&b - ITitalia series UP DU5 and DU6. Measures: 103 x 120 x 130 cm. It includes ottoman diameter 60 cm. An icon on international post-war design, and one...
Metal
$11,517 / item
H 51.19 in W 28.75 in D 25.99 in
Gaetano Pesce Feltri Felt Armchair for Cassina, Wool Upholstery, Italy
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gaetano Pesce Feltri Felt Chair For Cassina Crafted using a patented Cassina production technique, Feltri is a symbol of cutting-edge design, the result of representational research...
Polyester
$7,693 / set
H 40.16 in W 47.25 in D 43.31 in L 40.16 in
UP5 La Big Mamma Chair & UP6 Ottoman Gaetano Pesce, 2000s
Located in PARIS, FR
Designed in 1969 by Gaetano Pesce for C&B Italia — soon to become B&B Italia — the UP5/6, known as "La Mamma" or "Donna," remains one of the most politically charged objects ...
Fabric, Foam
Up5 La Mamma Chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1960s. Italy Reupholstered in furrish brown fabric.
Fabric
$4,150
H 34.7 in W 25.2 in D 8.27 in
Meritalia Some of Us Floor Lamp by Gaetano Pesce, Resin & Metal, Italy
By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory
Located in Toronto, ON
Created through a process that celebrates imperfection and unconventionality, the luminous objects by Edizioni del Pesce embody Gaetano Pesce's distinctive philosophy. Each luminous ...
Metal
Baisity lounge chair by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia
By B&B Italia, Antonio Citterio
Located in Athens, Attiki
Black leather lounge chair Baisity designed by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia, 1980s The Baisity armchair has some unique design features. The front is raised on castors, the back ...
Leather
$6,028Sale Price|30% Off
H 33.47 in W 33.47 in D 39.38 in
Bambole Lounge chair by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Wien, AT
The Bambole lounge chair is part of the Le Bambole series, which was designed in 1973. Bambole is a timelessly modern icon and an expression of first-class Made in Italy design. What...
Leather
$7,905 / set
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in
MINT Black UP5 La Big Mamma UP 2000 Chair & UP6 Ottoman Gaetano Pesce B&B Italia
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Basel, BS
Beautiful original Gaetano UP5 + UP6, marked and labeled. Chair and ottoman set, sold together. Incredible like new condition. Mint, exquisite condition. This is a truly stunning exa...
Fabric, Upholstery, Foam
$5,210 / item
H 48.04 in W 40.95 in D 35.44 in
Original Shadow Armchair by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia, Postmodern Icon
By Meritalia, Michel Ducaroy, Ligne Roset, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Shadow armchair by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia is a highly collectible iconic masterpiece of Post Modern Design. The chair "deconstructed". Designed and made in limited numbers in 2...
Leather, Upholstery, Latex, Resin
Gaetano Pesce Chair for Cassina 1980 80s
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Gaetano Pesce chair for Cassina. Model: Dalila Due Plastic painted in dark red. Rare chair in the style of Gaetano Pesce 's Radicale era. It's dark and decadent.
Plastic
$13,500
H 30 in W 52 in D 32 in
'Le Bambole' Lounge Chair by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, 1970s Italy
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning Le Bambole chaise lounge chair by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia. Made in Italy and presented here with its original 1970s wool felt upholstery in Camel in fantastic condition...
Fabric, Foam
$2,795
H 28 in W 36 in D 34 in
Original Issue B&B Italia Armchair Series UP 2000 UP 3 by Gaetano Pesce, 1969!
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in New York, NY
A Rare, Original Production of a design icon, Series Up 2000, Up 3 Armchair / Lounge Chair by the legendary designer Gaetano Pesce for the premiere Italian manufacturer, B&B Ital...
Upholstery, Foam, Beech
$2,482
H 26.5 in W 36 in D 35 in
B&B / B&C Italia Up3 Up 2000 Series Arm Chair in Black by Gaetano Pesce
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Basel, BS
Gorgeous UP3 Armchair by Gaetano Pesce in black. What a beauty!!!! The B&B Italia Up3 Armchair, part of Gaetano Pesce’s renowned Up 2000 series, exemplifies the innovation and bold...
Fabric, Foam
$3,559 / set
H 26.78 in W 35.44 in D 37.41 in
Italian Design UP1 Lounge Chairs by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, 2000s
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Renens, CH
UP1 Lounge Chairs, designed in 1969 by Gaetano Pesce for C&B Italia (now B&B Italia): These lounge chairs are known for their distinctive, sculptural round form, and due to their s...
Fabric, Foam
$8,497
H 32.68 in W 26.38 in D 63.78 in
Original Sculpture / Seat Mod Up7 Designed by Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Ibiza, Spain
The large seat/sculpture mod. Up7, designed by the renowned Italian architect and designer Gaetano Pesce in 1969, represents a milestone in contemporary furniture design. Produced by...
Plastic
$3,329
H 30.71 in W 19.69 in D 18.9 in
Avant Garde Lounge Chair by Ammannati & Giampiero for Brunati, 1980s
By Titina Ammannati and Giampiero Vitelli, Brunati
Located in Renens, CH
Unusual reclining lounge chair designed by Titina Ammanati and Vitelli Giampiero for Brunati, Italy during the 1980s. The backrest and footrest can be adjusted to provide a more rec...
Metal
$12,043 / item
H 43.31 in W 82.68 in D 55.12 in
Brass and Alabaster Three Globes Mobile Chandelier by Glustin Luminaires
By Glustin Creation
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Mobile kinetic chandelier made of three patinated brass arms of light each holding different sized alabaster globes and counterweight to ensure the balance of the piece. Original ...
Alabaster, Brass
$6,300Sale Price|30% Off
H 28 in W 161 in D 37 in
Postmodern Sculptural Curved Serpentine Sectional Snake Sofa
By Milo Baughman
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Monumental serpentine snake sectional sofa in the style of Vladimir Kagan and Milo Baughman. This unique modular curved sofa consists of three interlocking sections reupholstered in ...
Upholstery, Ultrasuede, Wood
Lamp "Fuoco" by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia, 2000s
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in PARIS, FR
Rare Gaetano Pesce fuoco lamp for Meritalia. Very few items edited. Molded manufacturer's mark and signature to rooftop written : ‘L’architettura astratta ripetitiva standard globa...
Epoxy Resin
Dedo Mirror
By Project 213A
Located in Macieira de Sarnes, PT
DEDO MIRROR No1, designed in 2025. Artisanal ceramic mirror is crafted by skilled artisans in Project 213A's own ceramic workshop. The frame is decorated with sculptural finger or...
Ceramic, Mirror
$1,381 / set
H 14.57 in Dm 11.82 in
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Set of 3 Triple Play Coffee Table L Red Blue Yellow
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Triple Play coffee table - Red, blue and yellow Set of 3 tables in hard resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection Colours: Red, blue, yellow Dimensions for ...
Resin
Custom George Smith Espresso Tufted Leather Sofa
By George Smith
Located in New York, NY
An original custom made soft mottled dark espresso leather tufted with brass tacks and mahogany wood legs by famed bespoke British furniture maker, George Smith. Original label. Exc...
Leather, Hardwood
Unique Sculptural Pine Chair
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
"Vertebrae" chair great form and design.
Pine
Bed by Astarte Milano, Italy, 1970s
By Astarte Milano
Located in bruxelles, BE
Dark brown fiberglass bed designed by Astarte Milan in the 1970s. It is composed of 4 modules that are fixed together. It has the original metal base and original protective cover. W...
Metal
Iris C185 Candleholder by Casarialto
By Casarialto
Located in Milan, IT
A superb design masterfully handcrafted of mouth-blown glass, this candle holder is created in co-creation with Summerill and Bishop London. From the sketch of Summerill and Bishop L...
Glass
The Forsyth Mushroom Pouf in Dedar 'This Is The Tiger Speaking'
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
Our Mushroom Pouf is designed by Forsyth and handcrafted in Saint Louis. A cute decorative piece for any room adding natural texture and a bit of whimsy. The perfect ottoman or extra...
Velvet
Horsechair by J.M. Szymanski: Horsehair & Blackened Iron
By J.M. Szymanski
Located in Bronx, NY
HORSECHAIR NO. 2 J.M. Szymanski d. 2021 Contemporary furniture at its finest. Horsehair textile and blackened iron are combined to create an exciting juxtaposition of elements....
Steel, Iron
Anna Karlin Ceramic Bar Cabinet
By Anna Karlin
Located in New York, NY
A monumental cabinet clad in handmade ceramic tiles which are curved to fit the contour of the piece, and punctuated with sculptural appliques. The interior is a rich cerused oak, wi...
Brass, Steel
Historic Industrial Iron Spiral Staircase from Boeing's Plant 2
Located in Seattle, WA
Step into history with this remarkable cast iron spiral staircase, once a part of Boeing Plant 2 a legendary factory built in 1936 in Seattle, Washington, USA. This architectural pie...
Iron
$33,873
H 49.22 in W 94.49 in D 34.65 in
limited edition Tramonto A New York Sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Berlin, DE
1 of 50 limited edition Tramonto A New York Sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina For the three-seater sofa, the padded skyscrapers are upholstered in an exclusive fabric with a raised t...
Fabric
$13,205 / item
H 28.35 in W 55.12 in D 38.19 in
Le Corbusier LC16 Desk and Shelve and Cabanon Stools Set by Cassina
By Le Corbusier, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Writing desk designed by Le Corbusier in 1957. Relaunched in 2010. Maison du Brésil and Cabanon Stools designed by Le Corbusier in 1952-59. Relaunched in 2010. Manufactured by Cass...
Wood
Hans Wegner Black Flag Halyard Chair PP225 by PP Mobler
By PP Møbler
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
The Hans Wegner Black Flag Halyard Chair PP225 by PP Mobler is an iconic expression of mid-century design, crafted with quality materials for everyday use. Its back seat provides a c...
Steel
Gaetano Pesce was of a generation of Italian architects who in the early 1960s rebelled against the industrial perfection of modernism by conceiving new furniture and objects that were at once expressive and eccentric in form; or you might say they were more like art than functionalist design.
Born in the picturesque coastal Italian city of La Spezia in 1939, Pesce was a precocious talent who could have forged a career as an artist but opted instead to go to Venice to study architecture because, as he has said, it was “the most complex of all the arts.” Rather than having new worlds opened to him at design school, however, Pesce found the rationalist curriculum oppressive in its insistence on standardization and prescribed materials and technologies.
Pesce wanted to explore the latest of both materials and technologies to create objects and buildings never before imagined, with what he called “personalities” that spoke to the issues of the day. He was keen to examine ways to diversify mass production so that each manufactured work could be distinct.
In 1964, Pesce met Cesare Cassina, of the forward-looking furniture company C&B Italia in Milan (now known as B&B Italia), for whom he would create many important designs, beginning with a collection of what he called “transformational furniture” — two chairs and a loveseat — made entirely out of high-density polyurethane foam. To make the pieces easy to ship and cost-efficient, he proposed that after being covered in a stretch jersey, they be put in a vacuum, then heat-sealed flat between vinyl sheets. Once the foam was removed from its packaging, the piece returned to its original shape — hence, the name Up for the series, which debuted in 1969.
In addition to these pieces, Pesce proposed for the collection something he referred to as an “anti-armchair,” which took the shape of a reclining fertility goddess, the iconic Donna.
Producing the piece's complex form turned out to be a technical challenge. Bayer, the foam’s manufacturer, deemed it impossible to accomplish. Pesce persisted and came up with a new procedure, demonstrating not only the designer’s key role in researching the nature and potential of new materials but also his vital importance in “doubting rules.” The Up chair and accompanying ottoman were born, and they were revolutionary in more ways than one.
In the early 1970s, Pesce began exploring one of his key concepts, the idea of the industrial originals. Employing a mold without air holes, and adding a blood-red dye to the polyurethane, he cast a bookcase that resembled a demolished wall, the rough edges of the shelves and posts resulting from fissures in the material made by trapped air.
Through his research into polyurethane, Pesce figured out a way to make a loveseat and armchair using only a simple wood frame and strong canvas covering as a mold. Since the fabric developed random folds during the injection process, the pieces were similar but not identical. Cassina named the suite of furnishings Sit Down and introduced it in 1975. By experimenting with felt soaked in polyurethane and resin, Pesce conceived I Feltri, another collection of armchairs introduced by Cassina in 1987.
Pesce went on to live a life that defied expectation and convention and along the way became one of the most seminal figures in art and design.
Find vintage Gaetano Pesce chairs, sofas, vases and more on 1stDibs.
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.