$10,549
H 36.62 in W 31.11 in D 35.44 in
Kurt Olsen Model 221 Armchair in Élitis Tweed Fabric, Slagelse Møbelfabrik, 1955
By Slagelse Mobelvaerk, Kurt Olsen, Élitis
Located in The Hague, NL
, brown, and pale blue lend depth. Often affectionately referred to as Kurt Olsen’s “Papa Bear”—a nod to
Fabric, Upholstery, Oak, Teak
$6,200
H 31 in W 70 in D 34 in
Mid-Century Danish Modern Sofa by Kurt Olsen Model 220 Papa Bear Style, 1960's
By Slagelse Mobelvaerk, Kurt Olsen
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian designed sofa by Kurt Olsen for Slagelse Mobelvaerk as Model 220
Wool
Kurt Olsen 'Papa Bear' Model 220 Sofa by Slagelse Møbevaerk
By Slagelse Mobelvaerk, Kurt Olsen
Located in Ottawa, ON
Sofa designed by Kurt Olsen and manufactured in Denmark by Slagelse Møbelvaerk. The back of the
Teak
Kurt Olsen Papa Bear Chair in Alpaca Wool, Denmark, 1955
By Kurt Olsen
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Stunning large lounge chair model 221 designed by Kurt Olsen and manufactured by Slagelse
Alpaca, Teak
Kurt Olsen Model-220 “Papa Bear” Sofa for Slagelse Mobelvaerk
By Kurt Olsen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Designer: Kurt Olsen Manufacturer: Slagelse Mobelvaerk Period/Style: Danish Modern Country
Teak
Danish Modern “Papa Bear” Sofa
By Kurt Olsen
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Danish modern teak “Papa Bear” sofa in the style of Kurt Olsen.
Fabric, Teak
Unique and Very Rare Kurt Olsen Lounge Chair "Papa Bear"
By Kurt Olsen
Located in Appeltern, Gelderland
Very rare and exclusive lounge chair "papa bear" by Kurt Olsen by Slagelse, Denmark. The chair is
Teak
Sold
H 36.62 in W 32.29 in D 35.44 in
Midcentury Unique and Very Rare Set Kurt Olsen Lounge Chairs "Papa Bear"
By Slagelse Mobelvaerk, Kurt Olsen
Located in Appeltern, Gelderland
Very rare and exclusive lounge chairs "papa bear" by Kurt Olsen by Slagelse Denmark in Cedar. The
Cedar
Sold
H 36.62 in W 32.29 in D 35.44 in
Midcentury Unique and Very Rare Set Kurt Olsen Lounge Chairs "Papa Bear"
By Slagelse Mobelvaerk, Kurt Olsen
Located in Appeltern, Gelderland
Very rare and exclusive lounge chairs "papa bear" by Kurt Olsen by Slagelse Denmark in Cedar. The
Cedar
"Papa Bear" style Armchair by Kurt Olsen
Located in Hudson, NY
Danish mid-century modern armchair in the style of Hans Wegner's Papa Bear chair, upholstered in
Leather Meander Wall Sconce
Located in Pound Ridge, NY
Our updated Meander Reader light with leather wrapped flexible arm and a larger cone shade and new upward angle feature. Bulb can be fully recessed. Comes with suggested LED bulb. ...
Brass
$8,322 / set
H 23.63 in W 4.34 in D 2.37 in
Brass and Alabaster Curved and Long Wall Sconces by Glustin Luminaires
By Glustin Creation
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
New wall sconces by Glustin Luminaires, made of a single rounded and curved carved alabaster piece sat on a light bronze-finish brass backplate. Due to the nature of the alabaste...
Alabaster, Brass
Pins Medium Side Table
By Marioni
Located in Milan, IT
Colorful and sophisticated, this side table will make an elegant statement in a contemporary living room, where it can be displayed alone or combined with others in the same Pins col...
Brass
$10,500
H 28.5 in W 86 in D 34 in
Expertly Restored - Milo Baughman Rosewood Case Sofa for Thayer Coggin
By Milo Baughman, Thayer Coggin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precision. With over 17 years of artisanal exper...
Upholstery, Foam, Rosewood
Early Marco Zanuso Lady Chair, Italy, 1960s, New Pure Mohair
By Marco Zanuso
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
An early, authentic Marco Zanuso lady chair, Arflex, Italy, 1960s. Newly reupholstered in a luxurious, premium, burnt orange / rust coloured 100% mohair fabric. Brass feet with nat...
Brass
$4,748 / set
H 31.5 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
Pair of early Marco Zanuso design blue upholstery armchairs
By Marco Zanuso
Located in London, GB
A pair of vintage 1950s armchairs Italian design. Light blue fabric upholstery tapered brown wood legs. Early Marco Zanuso " Lady Chair " Ideally for someone who wishes to re-uphols...
Metal
$6,824 / set
H 34.65 in W 27.17 in D 26.78 in
Set of Two Italian Ponti Stile Armchairs from Italy, 1950s
By Gio Ponti
Located in Wolfurt, AT
This pair of armchairs was made in Italy in the 1950s. The pieces of furniture have small, wooden legs on which the cosy armchair bodies with almost pointed corners rest. The armchai...
Fabric, Wood
$6,400
H 30 in W 72 in D 42 in
Single Pedestal Base Oval racetrack Shape Two Leaves Cerused Oak Dining Table
By Brueton, Dux of Sweden, Knoll, Pace Collection
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Single Pedestal Base Oval racetrack Shape Two Leaves Cerused Oak Dining Table MINT! two leaves 20 inches each 112 inches extended table length
Oak
$9,900
H 27.96 in W 90.95 in D 37.01 in
Leif Hansen "Model 62" Sofa for Kronen Møbelfabrikken, Denmark, 1960s
By Kronen, Leif Hansen
Located in Utrecht, NL
Leif Hansen’s Model 62 sofa is commonly referred to as the “Geisha” and was designed in 1959. This model is a strikingly elegant example of Danish modernism’s streamlined, luxurious ...
Fabric, Wood
Long Chandelier in Murano Glass by Studio Glustin
By Glustin Creation
Located in Saint-Ouen (PARIS), FR
Long chandelier in patinated brass with globes and plates in Murano glass. Creation by Studio Glustin.
Brass
Pair of Tulips Murano Glass and Brass Sconces
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Pair of wall lamps, entirely handmade in Murano, Italy, that bring the energy of Nature and Feng Shui into your interior. This pair of modern organic wall lamps is composed of a hand...
Brass
$15,824 / set
H 31.5 in W 34.26 in D 34.26 in
Pair of Sten Wicéns Armchairs in Pierre Frey Fabric and Elm, Sweden, 1950s
By Sten Wicén, La Maison Pierre Frey
Located in The Hague, NL
This rare pair of armchairs was produced by Sten Wicéns Möbelindustri in Sweden in the 1950s. The elegant design is characterized by its rounded, organic lines, creating a sumptuous...
Fabric, Upholstery, Elm
Swedish Modern Sofa, Sweden 1940s
Located in Utrecht, NL
The term “Swedish Modern” was quickly established as a reinterpretation of the Modern style during the 1940s, where functionalism was replaced by a freer and more artistic ideal. Swe...
Fabric, Wood
Italian Designer, Sofa, Velvet, Wood, Italy, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A yellow velvet and wood sofa designed and produced in Italy, c. 1950s. Overall Dimensions (inches): 28.0"H x 71.25"W x 36.5"D Seat Height (inches): 13.25" All upholstered furnitu...
Velvet, Wood
Carl Malmsten "Samsas" Sofa for O.H. Sjögren, Sweden 1960s
By Carl Malmsten, O.H. Sjögren
Located in Utrecht, NL
“Samsas” is for many the most associated series with Carl Malmsten. The designer devoted his life to the renewal of traditional Swedish craftsmanship, inspired by Swedish country man...
Fabric, Wood
$7,619
H 35.44 in W 74.81 in D 36.62 in
Attributed Gio Ponti Mid-Century Modern Velvet Sofa for ISA, 1950s
By ISA Bergamo, Gio Ponti
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Elegant and splendid three-seater sofa with high backrest attributed Gio Ponti, 1950s, for ISA Edizioni, Bergamo. Carved profile, refined lines, sensual and deep comfort. The ivory v...
Velvet, Beech, Fir
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.