A Monumental Collection – 60 Alias Laleggera Chairs in Birch
By Riccardo Blumer, Alias
Located in Dronten, NL
Designed by Riccardo Blumer for Alias in 1996, the Laleggera chair is a masterpiece of technological innovation.
Maple
A Monumental Collection – 60 Alias Laleggera Chairs in Birch
By Alias, Riccardo Blumer
Located in Dronten, NL
Designed by Riccardo Blumer for Alias in 1996, the Laleggera chair is a masterpiece of technological innovation .
Birch
Riccardo Blumer Alias 301 Laleggera 32 Stacking Maple Chairs with steel trolleys
By Riccardo Blumer, Alias
Located in London, GB
32 x Ricardo Blumer for Alias 301 Laleggera model '301' lightweight stacking chairs, all priced individually (£250 per chair) There are 5 x steel trolleys available separately at £1...
Birch
Laleggera Chairs
By Alias, Riccardo Blumer
Located in Dronten, NL
The laleggera chair, awarded the “Compasso d’Oro” prize in 1998 is an iconic piece, displayed at the New York MoMA, at the Centre George Pompidou in Paris and at the Milan Triennale....
Maple
Set of 16 301 Laleggera Chairs in Maple
By Riccardo Blumer
Located in Dronten, NL
In 1996 Riccardo Blumer designed the now-iconic Laleggera chair for Alias, which went on to win the ADI Compasso d'Oro award in 1998.
Maple, Foam
$950 / item
H 32.29 in W 19.1 in D 21.26 in
Minimalist Modern Chair in Natural Solid Wood Upholstered Seating with Arms
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Evo Chair collection. Our Evo collection is based in the harmonic fusion between geometrical forms and the modern interpretation of wood archetypes. All elements that compose ...
Textile, Upholstery, Hardwood
$950 / item
H 32.29 in W 20.87 in D 21.26 in
Contemporary Chair in Natural Solid Wood, Upholstered, Natural Wood Back, Arms
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Dry chair collection. The dry chair concept is to work in a mixture of distinct references resulting in a modern classic in a dance between the retro and the modern. A heavy and i...
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Laminate, Hardwood
$900 / item
H 33.08 in W 22.05 in D 22.05 in
Minimal Style, Solid Wood Chair, Leather Seating, Upholstered Backboard
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
The wing chair solid wood collection, flexibility, modern aesthetics, comfort and softness are the keywords for this collection. The concept is inspired by the B-52 plane design, thi...
Leather, Textile, Hardwood, Upholstery
From $564 / set
H 29.93 in W 16.54 in D 18.9 in
Opinion Ciatti Con Fort Set of 2 Steel Folding Chairs
By Maurizio Galante and Tal Lancman, Opinion Ciatti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Foldable and light, with an adjustable back, Con fort is a contemporary reinterpretation of one of the Industrial era’s first work chairs. Designed by Maurizio Galante and Tal Lancma...
Aluminum
Minimalist Modern Chair in Natural Solid Wood
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Evo Chair collection. Our Evo collection is based in the harmonic fusion between geometrical forms and the modern interpretation of wood archetypes. All elements that compose ...
Hardwood
$966 / set
H 30.99 in W 21.19 in D 19.97 in
CAST – Minimalist Chair in Solid Oak Wood with Fabric Seat
By Pedro Sottomayor
Located in Lisboa, Lisboa
The conceptural idea around the CAST chair was to come up with a simple chair that could fit any nice table, desk and place. And so it was. The CAST chair is a sturdy piece whose ...
Fabric, Wood, Beech
From $2,061 / item
+ 7 moreH 31.5 in W 21.26 in D 20.87 in
Opinion Ciatti Mammamia Non Stackable Chair with Armrests
By Opinion Ciatti, Marcello Zilliani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mammamia chair with armrest, made with die-cast aluminum shell and steel structure. For indoor use. Non-stackable. Available in gold structure with white, beige, taupe, green, or bla...
Metal
Minimalist Modern Chair in Natural Solid Wood
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Evo Chair collection. Our Evo collection is based in the harmonic fusion between geometrical forms and the modern interpretation of wood archetypes. All elements that compose ...
Hardwood
From $1,484 / set
+ 3 moreH 31.11 in W 21.26 in D 20.87 in
Opinion Ciatti Mammamia Stackable Chair with Armrests Set of 2
By Marcello Zilliani, Opinion Ciatti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mammamia stackable chair with armrests, made with die-cast aluminium shell and steel structure. For indoor/outdoor use. Stackable. Available in gold structure with white or black coa...
Metal
$2,742 / set
H 32 in W 19 in D 18 in
1970s Set 4 Spaghetti Chairs Design by Giandomenico Belotti for FlyLine Years '
By Giandomenico Belotti
Located in Biella, IT
set 4 spaghetti’ steel chairs designed by Giandomenico Belotti for FlyLine Italy years 1970s. First edition original chairs good vintage condition with two little repair in the ...
Metal
From $2,085 / set
+ 1 moreH 31.11 in W 22.05 in D 20.87 in
Opinion Ciatti Mammamia Sled Stackable Chair with Armrests Set of 2
By Marcello Zilliani, Opinion Ciatti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mammamia Sled has stackable steel sled base with armrests. For indoor/outdoor use. Available in gold structure with black, white, or gold leaf finish. Also available in mirrored alum...
Metal
From $2,086 / item
+ 7 moreH 31.5 in W 22.05 in D 20.87 in
Opinion Ciatti Mammamia Sled Non Stackable Chair with Armrests
By Marcello Zilliani, Opinion Ciatti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mammamia Sled has non-stackable steel sled base with armrests. For indoor use only. Available in gold structure with option of fabric or leather upholstery.
Metal
Minimalist Modern Chair in Natural Solid Wood with Arms
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Evo chair collection. Our Evo collection is based in the harmonic fusion between geometrical forms and the modern interpretation of wood archetypes. All elements that compose ...
Hardwood
From $1,258 / item
+ 6 moreH 33.86 in W 20.87 in D 19.69 in
Pelleossa Armchair in Beech & Upholstered Seat, by Francesco Faccin
By Francesco Faccin, Miniforms
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This Pellerossa armrest chair is shown here in beechwood, and with nine upholstery seating fabrics to select from. The upholstery options include leather, vegetable leather or Sponge...
Upholstery, Beech
$1,302 / item
H 30.71 in W 19.69 in D 18.9 in
Vienna Chair, Contemporary Design Inspired by Straw Traditional Chairs
By Emmanuel Gallina
Located in Milan, Lombardy
Vienna is an extraordinarily comfortable and elegant chair designed by Emmanuel Gallina who loves to quote Brancusi when saying that “simplicity is complexity resolved”. Inspired to ...
Straw, Beech
Minimalist Modern Chair in Natural Solid Wood with Arms
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Evo chair collection. Our Evo collection is based in the harmonic fusion between geometrical forms and the modern interpretation of wood archetypes. All elements that compose ...
Hardwood
$22,400 / set
H 31.89 in W 21.46 in D 21.26 in
Frank Lloyd Wright "Barrel" Chairs for Cassina, 1937, Burgundy Velvet, Set of 8
By Frank Lloyd Wright, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Frank Lloyd Wright "Barrel" chairs for Cassina, patinated wood and velvet seat, Italy, 1937, set of 8. A timeless design informed by exceptional constructive complexity, the icon...
Velvet, Wood
$3,771 / set
H 29.73 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Vico Magistretti "122" Chairs for Cassina, 1967, Set of 2
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "122" chairs for Cassina, black structure, Italy, 1967 set of two. The "122" chairs designed by Vico Magistretti in 1967 have a sculptural design, created with a wo...
Leather, Beech, Plywood
Vintage Blue Seiko Double-Sided Ships Wall Clock, 1980s
By Seiko
Located in Kojetice, CZ
Vintage Seiko ships wall clock designed during the 1980s in Japan. These clocks were used on large Japanese tankers and cargo ships. It features a blue metal body, a plastic dials an...
Iron
$2,499 / item
H 16.9 in Dm 39.4 in
Large Jacques Adnet 'Circulaire' Glass and Tan Leather Coffee Table for GUBI
By Jacques Adnet, Gubi
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large Jacques Adnet 'Circulaire' Glass and Tan Leather Coffee Table for GUBI. Originally designed by Jacques Adnet in the 1950s, this incredibly refined coffee table is executed in ...
Leather, Glass
$220 / item
H 12 in Dm 4 in
Handmade Ceramic Vase #504 in Satin Yellow with Marigold Cotton Braid and Fringe
By Karen Gayle Tinney
Located in Proctorsville, VT
Vase #504 by Karen Gayle Tinney A fan-favorite since its introduction in 2018, this versatile vase functions equally as a sculptural object and a vessel for flowers. Hand formed st...
Ceramic, Cotton
$2,530 / item
H 15.75 in Dm 21.66 in
Mustard Mohair Velvet Round Ottoman with Oak Feet, Modern UK Design
Located in London, England
Dagmar Design - Round Ottoman Custom-made ottoman developed & produced at our workshops in London using the highest quality materials. These examples are upholstered in a mustar...
Oak, Mohair, Velvet
Rosso Glass Wall Mirror
By Specchi Veneziani
Located in Milan, IT
Crafted in the finest Murano tradition, this exquisite Venetian mirror is a true work of art. Assembled with crystal and gold elements, and adorned with red glass flowers, each piece...
Glass
Sold|$1,800
H 33.08 in W 23.82 in D 13 in
Japanese Antique Cabinet 1920s-1940s / Tansu Sideboard Wabisabi
Located in Chōsei District Nagara, JP
This is an antique cabinet from Japan. It is a piece of furniture with a refined and quiet presence, creating a calm atmosphere simply by being placed in a space. Its unadorned, simp...
Cedar
$6,100
H 29 in W 72 in D 24 in
Paul Tuttle 'Chariot' Leather Chaise Lounge Chair for Strassle International
Located in Chicago, IL
Paul Tuttle 'Chariot' chaise lounge, c.1972 Leather, chrome-plated steel, lacquered steel. Manufactured by Strassle International, USA / Switzerland. With additional Carmel Sheepsk...
Chrome
$2,719
H 29.53 in W 44.49 in D 19.3 in
Italian modern bench Carimate by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, 1970s
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern bench Carimate by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, 1970s Bench model Carimate in black lacquered wood with a glossy finish and a straw seat. The armrests and backrest ar...
Straw, Wood
$390 / item
H 8 in W 8 in D 8 in
Paper Bowl Two, Made of Crumpled Brass Sheet, Handcrafted and Formed in Chicago
By Christopher Gentner
Located in Chicago, IL
The Paper Series embodies the Idea of crumpling paper set in time. The materiality of the brass is utilized by the intricate folds and bends that not only resemble paper, but adds st...
Brass
$390 / item
H 5 in W 10 in D 10 in
Paper Bowl 1, Made of Crumpled Brass Sheet, Handcrafted and Formed in Chicago
By Christopher Gentner
Located in Chicago, IL
The Paper Series embodies the idea of crumpling paper set in time. The materiality of the brass is utilized by the intricate folds and bends that not only resemble paper, but adds st...
Brass
$2,046 / item
H 15 in W 8.3 in D 6.3 in
Organic Modern Shell Wall Mounted Sculpture in Smooth White Plaster
By Hannah Woodhouse
Located in London, GB
Handmade shell wall-mounted sculpture in silky smooth white plaster, created by artist Hannah Woodhouse in her London studio. Contemporary design inspired by nature and midcentury Eu...
Plaster
$2,499 / item
H 57.48 in W 27.55 in D 0.98 in
Gio Ponti 'F.A. 33' Full Length Mirror in Brass for GUBI
By Gubi, Gio Ponti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gio Ponti 'F.A. 33' Full Length Mirror in Brass for GUBI The 'F.A. 33' mirror was originally designed by Gio Ponti in 1933 for Fontana Arte, the period’s most prominent lamp, glass...
Brass
‘Opposée’ Table Lamp - Green 'Matte'
By Hannah Simpson Studio
Located in London, GB
Matte Green base with a Matte Finish and Shade. Estimated processing time is 2 weeks from order confirmation. Pictured with a Mini Globe LED E27 Bulb. Bulb not included. To pair t...
Ceramic
Pink Marble Oval Tray
By Kiwano Concept
Located in Eindhoven, NB
Elevate your space with the timeless elegance of the Pink Marble Tray. Crafted from exquisite burgundy marble adorned with striking white veining, this versatile tray adds a touch of...
Stone, Marble
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
Chairs are an indispensable component of your home and office. Can you imagine your life without the vintage, new or antique chairs you love?
With the exception of rocking chairs, the majority of the seating in our homes today — Windsor chairs, chaise longues, wingback chairs — originated in either England or France. Art Nouveau chairs, the style of which also originated in those regions, embraced the inherent magnificence of the natural world with decorative flourishes and refined designs that blended both curved and geometric contour lines. While craftsmanship and styles have evolved in the past century, chairs have had a singular significance in our lives, no matter what your favorite chair looks like.
“The chair is the piece of furniture that is closest to human beings,” said Hans Wegner. The revered Danish cabinetmaker and furniture designer was prolific, having designed nearly 500 chairs over the course of his lifetime. His beloved designs include the Wishbone chair, the wingback Papa Bear chair and many more.
Other designers of Scandinavian modernist chairs introduced new dynamics to this staple with sculptural flowing lines, curvaceous shapes and efficient functionality. The Paimio armchair, Swan chair and Panton chair are vintage works of Finnish and Danish seating that left an indelible mark on the history of good furniture design.
“What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts,” said Ray Eames.
Visionary polymaths Ray and Charles Eames experimented with bent plywood and fiberglass with the goal of producing affordable furniture for a mass market. Like other celebrated mid-century modern furniture designers of elegant low-profile furnishings — among them Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Finn Juhl — the Eameses considered ergonomic support, durability and cost, all of which should be top of mind when shopping for the perfect chair. The mid-century years yielded many popular chairs.
The Eameses introduced numerous icons for manufacturer Herman Miller, such as the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, molded plywood dining chairs the DCM and DCW (which can be artfully mismatched around your dining table) and a wealth of other treasured pieces for the home and office.
A good chair anchors us to a place and can become an object of timeless appeal. Take a seat and browse the rich variety of vintage, new and antique chairs on 1stDibs today.