Longhorn Armchair
2010s American Armchairs
Cowhide
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Armchairs
Antler, Hide
2010s American Armchairs
Cowhide
Mid-20th Century Central American Wingback Chairs
Horn, Leather
Late 20th Century Rustic Living Room Sets
Upholstery, Oak
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2010s British Scandinavian Modern Club Chairs
Sheepskin, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Sofas
Velvet, Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery
Late 20th Century Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs
Velvet, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
Oak
Vintage 1960s German Rococo Dinner Plates
Gold
Vintage 1970s French Space Age Architectural Elements
Metal, Aluminum
2010s American Table Lamps
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Black Forest Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Alpaca
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Late 20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
Fabric
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century Rustic Armchairs
Fabric, Oak
Vintage 1980s Armchairs
Horn
Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Armchairs
Fur, Horn
Early 20th Century American Armchairs
Horn, Leather
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
20th Century American American Craftsman Armchairs
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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