Mid-Century Modern Swivel Desk Chair by Andrew Morrison & Bruce Hannah for Knoll
By Knoll, Bruce Hannah & Andrew Morrison
Located in Lafayette, IN
Arguably one of the most elegant desk chair designs from the mid-century era, this Morrison/Hannah design for Knoll Studios is utilitarian sculpture at its best. Chair features a cur...
Aluminum, Chrome
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Red Velvet Swivel Desk Chair, Chrome Base, Mid-Century Modern, 1970
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Desk chair 1970s on wheels - unique Height is adjustable.
Chrome
Mid-Century Modern Tufted Swivel Lounge Chair
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This Mid-Century swivel lounge chair features ornately stitched vinyl seat with a comfortable sculpted seat back. Unique black metal base with aluminum trim adds to the unique vintag...
Metal
RH Oviedo Mid-Century American Style Leather Upholstered Swivel / Desk Chair
Located in Queens, NY
Mid-Century American swivel / desk armchair in channeled brown leather upholstery with a cantilevered chrome frame featuring height adjustment and belted leather support straps, rest...
Chrome
Norman Cherner Swivel Desk Chair for Plycraft, Blue Vinyl, Mid-Century
By Norman Cherner, Plycraft
Located in Queens, NY
American Mid-Century swivel side / desk chair with a shaped seat and back upholstered in bright and light blue vinyl, resting on a four leg curved plywood base. (NORMAN CHERNER FOR P...
Wood, Upholstery
Mid-Century Modern Fritz Hansen Swivel Office Chair
By Fritz Hansen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stunning vintage modern desk chair boasts a tag underneath with the date 1980 and designer name, "Fritz Hansen." A lovely Danish design that combines comfort and convenience per...
Chrome
Italian Swivel Bent Plywood Ribbon Chair, Mid-Century Modern
Located in Bochum, NRW
Mid‑Century Modern Bent Plywood Swivel Chair - Italy, 1970s A sculptural Mid‑Century Modern swivel chair crafted in bent plywood, echoing the celebrated CL9 Nastro (Strip) design by ...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern swivel chair by “VVV” - Ferrocolor, Barcelona 1960.
Located in Barcelona, ES
Single swivel desk chair, “Ama” model, adjustable height, made in steel and black synthetic fabric (vinyl), designed and produced by “VVV” - Ferrocolor in Barcelona, 1960. Seat heigh...
Iron
Mid Century Arthur Umanoff Rare Swivel Desk Chair in Birch for Elton 1950s
By Arthur Umanoff, The Elton Company
Located in Troy, MI
Rare swivel desk chair designed by Arthur Umanoff Model DC1 manufactured by Post Modern Ltd and distributed by the Elton Company New York USA circa 1952 Minimalist design with birc...
Birch
Vintage Leather and Chrome Swivel Desk Chair
Located in London, GB
A smart and extremely comfortable vintage leather and chrome swivel desk chair. This was made in England by Verco, it dates from around the 1970’s. It is of very high quality and lo...
Chrome
1950s Swivel Design Desk Chair , Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- Carefully refurbished
Wood
Italian Vintage Office or Desk Swivel Chair
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage swivel chair not adjustable in height with star-shaped base. Ideal in the office to receive your clients! Original leather covering in good aesthetic condition, iron structur...
Metal
Mid Century Swivel Chair by I. V. Chair Company Brooklyn NY
Located in New York, NY
Stylish and well-made swivel office, desk chair by I.V. chair company Brooklyn NY (109 Jewel St). Interesting example of Brooklyn modern after Fritz Hansen etc. This chair shows cosm...
$1,500Sale Price|40% Off
1970s Brass Italian Swivel Desk or Vanity Chair
Located in Stamford, CT
1970s polished brass swivel desk or vanity chair. Curved back detailing. Newly upholstered in Perennials performance woven fabric in dark blue colorway. Suitable for high traffic are...
Brass
Spage Age Smoked Plexi Glass Swivel Desk Chair, 1960s
Located in Antwerp, BE
A beautiful vintage modern smoked lucite desk arm chair and a swivel base. The thick padded seating covered in white leather and sculpted design add to the Midcentury Spage age appea...
Chrome
Black Model 3217 Swivel desk Chair by Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen
By Arne Jacobsen, Fritz Hansen
Located in London, GB
The Series 7™ chair is an icon in modern furniture history, designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1955. The attractive shape is timeless and incredibly versatile, with a unique character and...
Metal
1st Edition '3117' Swivel Desk Chair by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, 1955
By Arne Jacobsen, Fritz Hansen
Located in Antwerpen, VAN
Early model ‘3117’ swivel desk chair designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen in 1955. This model is a first edition production from the 1950s. It has a chrome-plated steel swivel ...
Metal
Knoll Desk Swivel Chair designed by Hannah Bruce and Andrew Morrison on Wheels
By Bruce Hannah & Andrew Morrison, Knoll
Located in Antwerp, BE
A functional and very elegant design of a swivel desk chair with arm rest and rollers very practical for all office spaces. Designed by Hannah Bruce and Andrew Morrison for KNOLL, 19...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Bleu Swivel Desk Chair
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Bleu Swivel Desk Chair
Metal
Ico Parisi President Desk Chair for MIM Roma, Italy, 1964, Midcentury Modern
By Ico Parisi, MIM Roma
Located in Antwerp, BE
MIM Roma Mid-Century Modern executive swivel chair, Italy, 1963, Designed by Ico Parisi for M.I.M Roma. The chair is in height adjustable and offers a custom ergonomic experience. Th...
Wool, Upholstery, Walnut
Pair of 1970s Barrel Swivel Chairs, Teak Drum Base
Located in Raleigh, NC
Teak and velvet combination works in mid-century modern, bohemian, or organic modern interiors.
Velvet, Teak
Italian Modern Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia Iuta Swivel Dining Chairs, a Pair
By B&B Italia, Antonio Citterio
Located in Secaucus, NJ
Great chairs for your home or office use, because of their swivel function and elegant profile, they can be used as desk chairs, guest chairs, dining chairs, or executive meeting cha...
Aluminum, Steel
Jorgen Rasmussen 2533 Desk Chairs
Located in London, GB
Manufactured by Fritz Hansen starting in 1958, the pioneering addition of double castors to this aluminium and wood veneer desk chair makes it an enduring and ubiquitous design objec...
Aluminum
Oxford High Back Swivel Lounge Chair by Fritz Hansen
By Arne Jacobsen, Fritz Hansen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stunning high back slipper chair was originally designed for professors at St. Catherines College in Oxford. A sleek design with a high curvy backrest ensuring maximum comfort. ...
Chrome
Robin Day Swivel Chairs in Green Upholstery and Aluminum, 1960s
By Robin Day
Located in Paris, FR
A pair of swivel chairs by Robin Day, dating to the 1960s. The design is defined by molded shell seats, central aluminum bases, and a clean, compact profile characteristic of his pra...
Aluminum
3117 Black Swivel Chair by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen
By Fritz Hansen
Located in Rīga, LV
Vintage black swivel desk chair with adjustable seat, model 3117 designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen in the 1950s. Some chairs have stickers confirming the production period. ...
Steel, Chrome
Orange Fabric and Chrome Swivel Office Chair ‘Comet’ by Gunilla Allard
By Lammhults, Gunilla Allard
Located in Dublin 8, IE
This piece captures the optimistic energy of the 70s while maintaining a timeless sophistication that fits perfectly in contemporary minimalist or mid-century modern interiors. Dime...
Chrome
Rare Edward Wormley for Dunbar Model 5522 Cane Swivel Vanity Chair 1950s
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Troy, MI
Rare model 5522 desk chair or vanity stool from the First Lady Series Designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar circa 1950s Laminated wood and cane molded backrest with round seat on a ...
Brass
Executive Desk Chair by George Nelson for George Nelson associates
By George Nelson
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A George Nelson designed rolling desk chair with orange fabric supported by a swivel base with casters. Manufactured by George Nelson and Associates in the 1960s. Newly reupholstered.
Metal
Preben Fabricius and Jorgen Kashtolm Swivel Chairs for Walter Knoll 1970s Signed
By Jørgen Kastholm & Preben Fabricius, Walter Knoll
Located in Los Angeles, CA
As swivel chairs, they are ideal for many uses such as a desk chair, guest chairs, meeting room chairs, dining table or game table chairs, or even in a living room or den.
Suede
1950s Do More Swivel Office Chair Gio Ponti Industrial USA Mid-Century Modern
By Gio Ponti
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, 1950s Do More office chair mid-century modern industrial era. Domore Chair Company Inc founded in 1922 by William S. Ferris in Elkhart, Indiana. Seat height ...
Steel
Italian Modernism Lievore Altherr Molina for Arper Catifa Swivel Chairs - a Pair
By Arper, Lievore Altherr Molina
Located in Secaucus, NJ
They are designed to be light both physically and visually and will fit seamlessly into any environment and among modern, minimalist, and mid-century design. Please note that the pr...
Steel, Chrome
$1,299Sale Price / item|56% Off
Mid Century Modern Walnut & Black Vinyl Executive Swivel Desk Chairs by Thonet
By Thonet
Located in Lafayette, IN
As seen on the Apple TV limited series "Lessons in Chemistry" These actual chairs were featured in several pivotal scenes in the conference room at Hastings Labs. Chair was manufact...
Aluminum
Lobby Desk Chair ES104 by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, USA, 1960s
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Antwerp, BE
Eames executive chair ES-104, also known as the Time-Life chair, an iconic piece of mid-century design by Charles and Ray Eames. This chair was originally crafted for the executive f...
Aluminum
Mid-Century Modern Eero Saarinen for Knoll New Executive Swivel Desk Arm Chair
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Secaucus, NJ
Stunning authentic mid-century modern Saarinen executive arm chair features a height-adjustable swivel base with weight-adjusted tilt. One of Knoll's most popular designs that achiev...
Aluminum
Eames PAC Yellow Padded Swivel Armchair w/Gray Fiberglass Shell & Aluminum Base
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Topeka, KS
A commission, which they acquired from the government during WWII to produce molded plywood splints and stretchers, launched a career producing iconic mid-century modern furnishings ...
Aluminum
$600Sale Price|20% Off
Mid-Century Modern Herman Miller Style Lucite Swivel Chair
By Herman Miller
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A beautiful vintage modern Lucite desk chair with turned armrests and a swivel base. The thick padded seating covered in white vinyl and sculpted design add to the midcentury appeal....
Metal
Mid Century Modern Herman Miller Swivel Office Chair Newly Reupholstered
By Herman Miller
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Peter Protzman for Herman Miller High Back Swivel Office Chair on Casters Newly Reupholstered with Black Distressed Italian Leather Circa Mid 20th Century Tagge...
Leather
MIM Roma Mid-Century Modern Executive Swivel Chair, Italy
By MIM Roma
Located in Naples, IT
Office armchair with armrests and five-spoke aluminium base with castors, seat and backrest shell made of curved plywood, original foam and skai upholstery. A rare piece of iconic de...
Metal
Geoffrey Harcourt, Chair 130, 'RCA' Chair, Designed 1960, Produced by Artifort
By Geoffrey D. Harcourt, Artifort
Located in London, GB
Geoffrey Harcourt, UK (designer) Artifort, The Netherlands (manufacturer) Chair 130 - 'RCA' Chair - designed 1960 Curved, veneered plywood, cast aluminium swivel base. Geoffrey Har...
Plywood
Mid Century Modern Swiveling Chair by Eames for Herman Miller. Circa 1960s
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Miami, FL
Mid Century Modern Swiveling Molded Side Chair by Eames for Herman Miller. Circa 1960s Features an iconic design, a fiberglass shell chair with the original gray vinyl set on a steel...
Metal
Vintage Swivel Desk Chair by Jansko
By Jansko
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This high back desk chair features shapely vinyl swivel seat and sturdy metal base.
Mid-Century Danish Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Ash Series 7 Swivel Desk Chair
By Arne Jacobsen, Fritz Hansen
Located in Secaucus, NJ
The elegant and versatile Series 7 chair was introduced in 1955 by the Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen and instantly became an iconic design. The Series 7 chair achieved ...
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
Mid-Century Danish Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Oak Series 7 Swivel Desk Chair
By Arne Jacobsen, Fritz Hansen
Located in Secaucus, NJ
The elegant and versatile Series 7 chair was introduced in 1955 by the Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen and instantly became an iconic design. The Series 7 chair achieved ...
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
Herman Miller Eames PSCC Swivel Desk Chair
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Light yellow fiberglass shell desk chair by Herman Miller. Designed by Charles and Ray Eames. Model PSCC, with swivel base and casters. In good working condition. No holes or cracks,...
Aluminum
Mid-Century Modern Black Vintage Desk Chair Style Egon Eiermann 1950s Germany
By Egon Eiermann
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid-Century Modern vintage black desk chair of office chair or swivel chair, which was designed in the style of Egon Eiermann, Germany 1950s.
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brown Beech Desk Chair Jorgen Rasmussen 1950s Denmark
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid-Century Modern vintage desk chair or office chair designed by Jorgen Rasmussen 1950s in Denmark and executed by Labofa.
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Chair Attributed to Egon Eiermann, 1950, Germany
By Egon Eiermann
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid Century Modern adjustable and swiveling vintage desk chair in brown faux leather attributed to Egon Eiermann, 1950s Germany.
Metal
$4,000Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Red Leather Midcentury Desk Swivel Chairs
Located in Napa, CA
A pair of midcentury Swedish swiveling desk chairs with a polished cast aluminum frame. The vintage lipstick red leather upholstery is original to each chair, with a unique tufting p...
Aluminum
Eero Saarinen Knoll Mid Century Modern Secretarial Desk Chair Eames' Fabric 50s
By Knoll, Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen
Located in Miami, FL
Mid Century Modern vintage Eero Saarinen Secretarial Swivel Desk Chair, model 76 S produced by Knoll from 1953-1968.
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Mid Century Modern Vintage Aluminum Office Desk Chair Ray & Charles Eames 1958
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid Century Modern vintage office chair or desk chair EA 124 by Charles & Ray Eames, which features swiveling positions.
Aluminum
$2,545 / item
Modern Brown Leather Desk Chair
Located in Westwood, NJ
A modern brown leather desk chair with brass nailhead trim. A truly timeless classic style crafted in rich brown leather. This practical and functional chair will elevate the look an...
Leather
Italian Modern Lievore Altherr Molina for Arper Catifa Leather Swivel Desk Chair
By Arper, Lievore Altherr Molina
Located in Secaucus, NJ
Fabulous Catifa 46 chair designed by Lievore Altherr Molina for the Italian manufacturer Arper. The Catifa chair can be both embracing and thin as a line. It is a synthesis of maximu...
Steel, Chrome
Mid-Century Arthur Umanoff "Star Trek" Desk Chair by Madison Furniture
By Arthur Umanoff, Madison Furniture
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sink into iconic design history with this stunning vintage swiveling desk chair, created by renowned American industrial designer Arthur Umanoff and manufactured by Madison Furniture...
Metal
Mid-Century Danish Swivel Architects Office Chair by Jørgen Rasmussen, 1960s
By Jørgen Rasmussen
Located in Hamburg, DE
The classic architect chair from kevi in a special color. What makes this chair special is it's simplicity. No upholstery, no umpteen adjustments. A solid chair for work. Without ex...
Metal
Mid-Century Danish Swivel Architects Office Chair by Jørgen Rasmussen, 1960s
By Jørgen Rasmussen
Located in Hamburg, DE
The classic architect's chair by Kevi (Fritz Hansen) in a special color. The special thing about this chair is its simplicity. No upholstery, no endless adjustment options. A solid ...
Metal
Mid-Century Italian Swivel Armchair, 1960s
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Beautiful and comfortable Italian swivel armchair or desk chair, 1960's. The chair is reupholstered with new fabric and new foam, this is in perfect condition. The high quality D...
Steel
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by celebrated manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
An essential part of every office or home workstation, office chairs and desk chairs are critically important to your comfort and getting the job done.
Desk chairs have evolved over time. While writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson pined for a wider range of motion and introduced some improvements to his English-style Windsor chair, inventing the swivel chair along the way. So the next time you roll, recline or swivel at your vintage desk, remember: The third president of the United States had a lot to do with that functionality.
Changes in the availability of resources have also led to innovations in desk chair design. After World War II, for example, optimistic American designers made use of wartime materials in their efforts to create practical domestic goods.
Mid-century modernism is the name given to the broad postwar time period that prioritized thoughtful design. Journalist Cara Greenberg, who coined the term “mid-century modernism,” cites “ergonomic wisdom” as part of the reason for the longevity of the era’s furnishings, and when it comes to sitting in a desk chair for hours at a time, what could be more important than ergonomic support?
As mid-century modernism was marked by resourcefulness and boundless creativity — and produced designers who, in most cases, prioritized comfort and support — it follows that all mid-century chairs are not the same. Nowhere is this perhaps more evident than at Herman Miller. The legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer got its start in the office, with design director George Nelson enlisting the likes of Charles and Ray Eames to produce desk chairs and lounge chairs that are still celebrated today. Elsewhere at the time, the numerous pieces Florence Knoll created for Knoll’s office furniture line were envisioned as design solutions for the changing needs of residential and office spaces.
If you’re working remotely and streamlined seating isn’t your thing, don’t be afraid of making a statement with your office chair. Introduce a touch of drama to your video calls by way of 19th-century desk accessories and the alluring forms we typically associate with antique desk chairs designed in the Empire and Regency styles. For a minimalist touch, a spare, utilitarian Industrial-style office chair can work in any space but will fit in particularly well amid the exposed brick and steel architecture that characterizes a loft apartment.
An inspiring home office cleverly mixes materials and styles to create a welcoming place of productivity and comfort, and if you’re gathering with colleagues at your company HQ, an array of wood, leather and metal office chairs can help integrate disparate textures in a conference room or any other collaborative space. On 1stDibs, explore a diverse collection of office and desk chairs today.
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