Moller 62 Walnut

Working in rich woods to create durable furniture that is today recognized for its elegant simplicity and solid craftsmanship, Niels Otto Møller was one of the original designers of the famed Scandinavian modern movement that swept through postwar Europe and, eventually, the United States.

At the age of 19, Møller studied to be a cabinetmaker, gaining a strong affinity for working with natural materials. He furthered his education at the local design academy in his hometown of Århus, Denmark, where, in 1944, he established J.L. Møllers Møbelfabrik. Møller’s first chair — called simply No. 1 — was introduced in 1946. In 1961, he expanded his thriving business by opening a factory in Højbjerg, producing his popular dining chairs as well as armchairs, lounge chairs, tables and more. Rather than unnecessary ornamentation, he focused on a warm and more minimalist approach that valued function over form. Nearly all of his pieces, from the 1962 Model 78 chair to his simple tables, feature gentle curves formed from woods such as rosewood and teak (a sought-after material among furniture designers of the time).

Though the furnishings boasted a contemporary look and were a departure from the ornate designs of the recent past, Møller’s company crafted all of them using traditional, age-old techniques. For instance, the 1959 Model 77 side chair’s seat is handwoven using a single 425-foot-long cord. Today, the Danish furniture designer’s refined pieces continue to be as sought after as they were when mid-century modernism was in full swing.

The company, still based in its original factory, remains a family business, now headed by Møller’s granddaughter, Kirsten Møller. Along with new pieces, they craft the celebrated original designs, from raw wood to finished assembled products, that made J.L. Møllers Møbelfabrik a renowned name in Danish Modern design.

Find a collection of vintage Niels Otto Møller furniture on 1stDibs.

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.