Find many varieties of an authentic petite wingback available at 1stDibs. Each petite wingback for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using
wood,
fabric and
upholstery. There are many kinds of the petite wingback you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 18th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. A petite wingback, designed in the
Mid-Century Modern or
Georgian style, is generally a popular piece of furniture.
They may not offer structural support, but the wings on antique and vintage wingback chairs certainly do have a purpose or did, when the design was first conceived in England in the 1600s.
Back then, the armchair protrusions were meant to protect the sitter from drafts and from the strong heat radiating from the large fireplaces that were popular at the time. This explains why the wingback is so strongly associated with cozying up by the fireplace.
Although the functional aspect of a wingback may be obsolete in the 21st century, the chairs have maintained their popularity over the years and have seen waves of revivals, from mid-century modern spinoffs to playful contemporary adaptations (like the Bear chair by Pierre Yovanovitch, wherein the place of wings are furry ears — a cheeky send-up of Hans Wegner’s iconic mid-century Papa Bear chair).
Shop the most innovative versions of wingback chairs today on 1stDibs.