Pennsylvania House Chair

Find many varieties of an authentic pennsylvania house chair available at 1stDibs. A pennsylvania house chair — often made from wood, fabric and cherry — can elevate any home. There are many kinds of the pennsylvania house chair you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. Each pennsylvania house chair bearing hallmarks is very popular. A well-made pennsylvania house chair has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Universal Furniture Company are consistently popular.

Prices for a pennsylvania house chair start at $850 and top out at $2,450 with the average selling for $1,525.

Once a household name, Pennsylvania House was an American furniture producer known for its fine solid wood pieces. In operation for more than a century, the company made living, dining and bedroom furniture like chairs, end tables and chests of drawers, most of which were crafted from solid cherry. 

The company was founded in 1887 in a small factory in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. From the outset, Pennsylvania House sourced most of its raw materials from old-growth cherry tree forests within 100 miles of the factory. For almost the entirety of the company's history, particularly during its heyday from the 1930s to the 1970s, colonial-style cherry furniture endured as its most popular offering. 

Over time, Pennsylvania House expanded into reproduction Victorian furniture and even offered a line of modern pieces to appeal to shifting tastes. In the 1960s and throughout the ’70s and ‘80s, furniture made of maple, oak, walnut and pine also grew in demand for its lower price points and lighter finishes. Cherry, however, remained a mainstay.

In the 1990s, the changing global marketplace posed a challenge to Pennsylvania House and many other American furniture companies. Solid wood furniture decreased in popularity as more affordable options were introduced from abroad.

 La-Z-Boy purchased the company in 2005 and its operations were moved overseas. In 2007, Pennsylvania House was sold again, and no new furniture was produced under the brand.

Today, vintage Pennsylvania House solid wood furniture is beloved by collectors for its exceptional beauty and quality.

On 1stDibs, find Pennsylvania House case pieces, tables, seating and more.

With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.

Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.

Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.

The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.

Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.

With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.

Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.

No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.