Skip to main content

Pierre Jeanneret V Chair

Set of 8 Chandigarh "V" Leg Chair (Armless) by Pierre Jeanneret - Collectables
Set of 8 Chandigarh "V" Leg Chair (Armless) by Pierre Jeanneret - Collectables

Set of 8 Chandigarh "V" Leg Chair (Armless) by Pierre Jeanneret - Collectables

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in London, GB

Pierre Jeanneret “V” Leg Chair (Armless) Chandigarh, India Circa 1950s Authentic set from the University of Patiala, Punjab.

Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

Set of Four Mid Century Wooden V-Type Dining Chairs by Pierre Jeanneret, 1950s
Set of Four Mid Century Wooden V-Type Dining Chairs by Pierre Jeanneret, 1950s

Set of Four Mid Century Wooden V-Type Dining Chairs by Pierre Jeanneret, 1950s

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Stockholm, SE

A very rare and iconic set of four French mid century wooden "V-Type" dining chairs in light teak and rattan designed by Pierre Jeanneret and produced for Chandigarh India, 1950s.

Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Rattan, Teak

Recent Sales

Pierre Jeanneret, V Type Chairs, a Pair, 1958
Pierre Jeanneret, V Type Chairs, a Pair, 1958

Pierre Jeanneret, V Type Chairs, a Pair, 1958

Sold

H 32.68 in W 17.33 in D 20.48 in

Pierre Jeanneret, V Type Chairs, a Pair, 1958

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Paris, FR

Chair called “Chair V type cane seat cane back”, c.1958-59 Version with two flat crossbar.

Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Chairs

Materials

Teak

Pair of Pierre Jeanneret V-Leg Chairs
Pair of Pierre Jeanneret V-Leg Chairs

Pair of Pierre Jeanneret V-Leg Chairs

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Pair of V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, India c1955 Teak/Cane/Upholstery Exportation paperwork : Jpegs/PDF will be supplied to buyer after sale.

Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Teak, Cane, Fabric

V-leg Committee Chair by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, India, Circa 1953-54
V-leg Committee Chair by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, India, Circa 1953-54

V-leg Committee Chair by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, India, Circa 1953-54

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Tokyo, JP

An authentic mid-century piece from Pierre Jeanneret’s legendary Chandigarh commission. Teak frame with fabric upholstered seat & back. Letter : PU/LIB/174 (PUNJAB UNIVERSITY, CHAND...

Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Teak

V-leg Committee Chair by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, India, Circa 1953-54
V-leg Committee Chair by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, India, Circa 1953-54

V-leg Committee Chair by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, India, Circa 1953-54

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Tokyo, JP

An authentic mid-century piece from Pierre Jeanneret’s legendary Chandigarh commission. Teak frame with fabric upholstered seat & back. Letter : PU/LIB/188 (PUNJAB UNIVERSITY, CHAND...

Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Teak

V-leg Committee Chair by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, India, Circa 1953-54
V-leg Committee Chair by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, India, Circa 1953-54

V-leg Committee Chair by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, India, Circa 1953-54

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Tokyo, JP

An authentic mid-century piece from Pierre Jeanneret’s legendary Chandigarh commission. Teak frame with fabric upholstered seat & back. Letter : PU/LIB/187 (PUNJAB UNIVERSITY, CHAND...

Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Teak, Fabric

Set of Eight Jeanneret V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh
Set of Eight Jeanneret V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh

Set of Eight Jeanneret V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Toronto, Ontario

A large set of 8 Pierre Jeanneret V-Leg Armchairs from Chandigarh. Very difficult to source a large set . Very nice condition . Located in Brooklyn .

Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Cane, Teak, Upholstery

Set Of 4 Pierre Jeanneret V Chairs Ca 1960
Set Of 4 Pierre Jeanneret V Chairs Ca 1960

Set Of 4 Pierre Jeanneret V Chairs Ca 1960

Sold

H 32 in W 17.75 in D 20.5 in

Set Of 4 Pierre Jeanneret V Chairs Ca 1960

Located in Los Angeles, CA

set of four V chairs from Punjab University, Chandigarh. stenciled marks to back of two examples.
PROVENANCE: Punjab University, Chandigarh, India | Private collection, Paris

Category

Vintage 1960s Chairs

Materials

Cane, Upholstery

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of 8 Armless V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955
Pierre Jeanneret, Set of 8 Armless V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of 8 Armless V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Rare grouping of 8 armless "V-Leg" chairs with nice original patina, circa 1955. Dimensions vary slightly due to handmade nature of the design. We have additional chairs available ...

Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of 6 Armless V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955
Pierre Jeanneret, Set of 6 Armless V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of 6 Armless V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Rare grouping of 6 armless "V-Leg" chairs with nice original patina, circa 1955. Dimensions vary slightly due to handmade nature of the design.  

Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of Six V-Leg Armchairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955
Pierre Jeanneret, Set of Six V-Leg Armchairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of Six V-Leg Armchairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Excellent grouping of 6 "V-Leg" armchairs with nice original patina, circa 1955. Dimensions vary slightly due to handmade nature of the design. We have more chairs in inventory so w...

Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret V Leg Chairs Pair in Teak and Cane Chandigarh, circa 1955
Pierre Jeanneret V Leg Chairs Pair in Teak and Cane Chandigarh, circa 1955

Pierre Jeanneret V Leg Chairs Pair in Teak and Cane Chandigarh, circa 1955

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury

Pierre Jeanneret V leg chairs pair in teak and cane Chandigarh, circa 1955 Magnificent pair of Pierre Jeanneret (1896-1967) fixed back V leg conference chairs from the College of ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret PJ-SI-28-B V Leg Conference Chairs Teak & Cane Chandigarh, 1955
Pierre Jeanneret PJ-SI-28-B V Leg Conference Chairs Teak & Cane Chandigarh, 1955

Pierre Jeanneret PJ-SI-28-B V Leg Conference Chairs Teak & Cane Chandigarh, 1955

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury

Pierre Jeanneret PJ-SI-28-B V leg conference chairs teak & cane, Chandigarh Magnificent set of eight Pierre Jeanneret fixed back V leg conference chairs from the College of Archit...

Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of Six Armless V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955
Pierre Jeanneret, Set of Six Armless V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of Six Armless V-Leg Chairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Rare grouping of 6 armless "V-Leg" chairs with nice original patina, circa 1955. Dimensions vary slightly due to handmade nature of the design. *** We also have a set of 8 availa...

Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of 8 V-Leg Armchairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955
Pierre Jeanneret, Set of 8 V-Leg Armchairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

Pierre Jeanneret, Set of 8 V-Leg Armchairs from Chandigarh, circa 1955

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Excellent grouping of 8 "V-Leg" armchairs, circa 1955. Beautiful original/soulful patina displaying the history of these chairs from the city of Chandigarh. Wood has only been washe...

Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Student Library Desk & V Leg Chair Chandigarh
Pierre Jeanneret Student Library Desk & V Leg Chair Chandigarh

Pierre Jeanneret Student Library Desk & V Leg Chair Chandigarh

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury

Pierre Jeanneret Student Library Desk  & V Leg Chair Chandigarh Magnificent re edition Pierre Jeanneret (1896-1967) design library student desk and fixed back V leg conference chai...

Category

Late 20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cane, Teak

People Also Browsed

Custom Made Modern English Arm Sofa in Performance Linen Velvet - 86"
Custom Made Modern English Arm Sofa in Performance Linen Velvet - 86"

Custom Made Modern English Arm Sofa in Performance Linen Velvet - 86"

By Bloom Home Inc

Located in Old Town Orange, CA

This beautiful english arm sofa has a modern twist, with its single bench cushion, and beautiful curved apron sides. It’s upholstered in a Linen Velvet Performance fabric. Shown in...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Sofas

Materials

Linen, Velvet

Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables
Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables

Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables

$4,554 / set

H 28.5 in W 26 in D 26 in

Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables

By Theodore Alexander

Located in Westwood, NJ

A Pacific walnut side table, the square top with rounded corners and a reeded edge above a similar under tier, on bobbin turned legs. Dimensions: 26" W x 26" D x 28.5" H.  

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern End Tables

Materials

Wood

1940s Kozelka & Kropacek Armchairs in Texel Sheepskin & Brown Patinated Frame
1940s Kozelka & Kropacek Armchairs in Texel Sheepskin & Brown Patinated Frame

1940s Kozelka & Kropacek Armchairs in Texel Sheepskin & Brown Patinated Frame

By Karel Kozelka & Antonin Kropacek, Jindřich Halabala

Located in Almelo, NL

Mid-Century Czech design by Kozelka & Kropacek, reupholstered in luxurious Texel sheepskin with warm brown patinated bentwood frames. Comfort, craftsmanship, and timeless style. De...

Category

Vintage 1940s Czech Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Sheepskin, Upholstery, Bentwood

Mustard Mohair Velvet Round Ottoman with Oak Feet, Modern UK Design
Mustard Mohair Velvet Round Ottoman with Oak Feet, Modern UK Design

Mustard Mohair Velvet Round Ottoman with Oak Feet, Modern UK Design

Located in London, England

Dagmar Design - Round Ottoman Custom-made ottoman developed & produced at our workshops in London using the highest quality materials. These examples are upholstered in a mustar...

Category

2010s British Scandinavian Modern Ottomans and Poufs

Materials

Oak, Mohair, Velvet

Akari Model 20n Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi
Akari Model 20n Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi

Akari Model 20n Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi

By Isamu Noguchi, Akari

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Akari Model 20N light sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. The shade is made from handmade washi paper and bamboo ribs with Noguchi Akari manufacturer's stamp. Akari light sculptures by Isamu...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Exceptionally Rare Set of Eight George Nakashima 'Grass-seated Chairs' in American Black Walnut
Exceptionally Rare Set of Eight George Nakashima 'Grass-seated Chairs' in American Black Walnut

Exceptionally Rare Set of Eight George Nakashima 'Grass-seated Chairs' in American Black Walnut

By George Nakashima, George Nakashima Studio

Located in Waalwijk, NL

George Nakashima, set of eight 'Grass-seated Chairs', American black walnut, sea grass cord, United States, early 1960s Through its pure form, thoughtful use of materials, and exqui...

Category

Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Seagrass, Walnut

Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Sofa for B&B Italia, Green Velvet, 1970, Set of 6
Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Sofa for B&B Italia, Green Velvet, 1970, Set of 6

Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Sofa for B&B Italia, Green Velvet, 1970, Set of 6

By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini

Located in Lonigo, Veneto

Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" modular sofa for B&B Italia, green velvet, Italy, 1970, set of six. "Camaleonda" is an icon, rediscovered. Our atelier carefully restored this vintage...

Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Plastic, Velvet

Pierre Jeanneret Kangaroo Low Armchair, Wood and Woven Viennese Cane
Pierre Jeanneret Kangaroo Low Armchair, Wood and Woven Viennese Cane

Pierre Jeanneret Kangaroo Low Armchair, Wood and Woven Viennese Cane

By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Bench designed by Pierre Jeanneret circa 1955, relaunched in 2020. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Cassina continues its study of the furniture of the city of Chandigarh and ad...

Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Cane, Wood

Crackle Textured Handmade Ceramic Mushroom Lamp, Blue
Crackle Textured Handmade Ceramic Mushroom Lamp, Blue

Crackle Textured Handmade Ceramic Mushroom Lamp, Blue

$1,250 / item

H 16 in W 11.5 in D 11.5 in

Crackle Textured Handmade Ceramic Mushroom Lamp, Blue

By Ethan Streicher, Streicher Goods

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Every mushroom lamp is hand-made and hand-painted by Ethan Streicher, the founder and designer behind the Streicher Goods brand in Brooklyn, NY. The lamp's silhouette is simple and c...

Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Brass and Alabaster Mobile Chandelier by Glustin Luminaires
Brass and Alabaster Mobile Chandelier by Glustin Luminaires

Brass and Alabaster Mobile Chandelier by Glustin Luminaires

$9,041 / item

H 35.44 in W 63 in D 27.56 in

Brass and Alabaster Mobile Chandelier by Glustin Luminaires

By Glustin Creation

Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF

Mobile kinetic chandelier made of patinated brass with a round counterweight and two enlighten alabaster globes. Original design by Glustin Luminaires.

Category

2010s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Alabaster, Brass

Gino Sarfatti Model No. 2065 Ceiling Light for Astep
Gino Sarfatti Model No. 2065 Ceiling Light for Astep

Gino Sarfatti Model No. 2065 Ceiling Light for Astep

By Astep, Gino Sarfatti, Flos

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Gino Sarfatti model no. 2065 ceiling lamp for Astep. Designed in 1950, this is an authorized re-edition by Alessandro Sarfatti, grandson of Gino Sarfatti, who applies his grandfathe...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...

Materials

Aluminum

René Drouet Pair of Lounge Chairs in Olive Green Corduroy and Walnut
René Drouet Pair of Lounge Chairs in Olive Green Corduroy and Walnut

René Drouet Pair of Lounge Chairs in Olive Green Corduroy and Walnut

By René Drouet

Located in Waalwijk, NL

René Drouet, pair of lounge chairs, corduroy velvet, walnut, France, 1930s Designed by French decorator René Drouet, these club chairs are a quintessential example of French Art Dec...

Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Lounge Chairs

Materials

Velvet, Walnut

Patterned Dining Chair Hello by NOOM, Flexible Backrest, Dedar Tiger Beat 002
Patterned Dining Chair Hello by NOOM, Flexible Backrest, Dedar Tiger Beat 002

Patterned Dining Chair Hello by NOOM, Flexible Backrest, Dedar Tiger Beat 002

By Denis Sokolov, NOOM

Located in Paris, FR

Designed to make a statement, the HELLO collection blends artful geometry with soft, inviting forms. Perfect as an accent chair or sculptural lounge piece, HELLO is ideal for modern ...

Category

2010s Ukrainian Minimalist Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wool, Bouclé, Cotton, Linen, Velvet, Acrylic, Wood, Ash, Faux Fu...

Pierre Jeanneret Mid-Century Dining Armchairs, Teak & Linen, 1955
Pierre Jeanneret Mid-Century Dining Armchairs, Teak & Linen, 1955

Pierre Jeanneret Mid-Century Dining Armchairs, Teak & Linen, 1955

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Pierre Jeanneret Dining Armchairs Quantity: Upon Request These are a set of Pierre Jeanneret dining chairs, known for their iconic mid-century modern design. Featuring a solid woo...

Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Linen, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Chair in Cowhide
Pierre Jeanneret Chair in Cowhide

Pierre Jeanneret Chair in Cowhide

$19,800 / set

H 31.5 in W 17.5 in D 21 in

Pierre Jeanneret Chair in Cowhide

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Pierre Jeanneret Chair in Cowhide.

Category

Early 20th Century Indian Chairs

Materials

Cowhide, Rosewood

'Little Big Chair' Swivel Armchair in Sheepskin Moonlight by Norr11
'Little Big Chair' Swivel Armchair in Sheepskin Moonlight by Norr11

'Little Big Chair' Swivel Armchair in Sheepskin Moonlight by Norr11

$5,531 / item

H 30.12 in W 30.32 in D 29.53 in

'Little Big Chair' Swivel Armchair in Sheepskin Moonlight by Norr11

By Kristian Sofus Hansen, Norr11, Tommy Hyldahl

Located in Paris, IDF

Little big chair armchair Signed by Kristian Sofus Hansen and Tommy Hyldahl for Norr11. Model shown on the picture: Fabric: Sheepskin (09 moonlight) Made in Italy With its sculptu...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Sheepskin

Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Pierre Jeanneret V Chair", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Pierre Jeanneret V Chair For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the pierre jeanneret v chair you’re looking for at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, hardwood and teak, every pierre jeanneret v chair was constructed with great care. Find 465 options for an antique or vintage pierre jeanneret v chair now, or shop our selection of 30 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished piece. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect pierre jeanneret v chair — we have versions that date back to the 19th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. A pierre jeanneret v chair made by Mid-Century Modern designers — as well as those associated with Modern — is very popular. You’ll likely find more than one pierre jeanneret v chair that is appealing in its simplicity, but Pierre Jeanneret, Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Pierre Jeanneret V Chair?

Prices for a pierre jeanneret v chair start at $431 and top out at $136,471 with the average selling for $10,973.

Pierre Jeanneret for sale on 1stDibs

If his famed cousin and longtime colleague Charles-Édouard Jeanneret — better known as Le Corbusier — was the visionary, then Pierre Jeanneret was the member of the architecture and design team who got things done. In recent years, Jeanneret has emerged from Le Corbusier’s shadow, as collectors have discovered his simple and striking chairs, benches, coffee tables and other furniture creations.

Jeanneret studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Geneva and after he graduated in 1921 he became a partner in Le Corbusier’s office in Paris. The pair collaborated on numerous residential projects, most notably the Villa Savoye, the iconic modernist house in suburban Paris completed in 1931.

Jeanneret also worked with the great Charlotte Perriand on the Grand Modele line of tubular metal furnishings that was a sensation at the annual Salon d’Automne design expo in 1929. A rift developed between Jeanneret and his cousin during World War II, as the former joined the French resistance, while Le Corbusier cooperated with the occupying authorities in Vichy. The two did not work together again until 1950, when Le Corbusier persuaded Jeanneret to help execute the master plan for the new city of Chandigarh in Punjab, India. Jeanneret lived and worked there until the final years of his life.

A hallmark of Jeanneret’s furniture designs is his great sensitivity to materials. In contrast to the tubular-steel chairs produced by Marcel Breuer and other members of the Bauhaus, the chromed metal pieces designed by Jeanneret and Perriand — including such as the now-classic LC4 chaise longue and the Grand Confort lounge chair — have a sensuous, relaxed and welcoming look. Conversely, while Jeanneret uses essentially geometric forms for his wooden seating pieces, they exude warmth by nature of the material.

One of Jeanneret’s first manufactured designs in wood is the Model 92 Scissors chair, licensed by Hans and Florence Knoll when they were touring postwar France. But Jeanneret’s finest work in furniture was done in Chandigarh, and these are the pieces that have earned him recent renown.

Crafted of teak, the Chandigarh designs range from low-slung lounge chairs and armchairs with cane seats to desks and tables, most with Jeanneret’s signature drafting compass-shaped legs. Many such pieces on the market today are refurbished, having been found by dealers languishing in scrapyards in India in the late 1990s. Chandigarh is now taking better care of its modernist heritage, making available Jeanneret works all the rarer.

Find authentic vintage Pierre Jeanneret chairs, case pieces, tables and other furniture today on 1stDibs.

A Close Look at Mid-century Modern Furniture

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.

Finding the Right Seating for You

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.