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Porters Balloon Chairs

Vintage Hollywood Regency Pink Hooded Dome Porter Canopy Balloon Chair
Vintage Hollywood Regency Pink Hooded Dome Porter Canopy Balloon Chair

Vintage Hollywood Regency Pink Hooded Dome Porter Canopy Balloon Chair

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Vintage Hollywood Regency Pink Hooded Dome Porter Canopy Balloon Chair. Circa Mid 20th Century

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Hollywood Regency Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

French Giltwood Carved Balloon Porter’s Chair, Louis XVI Period, Circa 1790
French Giltwood Carved Balloon Porter’s Chair, Louis XVI Period, Circa 1790

French Giltwood Carved Balloon Porter’s Chair, Louis XVI Period, Circa 1790

Located in London, GB

A rare Louis XVI period gilded porter's chair, possibly water-gilded to a very high standard. The

Category

Antique 1790s French Louis XVI Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Beech, Giltwood

French Louis XV Style Carved Balloon Porters Chair, 19th Century
French Louis XV Style Carved Balloon Porters Chair, 19th Century

French Louis XV Style Carved Balloon Porters Chair, 19th Century

Located in South Salem, NY

This exquisite 19th-century Louis XV style carved balloon porter's chair is a testament to the

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Wingback Chairs

Materials

Wood

Rattan and Bamboo Porter's Chair
Rattan and Bamboo Porter's Chair

Rattan and Bamboo Porter's Chair

$3,700

H 68 in W 22 in D 31 in

Rattan and Bamboo Porter's Chair

Located in East Hampton, NY

Rattan and bamboo porter's chair with balloon style hood.

Category

Mid-20th Century Chairs

Materials

Bamboo, Rattan

Pair French Provincial Style Cerused Oak Hooded Porters Chairs
Pair French Provincial Style Cerused Oak Hooded Porters Chairs

Pair French Provincial Style Cerused Oak Hooded Porters Chairs

Located in Rio Vista, CA

Fantastic pair of country French provincial hooded porters chairs or balloon chairs crafted from

Category

20th Century French Provincial Wingback Chairs

Materials

Brass

Recent Sales

Antique French Canopy Porters Balloon Chair
Antique French Canopy Porters Balloon Chair

Antique French Canopy Porters Balloon Chair

Sold

H 30 in W 32.5 in L 30 in

Antique French Canopy Porters Balloon Chair

Located in West Hartford, CT

Antique French canopy porters chair with velvet interior and burlap fabric on exterior.

Category

Vintage 1920s French Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Rare Midcentury Salterini Style Balloon Back Porters Garden Chair
Rare Midcentury Salterini Style Balloon Back Porters Garden Chair

Rare Midcentury Salterini Style Balloon Back Porters Garden Chair

By John Salterini

Located in Lambertville, NJ

Wonderful high style and uncommon midcentury hooded iron garden chair. Flat black paint. The

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel, Wrought Iron

French Country Louis XV Style Double Cane Canopy Porter Chair
French Country Louis XV Style Double Cane Canopy Porter Chair

French Country Louis XV Style Double Cane Canopy Porter Chair

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A mid century Louis XV style porter chair. Balloon canopy silhouette with double cane paneling

Category

Mid-20th Century Louis XV Chairs

Materials

Suede, Cane

Pair of French Provincial Style Painted Porters Canopy Chairs
Pair of French Provincial Style Painted Porters Canopy Chairs

Pair of French Provincial Style Painted Porters Canopy Chairs

Located in Rio Vista, CA

Gorgeous pair of French balloon chairs or porters canopy wing chairs featuring linen upholstery

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Provincial Wingback Chairs

Materials

Brass

Iconic Ralph Lauren Home Tall Chair, Carved Bergere Balloon Lounge Armchair
Iconic Ralph Lauren Home Tall Chair, Carved Bergere Balloon Lounge Armchair

Iconic Ralph Lauren Home Tall Chair, Carved Bergere Balloon Lounge Armchair

By Ralph Lauren, E.J. Victor

Located in Lambertville, NJ

contrasting embossed black leather snakeskin. This dramatic balloon shaped porters chair has a beautifully

Category

Early 2000s Lounge Chairs

Materials

Leather, Upholstery, Wood

French Balloon Back  Porter arm chair
French Balloon Back  Porter arm chair

French Balloon Back Porter arm chair

Sold

H 60 in W 30 in D 30 in

French Balloon Back Porter arm chair

Located in Cathedral City, CA

French Balloon Back Porter chair

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Armchairs

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French Louis XVI Period Walnut Lit en Bibliotheque, ca. 1780
French Louis XVI Period Walnut Lit en Bibliotheque, ca. 1780

French Louis XVI Period Walnut Lit en Bibliotheque, ca. 1780

Located in Atlanta, GA

constructed of light walnut in the late 18th century this remarkable "murphy bed" disguised as a bookcase cabinet complete with antique book spines and wire mesh, the top two of thre...

Category

Antique 1780s French Louis XVI Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Geometric Mid Century Open Bookcase
Geometric Mid Century Open Bookcase

Geometric Mid Century Open Bookcase

$7,485 / item

H 87 in W 59 in D 18 in

Geometric Mid Century Open Bookcase

Located in Westwood, NJ

Finished in Batavia Black with a Sandbar finish interior, this bookcase showcases rhythmic, crescent-shaped oval cut-outs that form an architectural silhouette—an homage to the sculp...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood

Picasso Marble Cone Side Table
Picasso Marble Cone Side Table

Picasso Marble Cone Side Table

$2,389 / item

H 16.54 in Dm 15.75 in

Picasso Marble Cone Side Table

By Kiwano Concept

Located in Eindhoven, NB

Introduce monumental elegance and a grounded detail to your interior with the stunning Picasso marble CONE side table. The sculptural geometric shape of this contemporary design piec...

Category

2010s Dutch Modern Side Tables

Materials

Marble

Attributed to Istvan Szonyi
Attributed to Istvan Szonyi

Attributed to Istvan Szonyi

$4,900

H 19.5 in W 23.5 in D 2 in

Attributed to Istvan Szonyi

By Istvan Szonyi

Located in Houston, TX

Hungarian Artist (1894-1960) "Reclining Nude", circa 1920s Measures: 19.5" H x 23.5" W, overall size is 28" x 32.5" Oil on canvas, inscribed lower right "Somody baratomnak szere...

Category

Vintage 1920s Hungarian Other Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Florian Schulz Double Onos 55-Pendant Lamp with Side Counter Weights
Florian Schulz Double Onos 55-Pendant Lamp with Side Counter Weights

Florian Schulz Double Onos 55-Pendant Lamp with Side Counter Weights

By Florian Schulz

Located in Berlin, DE

Really beautiful Florian Schulz double Onos 55-pendant lamp with one E27 / model for each lamp 100 Watt bulbs. Also available in US wired.  

Category

2010s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Art Deco Lamp
Art Deco Lamp

Art Deco Lamp

$3,429 / item

H 20.08 in Dm 15.75 in

Art Deco Lamp

By Sofar

Located in Rebais, FR

Art Deco lamp with led in the foot.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Art Deco Chandelier
Art Deco Chandelier

Art Deco Chandelier

$7,175 / item

H 27.56 in Dm 23.63 in

Art Deco Chandelier

By Sofar

Located in Rebais, FR

Art Deco chandelier with nickel finish and curved glass rod.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Bauges French Mid-Century Metal and Murano Glass Bird Chandelier
Bauges French Mid-Century Metal and Murano Glass Bird Chandelier

Bauges French Mid-Century Metal and Murano Glass Bird Chandelier

By Maison Baguès

Located in Queens, NY

French mid-century (1940s) red and white painted metal 10 arm chandelier with Murano glass bird in center with canopy. (Attributed to BAGUES).  

Category

Vintage 1940s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

Amarante Mirror
Amarante Mirror

Amarante Mirror

$2,177 / item

H 27.17 in W 21.26 in D 0.79 in

Amarante Mirror

By Project 213A

Located in Macieira de Sarnes, PT

Amarante Mirror Designed in 2024 by Project 213A The Amarante Mirror is trapez shaped and framed in solid wood. Crafted by Skilled artisans in Northern Portugal and finished in a g...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Wall Mirrors

Materials

Mirror, Oak

Art Deco Dressing Table and Mirror
Art Deco Dressing Table and Mirror

Art Deco Dressing Table and Mirror

$8,739 / item

H 64.97 in W 40.16 in D 14.57 in

Art Deco Dressing Table and Mirror

By Sofar

Located in Rebais, FR

Art Deco dressing table with mirror and sconces.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Antique 19th C. American Empire Flame Mahogany Claw Foot Parlor Sofa Couch 85"
Antique 19th C. American Empire Flame Mahogany Claw Foot Parlor Sofa Couch 85"

Antique 19th C. American Empire Flame Mahogany Claw Foot Parlor Sofa Couch 85"

Located in Dayton, OH

Fine American Empire parlor sofa / couch with classical form and masterful carvings. Made of flamed mahogany featuring carved back crest and flared rolled arms accented with carved f...

Category

Antique 19th Century American American Classical Sofas

Materials

Mahogany, Burl

A corner sofa by J.M. Middelraad for H. Pander & Zn, circa 1900, The Netherlands
A corner sofa by J.M. Middelraad for H. Pander & Zn, circa 1900, The Netherlands

A corner sofa by J.M. Middelraad for H. Pander & Zn, circa 1900, The Netherlands

By H.Pander & Zonen

Located in Delft, NL

A corner sofa by J.M. Middelraad for H. Pander & Zn A corner sofa with fabric upholstery. The beautiful hand-carved details in Art Nouveau patterns and dragonflies, as well as on th...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Palmwood

Set of Mae Solid Wood Nightstands / End Tables with Leather Shelf
Set of Mae Solid Wood Nightstands / End Tables with Leather Shelf

Set of Mae Solid Wood Nightstands / End Tables with Leather Shelf

By Crump and Kwash

Located in Baltimore City, MD

Mae nightstands with shelf by Crump and Kwash This listing is for a pair of new nightstands. Features Solid wood frame / hand turned legs / hand rubbed oil finish / solid brass p...

Category

2010s American Modern Night Stands

Materials

Brass

Hollywood Regency, Pink Alabaster, Marbro Lamp
Hollywood Regency, Pink Alabaster, Marbro Lamp

Hollywood Regency, Pink Alabaster, Marbro Lamp

By The Marbro Lamp Company

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Large, Asian influenced, solid pink alabaster lamp with pierced, faux armatures, matching foot and finial. The whole atop a veneered, wood base. Made by the famed Los Angeles based, ...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Table Lamps

Materials

Agate

Original Vintage 1928 Avant Garde Art Exhibition Poster Kandinsky Picasso Klee
Original Vintage 1928 Avant Garde Art Exhibition Poster Kandinsky Picasso Klee

Original Vintage 1928 Avant Garde Art Exhibition Poster Kandinsky Picasso Klee

By Heinrich Campendonk

Located in London, GB

Original vintage art exhibition poster: Colour / Farbe Ausstellung im Kaiser-Wilhelm-Museum held at the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum in Krefeld Germany from 1-31 May 1928 presenting work by...

Category

Vintage 1920s German Posters

Materials

Paper

Oval Art Deco Chandelier
Oval Art Deco Chandelier

Oval Art Deco Chandelier

$7,211 / item

H 27.56 in W 33.47 in D 20.87 in

Oval Art Deco Chandelier

By Sofar

Located in Rebais, FR

Art Deco chandelier with nickel finish.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Bronze

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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.

Questions About Porters Balloon Chairs
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 15, 2024
    A porter's chair is called that due to its history. Early examples of porter's chairs date back to medieval England and France. At that time, households positioned the chairs near the front doors of homes to give the hall porters a place to sit while they waited to receive guests. Although hall porters are less commonly employed in homes today, the upholstered chairs with their curved, deep backs continue to bear the name. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of antique, vintage and contemporary chairs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A balloon back chair is a specific type of seat that became popular during the Victorian era. It features a curved back that tapers as it travels down to the seat. Many balloon back chairs are armless, and nearly all examples feature upholstered seats. You'll find a range of balloon back chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Balloon back chairs were made mostly in the Victorian era, as they were highly popular at this time in the 19th century. It is generally regarded as a classic antique dining room chair. Browse an array of authentic antique balloon back chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023
    Balloon back chairs are from the Victorian era, which lasted from the late 1830s to the turn of the 20th century. These chairs get their name from their rounded backrests and narrow waists, which make it seem like their tops have ballooned or grown in size. On 1stDibs, shop a range of balloon back chairs.