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Raffles Chairs

Andrianna Shamaris Rare Antique Raffles Arm Chair
By Andrianna Shamaris
Located in New York, NY
Stunning hand carved teak arm chair with beautiful patina. The front legs and arm rests are
Category

Antique Early 1900s Primitive Chairs

Materials

Wood, Teak, Reclaimed Wood

Recent Sales

Prototype Chair by Bär + Knell
By Bär + Knell
Located in Cologne, DE
speak of design with recycled plastic material. This chair is one of the first experiments and was given
Category

1990s German Modern Chairs

Prototype Chair by Bär + Knell
Prototype Chair by Bär + Knell
H 33.86 in W 16.54 in D 18.12 in
Andrianna Shamaris Raffles Influence Teak Wood Shell Inlay Chair
By Andrianna Shamaris
Located in New York, NY
Raffles influence chair with shell inlay on the front and the back. Newly made from aged teak
Category

2010s Organic Modern Chairs

Materials

Shell, Wood, Teak, Reclaimed Wood

Andrianna Shamaris Raffles Teak Wood with Shell Inlay Chair
By Andrianna Shamaris
Located in New York, NY
Raffles influence chair with shell inlay on the front and the back. Newly made from aged teak wood
Category

21st Century and Contemporary British Colonial Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Shell, Wood, Teak, Reclaimed Wood

Early 20th Century Indonesian "Raffles" Armchair
Located in Pasadena, CA
"Raffles" style arm chair. Combining the reeded legs and arm supports along with a flowing floral carvings
Category

Early 20th Century Indonesian Folk Art Side Chairs

British Colonial Ebony Chair
Located in Pasadena, CA
A classic raffles armchair design from the former British colony of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. It is of
Category

Antique 19th Century Sri Lankan British Colonial Chairs

Materials

Ebony

British Colonial Ebony Chair
H 33.75 in W 21.5 in D 23 in
Contemporary Customized Raffles Sofa by Vico Magistretti, Italy, 2023, '1988'
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
De Padova Italy, Contemporary New production, customized for The Apartment, of the Raffles sofa
Category

2010s Italian Sofas

Materials

Textile

Vico Magistretti Raffles Sofa Designed in 1988 and Produced by DePadova, Italy
By DePadova 1, Vico Magistretti
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
DePadova Italy, contemporary New production, customized for the Apartment, of the Raffles sofa
Category

2010s Italian Sofas

Materials

Textile

Regency Padouk East Indies Armchair, 19th Century
Located in Charleston, SC
refined Dutch Colonial Chair has a reeded pirced and carved back splat below the scrolled toprail. The
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Javanese Dutch Colonial Armchairs

Materials

Padouk, Cane

British Colonial Ebony Armchair
Located in Pasadena, CA
A classic Raffles arm chair design from the former British colony of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. It is
Category

Antique 19th Century Sri Lankan British Colonial Furniture

Materials

Ebony

British Colonial Ebony Armchair
British Colonial Ebony Armchair
H 33.75 in W 21.5 in D 23 in
Anglo-Indian Ebony Raffles Armchairs
Located in Richmond, CA
British colonial chair of solid ebony known as a Raffles chair with fluted concave top rail
Category

Antique 19th Century Sri Lankan Armchairs

Materials

Ebony, Cane

Anglo-Indian Ebony Raffles Armchairs
Anglo-Indian Ebony Raffles Armchairs
H 32.5 in W 20.5 in D 21 in
Pair of Anglo-Indian Ebony Raffles Armchairs
Located in San Francisco, CA
British colonial chairs of solid ebony known as Raffles chairs with fluted concave top rail
Category

Antique 19th Century Sri Lankan Armchairs

Pair Georgian Style Anglo Indian Rosewood Caned Armchairs c.1840
Located in London, GB
'Raffles' chairs. The fluted concave top rails attached to downward sloping fluted arms with turned
Category

Antique 19th Century Indian Armchairs

Materials

Rosewood, Cane

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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.