Serpent Bench
Antique 19th Century European Benches
Walnut
Late 20th Century Regency Benches
Rope, Walnut
2010s Australian Modern Benches
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Renaissance Benches
Oak
Antique 19th Century English Gothic Revival Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Antique 19th Century Meiji Furniture
Rosewood
Antique Late 19th Century William and Mary Dessert Tables and Tilt-top T...
Oak
Antique 16th Century French Renaissance Armchairs
Walnut
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
2010s American Modern Table Lamps
Steel, Brass, Silver Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary American Beds and Bed Frames
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...
Aluminum, Brass, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Scandinavian Modern Wall Lights an...
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights an...
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Nickel, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...
Brass, Aluminum, Metal
2010s British Scandinavian Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Mohair, Velvet, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...
Metal, Aluminum, Brass
2010s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Brass, Gold
Antique Late 17th Century Italian Rococo Pedestals and Columns
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Daybeds
Rattan, Elm
Recent Sales
Antique 1840s Indian British Colonial Benches
Padouk
Antique 19th Century Unknown Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Benches
Iron
Early 20th Century English Benches
Iron
Antique 1880s English Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Late 20th Century English Early Victorian Benches
Iron
Late 20th Century English Early Victorian Benches
Iron
Early 20th Century English Benches
Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XV Benches
Walnut
Late 20th Century American Regency Benches
Upholstery, Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Benches
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French Renaissance Benches
Oak
Antique 1880s Scottish Victorian Benches
Oak
Vintage 1920s American Benches
Bronze, Iron
Antique 19th Century French Renaissance Benches
Oak
Antique 1890s French Renaissance Benches
Oak
Antique 19th Century French Renaissance Benches
Oak
Vintage 1950s English Aesthetic Movement Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Loveseats
Velvet, Mahogany
Antique Mid-19th Century British Rustic Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century English Patio and Garden Furniture
Early 20th Century English Patio and Garden Furniture
Early 20th Century English Patio and Garden Furniture
Antique Late 19th Century Meiji Furniture
Hardwood
Antique 19th Century English Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron, Metal
Antique Early 19th Century French Renaissance Blanket Chests
Oak
Vintage 1970s American Hollywood Regency Benches
Wood
Antique 19th Century French Renaissance Benches
Oak
Antique Late 19th Century French Renaissance Benches
Oak
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century Tribal Tribal Art
Hardwood
Antique 1880s American Rustic Benches
Iron
Antique 1880s English Benches
Iron
Antique 19th Century American Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Benches
Iron
20th Century Benches
Wood
Antique 19th Century Italian Benches
20th Century Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Vintage 1940s Mexican Ceramics
Ceramic
Vintage 1940s Mexican Candle Holders
Ceramic
Antique 1890s English Late Victorian Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
Serpent Bench For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Serpent Bench?
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.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
Julien Sebban’s energetic design collective is radically reshaping the look of 21st-century European furniture and interiors.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
Rock Your Cares Away on This Sunny Hand-Crocheted Swing
The boho-chic Enchanted Forest Swing, handmade by marginalized women from Turkey and Syria, is uplifting in every way.
Learn Why Designer Maarten Baas Set This Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair on Fire
What happens when you do something to a piece of furniture that you shouldn’t? It becomes an entirely new object.
Eileen Gray’s Famed Cliffside Villa in the South of France Is Returned to Its Modernist Glory
After years of diligent restoration, E-1027, the designer-cum-architect’s marriage of romance and modernism, is finally complete.