Spool Arms And Legs
Antique 19th Century German Biedermeier Benches
Walnut, Fabric
Antique Mid-18th Century American American Colonial Corner Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
Early 20th Century English Corner Chairs
Oak
Antique 19th Century Victorian Armchairs
Wood
Late 20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Steel
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Antique 19th Century Settees
Antique 17th Century Italian Baroque Dining Room Tables
Wood, Walnut
Antique 1830s American American Empire Bookcases
Brass, Iron
Mid-20th Century American Colonial Windsor Chairs
Maple
Early 20th Century American American Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1960s British Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Elm
Antique Mid-19th Century French Dining Room Tables
Elm
Antique 18th Century Dining Room Tables
Elm
Antique Early 19th Century French Dining Room Tables
Walnut
Antique 19th Century American Primitive Chairs
Wood
20th Century European Arts and Crafts Dining Room Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Bookcases
Antique Late 19th Century Late Victorian Rocking Chairs
Oak
Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Dining Room Tables
Walnut
Antique 19th Century Victorian Dining Room Chairs
Maple
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Empire Secretaires
Birch
Recent Sales
Antique 17th Century French Armchairs
Oak
Antique 17th Century French Louis XIV Armchairs
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Side Chairs
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Wood, Tapestry, Upholstery
Vintage 1920s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Antique 19th Century English William IV Armchairs
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Wood, Upholstery, Linen
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Armchairs
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century English Benches
Wood, Oak
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Benches
Oak
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Chairs
Beech
Antique 1870s British Armchairs
Wood
Antique 19th Century American Armchairs
Early 20th Century American Spanish Colonial Benches
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Settees
Fabric, Wood
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Jacobean Armchairs
20th Century English Country Wingback Chairs
Mohair, Lacquer, Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Armchairs
Brass
Vintage 1930s American Lounge Chairs
Oak, Leather
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Armchairs
Walnut
Antique 19th Century Italian Armchairs
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
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Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
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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.