Swat Chair
Antique Early 19th Century Pakistani Tribal Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
Antique Early 19th Century Tribal Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Chairs
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron
2010s American Modern Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
People Also Browsed
2010s Italian Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
2010s Spanish Country Patio and Garden Furniture
Wrought Iron
Antique Mid-19th Century Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron
Late 20th Century American Colonial Dining Room Tables
Maple
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Belgian Black Marble
Antique 19th Century Indian Rustic Blanket Chests
Iron
Early 20th Century Jacobean Blanket Chests
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary American Rustic Chaise Longues
Linen, Down
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Armchairs
Wrought Iron
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Steel
Antique 1840s Folk Art Blanket Chests
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Blanket Chests
Wood, Beech
Antique 16th Century French Renaissance Blanket Chests
Wood, Oak
20th Century Indian Chairs
Bone, Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Rustic Chairs
Twine, Wood
Antique 19th Century English Children's Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
Recent Sales
20th Century Pakistani Tribal Chairs
Wood
Antique 1820s Afghan Georgian Chairs
Cedar
Vintage 1950s Pakistani Chairs
Antique 19th Century Afghan Tribal Antiquities
Hide, Cedar
Late 20th Century American Federal Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Mahogany
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
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.
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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.