What is a telephone bench?

A telephone bench, sometimes called a gossip-bench, is a bench that features an attached side-table at one end. These styles became popular after the telephone was invented in the 19th century. On 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of vintage and contemporary telephone benches from some of the world’s top sellers.

When were gossip benches made?

Gossip benches, also known as telephone benches, became popular shortly after the telephone was invented in the 1870s. They’re still made to this day, and are beloved by many homeowners and interior designers for their vintage flair. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of vintage and contemporary gossip benches from some of the world’s top sellers.

Telephone Gossip Bench

Mid Century Telephone Table

Telephone Chair

Mid-Century Modern Mengel Limed & Cerused Oak Telephone Bench by Raymond Lowey

$2,995

H 27 in W 34.5 in D 17 in

Mid-Century Modern Mengel Limed & Cerused Oak Telephone Bench by Raymond Lowey

By Mengel Furniture Co., Raymond Lowey

Located in Topeka, KS

And it is beautifully finished all around so it can float in any room of your home. This telephone bench or “gossip bench” as they used to call it, is a MUST HAVE for a small entry w...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Metal

French Telephone Bench-Love Seat-Gossip Bench - Style Louis XV - 70s

$885

H 33.86 in W 37.01 in D 16.93 in

French Telephone Bench-Love Seat-Gossip Bench - Style Louis XV - 70s

Located in Bussiere Dunoise, Nouvel Aquitaine

French Telephone Bench - Gossip Bench-Love Seat from the 70s.

Category

Vintage 1970s French Louis XV Loveseats

Materials

Fabric, Cotton, Wood, Walnut

Recent Sales

Chippy Heath Telephone Seat Mid-Century Modern Teak Gossip Bench

Sold

H 21.88 in W 33.75 in D 14.38 in

Chippy Heath Telephone Seat Mid-Century Modern Teak Gossip Bench

By Chippy Heath, Vinde Møbelfabrik, Arne Wahl Iversen

Located in Chattanooga, TN

Chippy telephone seat Mid-Century Modern gossip bench, made in England.

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Teak

Mid Century George B Bent Maple Telephone Phone Gossip Bench Seat 34"

Sold

H 27 in W 33.5 in D 17.5 in

Mid Century George B Bent Maple Telephone Phone Gossip Bench Seat 34"

Located in Dayton, OH

Mid to early 20th century George B Bent Co Inc telephone bench. Made of Hard Rock Maple featuring Colonial and early American styling with a slat back seat next to a two tiered tray...

Category

Mid-20th Century North American American Colonial Benches

Materials

Fabric, Maple

Original Hand Carved Mahogany Victorian Telephone or Gossip Bench, Bergere

Sold

H 43.31 in W 55.12 in D 23.63 in

Original Hand Carved Mahogany Victorian Telephone or Gossip Bench, Bergere

Located in Bishop's Stortford, GB

Original Hand Carved Mahogany Victorian Telephone or Gossip Bench, Bergere Backing and armrest rest.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Bergere Chairs

Materials

Bouclé, Mahogany

Italian Neoclassical Iron Glass Telephone Stand Gossip Bench Swivel Seat Stool

Sold

H 17 in W 38 in D 17 in

Italian Neoclassical Iron Glass Telephone Stand Gossip Bench Swivel Seat Stool

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Vintage Italian neoclassical iron and glass telephone stand gossip bench with swivel seat. Item features round swivel seat, heavy wrought iron frame, white vitrolite glass top, quali...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches

Materials

Iron

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Gossip Bench by Plycraft

Sold

H 35.25 in W 31.5 in D 23 in

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Gossip Bench by Plycraft

By Plycraft

Located in San Jose, CA

Mid-Century Modern gossip bench with telephone table manufactured by Plycraft circa 1960's.

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Walnut

Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Gossip / Telephone / Entrance Bench / Table

Sold

H 26 in W 31 in L 26 in

Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Gossip / Telephone / Entrance Bench / Table

Located in Victoria, BC

This versatile piece works wonderfully at an entrance, or as a stylish accent to any room. It features solid teak legs with brass feet, solid wood dovetailed drawer fronts, and is in...

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Credenzas

Materials

Brass

Post Modern Chair w/ Attached Telephone Table

Sold

Post Modern Chair w/ Attached Telephone Table

Located in Miami, FL

This imaginative and rare chair has the desired and attached telephone table. In true gossip bench style everyone will love.

Category

Late 20th Century Spanish Chairs

Gossip Bench Telephone Table Black Spindle Back Copper Accents

Sold

H 29.5 in W 30 in D 16 in

Gossip Bench Telephone Table Black Spindle Back Copper Accents

Located in Pataskala, OH

It features a spindle back. Did you have a telephone table? Growing up our gossip bench sat just inside the front door and was almost always in use by one of my older sister as th...

Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Wood

People Also Browsed

'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö

$1,650 / item

H 16.1 in Dm 11.5 in

'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö

By Örsjö Industri AB

Located in Glendale, CA

'Plissé White Edition' pleated textile table lamp by Folkform for Örsjö. This unique table lamp was awarded “Lighting of the Year 2022” by Residence Magazine Sweden, who called it “...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Textile

Mamun Bedside (Dark Brown/Dusty Blue)

$1,700 / item

H 23.63 in W 15.75 in D 13.78 in

Mamun Bedside (Dark Brown/Dusty Blue)

Located in Singapore, SG

Mamun, which translates to trustworthy in Arabic, was designed by Studio Kallang in 2021 as a playful take on both midcentury and brutalist forms. Designer Faezah Shaharuddin intende...

Category

2010s Indonesian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Teak

Pair of Constant Night Stands in Iroko Wood by Master Studio for Lemon

$6,962 / set

H 24.01 in Dm 13.78 in

Pair of Constant Night Stands in Iroko Wood by Master Studio for Lemon

By Lemon

Located in Amsterdam, NL

Neatly proportioned with exceptional detailing, the constant nightstand is your perfect bedside partner. In our furniture making, the IDEA is to create special pieces that you can bu...

Category

2010s South African Minimalist Pedestals

Materials

Hardwood

French Pair of Nightstands Side Cabinets Bedside Tables Brutalist Style, 2022

$2,106 / set

H 24.81 in W 23.63 in D 13.78 in

French Pair of Nightstands Side Cabinets Bedside Tables Brutalist Style, 2022

Located in Labrit, Landes

Pair of oak nightstands "Pyrénées" signed by Sébastien Lamarre. This french side cabinets were made by Sébastien Lamarre for Maison Marie Anne. The creator chose for the Pyrénées mo...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Brutalist Night Stands

Materials

Oak

Dutch Mid-Century Modern Solid Birch Vanity Desk by Everest Furniture, 1950s

$2,400

H 34.26 in W 33.86 in D 24.02 in

Dutch Mid-Century Modern Solid Birch Vanity Desk by Everest Furniture, 1950s

By Everest

Located in bergen op zoom, NL

Unusual and rare modernist vanity desk produced in the Netherlands by Everest Furniture early 1950s. Solid birch frame and, veneered plywood and exotic wood (Wenge) details in the...

Category

Vintage 1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vanities

Materials

Birch, Teak, Wenge, Plywood

Danish Mid-Century Desk

$2,200

H 34 in W 50 in D 27.5 in

Danish Mid-Century Desk

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This vintage writing desk made in Denmark features three drawers and plenty of small storage compartments. This desk is normally in a rosewood, so this item is a rare find. Please co...

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Mid-Century Modern Vintage Walnut Ash Desk Bureau Secretary, 1950s, Italy

$4,130

H 47.25 in W 47.05 in D 18.51 in

Mid-Century Modern Vintage Walnut Ash Desk Bureau Secretary, 1950s, Italy

Located in Vienna, AT

Mid-Century Modern vintage secretary desk bureau Ico Parisi style from walnut and ash veneers designed and manufactured 1950s Italy. The beautiful desk features three spacious drawe...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks

Materials

Ash, Walnut

Two-Piece Walnut Corner Desk Table Bookcase Hutch

$3,200

H 76 in W 34 in D 34 in

Two-Piece Walnut Corner Desk Table Bookcase Hutch

By American of Martinsville

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Mid-Century Modern walnut two piece corner desk bookcase hutch. Good utilitarian size bookcase using small corner space.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Shelves

Materials

Walnut

Midcentury Modern MIM Roma Walnut Desk, Italy 1970s

$3,314

H 31.5 in W 38.98 in D 19.3 in

Midcentury Modern MIM Roma Walnut Desk, Italy 1970s

By MIM Roma

Located in Ceglie Messapica, IT

Midcentury Modern Solid Walnut Desk from the 1970s, MIM Rome Italy This Mid-Century Modern solid wood desk, produced by the renowned Italian company MIM Rome in the 1970s, is a stun...

Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Mid-Century Modern Writing Desk, Netherlands, 1960s

$1,650

H 30.71 in W 48.04 in D 20.87 in

Mid-Century Modern Writing Desk, Netherlands, 1960s

Located in Antwerp, BE

Sleek writing desk featuring a dual-panel tabletop with a crisp white finish and red trim. This piece offers a minimalist aesthetic perfect for any contemporary space. The sturdy met...

Category

Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Raymond Loewy for Mengel Walnut, Iron and Orange Upholstery Telephone Bench

$4,250

H 27 in W 35 in D 17.5 in

Raymond Loewy for Mengel Walnut, Iron and Orange Upholstery Telephone Bench

By Raymond Loewy

Located in Queens, NY

American Mid-Century oak telephone bench /table with a rust orange textured fabric upholstered seat next to a side table with a dark stained, geometrically incised drawer above an op...

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Ottomans and Poufs

Materials

Metal, Iron

Raymond Loewy for Mengel Walnut, Iron and Gold Upholstery Telephone Bench

$4,250

H 27 in W 35 in D 17.5 in

Raymond Loewy for Mengel Walnut, Iron and Gold Upholstery Telephone Bench

By Raymond Loewy

Located in Queens, NY

American Mid-Century oak telephone bench /table with a gold textured fabric upholstered seat next to a side table with a dark stained, geometrically incised drawer above an open comp...

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Ottomans and Poufs

Materials

Metal, Iron

Danish Desk w/ Vanity

$1,500

H 30.5 in W 35.75 in D 25 in

Danish Desk w/ Vanity

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Mid-century modern Danish made desk with flip up mirror. Simple modern design with multi function. Please confirm location.

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Vanities

Materials

Teak

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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.

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