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Tripolina Folding Chair

Pair of Red Tripolina Folding Chairs by Joseph B. Fenby
By Joseph Beverly Fenby
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of Red Tripolina Folding Chairs by Joseph B. Fenby
Category

20th Century Armchairs

Materials

Wood

Tripolina Folding Chair in Wood and Leather by Paolo Vigano 1930s
By Paolo Viganò
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Tripolina folding chair presents a wooden frame with metal fixing and a beautiful removable seat
Category

Vintage 1930s Libyan Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Tripolina Foldable Chair by Dario Alfonsi
By Joseph Beverly Fenby, Dario Alfonsi
Located in Atlanta, GA
The Tripolina is a folding chair characterized by a wooden frame, metal swivel joints, and a seat
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Metal

Pair Italian Wood & Leather Folding Tripolina Lounge Chairs, Joseph Fendy, 1937
By Joseph Fendy, Brevettato, Paolo Viganò
Located in New York, NY
A rare and inportant pair of the 'Tripolina' folding chairs designed by Joseph B. Fenby. Tripolina
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Metal

Vigano Vittoriano "Tripolina" Leather Sling Chair, 1936
By Vittoriano Vigano
Located in Chicago, IL
Vigano Vittoriano "Tripolina" leather sling chair. Folding metal and wood base, more recent leather
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Metal

Recent Sales

Very Rare Original 'Tripolina' Chairs by Joseph Fendy for Paolo Viganò, Signed
By Joseph Fendy
Located in Amsterdam, NL
An extremely rare set of the 'Tripolina' folding chair designed by Joseph B. Fenby. The
Category

Antique 1890s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Rare Tripolina Folding Chair
By Joseph Fendy
Located in Munich, DE
Designed in 1877 by Joseph Fendy and possibly made by Vigano.
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Lounge Chairs

Tripolina Folding Chair by Viganò in Leather and Teak from circa 1970s
By Dario Alfonsi
Located in Milano, IT
This folding chair by Viganò is based on the prototypes of folding chairs created in the 19th
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Teak

Tripolina Chair by Joseph Fendy
By Joseph Fendy
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare patinated leather folding Tripolina chair designed by Joseph Fendy for Vigano. Made in Italy
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Lounge Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Tripolina Chair by Joseph Fendy
Tripolina Chair by Joseph Fendy
H 41 in W 27 in D 33 in
Contemporary Leather "Campaign" Chair
By Vittoriano Vigano
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
A contemporary interpretation of the Classic officer's campaign folding chair. The "Tripolina
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Leather, Walnut

A Joseph Fenby Tripolina Folding Chair
Located in New York, NY
An antique wood and leather folding chair. This chair, which inspired the classic vintage Butterfly
Category

Early 20th Century English Lounge Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Foldable Tripolina Leather Armchair by Joseph Beverly Fenby
By Joseph Beverly Fenby
Located in Brussels, BE
'Tripolina' folding chair designed by Joseph Beverly Fenby. The Tripolina chair was made from
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Chairs

Materials

Leather

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Tripolina Folding Chair For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the tripolina folding chair you’re looking for. Each tripolina folding chair for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, animal skin and leather. Find 6 options for an antique or vintage tripolina folding chair now, or shop our selection of 7 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished piece. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer tripolina folding chair, there are earlier versions available from the 19th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. A tripolina folding chair, designed in the mid-century modern or modern style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. You’ll likely find more than one tripolina folding chair that is appealing in its simplicity, but Dario Alfonsi, Vittoriano Vigano and Joseph Fendy produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Tripolina Folding Chair?

Prices for a tripolina folding chair start at $2,251 and top out at $7,900 with the average selling for $3,970.

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.

Questions About Tripolina Folding Chair
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Whether or not a butterfly chair will fold will depend on the make and model. The butterfly chair was originally designed with metal hairpin legs without hinges or joints. Collector versions of the butterfly chair will not be foldable, however, foldable designs are a popular silhouette for recreational seating.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 17, 2021
    The most comfortable folding chair is really a matter of preference. When shopping for folding chairs, you’ll want to think about how you’ll use them, how often you’ll be using them and if you have a preference with respect to materials. Shop antique, vintage and new folding chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023
    Nathaniel Alexander invented the folding chair in 1911. During the 1950s, demand for the chairs skyrocketed with furniture makers like the Fredric Arnold Company in Brooklyn, New York, producing thousands every day. Find a variety of folding chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 22, 2024
    Opinions vary on who designed the folding chair. Chairs designed to fold have existed since the ancient world, with examples found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. Some people argue that the original designer of the modern-day folding chair was John Cram, who patented an idea for a folding chair in 1855. However, others believe that Philip E.G. Harrison should get the credit because his 1931 design more closely resembles the modern-day folding chair. Nathaniel Alexander also contributed to the development of the folding chair with his 1911 chair that included a book rest, as did Frederic Arnold, who created the first folding aluminum chair in 1947. Shop a selection of folding chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 16, 2024
    Chairs that fold up are usually called folding chairs. However, people may refer to them as collapsible chairs as well. Other names for folding chairs designed for outdoor use include deck chairs, beach chairs, lawn chairs, camping chairs and patio chairs. Shop a collection of folding chairs on 1stDibs.