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Typist Chair

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Typist Chair, Model Simples, by Móveis Olaio, 1940's
By Olaio
Located in Lisboa, PT
This typist chair was designed and produced by Móveis Olaio, during the 1940's, for the Agronomic
Category

Vintage 1940s Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Beech

Synthesis 45 Typist Chair by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, Italy, 1970
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Munster, NRW
Synthesis 45 typist’s adjustable swivel chair, designed 1970 by Ettore Sottsass. Injection-moulded
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Space Age Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Desk Chair Mod.Synthesis 45 Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, Italy 197
By Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, IT
adjustable typist chair. It has been completely restored and is now in excellent condition. This chair is
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Metal

Henri Matisse School Prints Colorful Modernist Cut Out Jazz Drawing Lithograph
By (after) Henri Matisse
Located in Surfside, FL
, was a typist for the French Underground and jailed for six months. Matisse was shocked when he heard
Category

1940s Modern Abstract Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Typist's Chair by Tan-Sad
Located in Brambleton, VA
produce ergonomically correct "posture" chairs. This one, a typist's chair has adjustable reclining
Category

Early 20th Century British Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Iron, Steel

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Finding the Right Office-chairs-desk-chairs for You

An essential part of every office or home workstation, office chairs and desk chairs are critically important to your comfort and getting the job done.

Desk chairs have evolved over time. While writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson pined for a wider range of motion and introduced some improvements to his English-style Windsor chair, inventing the swivel chair along the way. So the next time you roll, recline or swivel at your vintage desk, remember: The third president of the United States had a lot to do with that functionality.

Changes in the availability of resources have also led to innovations in desk chair design. After World War II, for example, optimistic American designers made use of wartime materials in their efforts to create practical domestic goods.

Mid-century modernism is the name given to the broad postwar time period that prioritized thoughtful design. Journalist Cara Greenberg, who coined the term “mid-century modernism,” cites “ergonomic wisdom” as part of the reason for the longevity of the era’s furnishings, and when it comes to sitting in a desk chair for hours at a time, what could be more important than ergonomic support?

As mid-century modernism was marked by resourcefulness and boundless creativity — and produced designers who, in most cases, prioritized comfort and support — it follows that all mid-century chairs are not the same. Nowhere is this perhaps more evident than at Herman Miller. The legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer got its start in the office, with design director George Nelson enlisting the likes of Charles and Ray Eames to produce desk chairs and lounge chairs that are still celebrated today. Elsewhere at the time, the numerous pieces Florence Knoll created for Knoll’s office furniture line were envisioned as design solutions for the changing needs of residential and office spaces.

If you’re working remotely and streamlined seating isn’t your thing, don’t be afraid of making a statement with your office chair. Introduce a touch of drama to your video calls by way of 19th-century desk accessories and the alluring forms we typically associate with antique desk chairs designed in the Empire and Regency styles. For a minimalist touch, a spare, utilitarian Industrial-style office chair can work in any space but will fit in particularly well amid the exposed brick and steel architecture that characterizes a loft apartment.

An inspiring home office cleverly mixes materials and styles to create a welcoming place of productivity and comfort, and if you’re gathering with colleagues at your company HQ, an array of wood, leather and metal office chairs can help integrate disparate textures in a conference room or any other collaborative space. On 1stDibs, explore a diverse collection of office and desk chairs today.

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