Wittmann Allegasse Sofa

Wittmann has a long tradition of uncompromising commitment to producing furniture of the highest quality. From its beginning, the Austrian company’s seating and bedroom furniture, such as armchairs and daybeds, have been fashioned from the most durable woods, like teak and oak, and upholstered in fine leather and fabrics. 

Wittmann started in 1896 as a saddlery. In the 1950s, under the direction of Franz Wittmann, it began creating upholstered furniture. The company quickly made a name for itself by manufacturing quality pieces, with a focus on seating and bedroom furnishings. 

Wittmann has regularly worked with major designers, with many collaborations leading to long-term partnerships. Austrian architect Johannes Spalt, French architect Jean Nouvel and Italian architect Paolo Piva have all had successful partnerships with the company.

The company’s most enduring collaboration was with Austrian designer Josef Hoffmann, a central figure in the modern furniture movement of the mid-20th century. Hoffmann moved away from extravagant ornamentation and embellishment in favor of showcasing the beauty of construction that shows through with a simple, well-crafted design. Though its mid-century modern furniture was intentionally simplistic, Wittmann incorporated color and texture into its offerings, providing some added flair compared to the popular Scandinavian modern works coming out of Denmark. 

Drawing on this rich heritage, Wittmann continues to hand-make furnishings. It has stores in Vienna, Hamburg and Seon in Switzerland, and exports over 15,000 pieces each year to over 50 countries worldwide.

On 1stDibs, explore Wittmann’s Austrian take on modern furniture with seating, tables, storage pieces and more.

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.