Artifort Seating
The sterling reputation that Artifort enjoys isn’t limited to the innovative upholstery and fluid, organic shapes for which its products are widely known — the legendary Dutch brand’s vintage seating and other furniture is also celebrated for its embodiment of functionality, comfort and quality. These are among the principles that underpin the philosophy toward modern furniture design at Artifort, which has been at the crossroads of furniture and art for over 125 years.
Prior to 1928, the year Artifort officially became a brand, Jules Wagemans had a small upholstery business in Maastricht, the Netherlands. After setting up in 1890, his son, Henricus Wagemans, broadened the scope of the company to include furniture production. By the end of the 1920s, their showroom in Amsterdam had made them a recognizable brand across the Netherlands.
Then named H. Wagemans & Van Tuien, the company changed its name to Artifort after the economic recession. Artifort came from two Latin words meaning “art” and “strong” — a perfect description for the style of each design and the manufacturer’s intention to create sturdy furnishings. Artifort’s reputation for durable armchairs and sofas endures, and vintage editions of this seating are now family heirlooms in many homes.
Artifort became a magnet for high-profile and up-and-coming designers alike. Many furniture designers’ careers began thanks to collaborations with Artifort, such as Dutch industrial and jewelry designer Gijs Bakker and Indonesian-born designer Kho Liang Ie. Also known for designing the interiors at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, Kho Liang Ie was an aesthetic consultant at Artifort and used his expertise to turn the company into a world-class brand. Perhaps his largest contribution, however, was attracting the talents of French furniture and interior designer Pierre Paulin and English furniture designer Geoffrey D. Harcourt.
Paulin’s bright and colorful lounge chairs, such as his Orange Slice chair and Mushroom chair, are still central to the Artifort identity. The revered designer not only introduced new construction techniques to Artifort furniture, but contributed fresh materials, Pop art colors and dazzling shapes to the mid-century modern era as a whole, while Harcourt deserves credit for popularizing Artifort internationally and extending their reach into foreign markets.
Another talent boom in the 1990s at Artifort yielded collaborations with Jasper Morrison, Wolfgang Mezger and René Holten. Iranian designer Khodi Feiz was named art director in 2014 and has continued the tradition of recruiting top designers such as Claesson Koivisto Rune, Ilse Crawford and Luca Nichetto.
Find a collection of vintage Artifort lounge chairs, tables and more on 1stDibs.
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Artifort Seating
Textile
1960s Dutch Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal, Chrome
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
Fabric, Wood
1990s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Artifort Seating
Textile
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
Early 2000s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
Fabric
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Plywood
1960s Dutch Post-Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Steel
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Fabric
2010s Dutch Modern Artifort Seating
Velvet, Wood
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
Wool
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Artifort Seating
Textile
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Artifort Seating
Textile
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Artifort Seating
Textile
20th Century Dutch Artifort Seating
Steel
1960s Dutch Minimalist Vintage Artifort Seating
Steel
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Steel
1960s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Steel
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
Fabric, Faux Leather, Beech
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
Faux Fur, Wood
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
Mid-20th Century Dutch Artifort Seating
Wood, Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Artifort Seating
Textile
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Artifort Seating
Textile
2010s Dutch Artifort Seating
Fabric, Wood
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal, Chrome
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
Mid-20th Century Dutch Artifort Seating
Leather, Wood
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Steel, Chrome
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Chrome, Metal
20th Century Dutch Artifort Seating
Metal
1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Base Metal
Early 2000s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
Chrome
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Steel
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Steel
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
Steel
1960s French Vintage Artifort Seating
Bentwood
1960s Dutch Scandinavian Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Steel
1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Metal
1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Fabric
1990s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Artifort Seating
Aluminum
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Artifort Seating
Fiberglass, Fabric, Wool, Alpaca