Evoking rusticity and relaxation through simple and elegant designs, vintage Adirondack furniture originated in the Adirondack Mountains of northeastern New York. The most famous piece is the Adirondack chair, which dates to 1903.
With its ample armrests and sturdy but comfortable slanted seat, the reclined Adirondack chair was designed by Thomas Lee for his own country home. The postwar golden age of modern patio and garden furniture production — led by the likes of Brown Jordan, Knoll, Salterini and Woodard — was decades away at the time, and there were few pieces of furniture specifically created for outdoor use.
Lee, a Massachusetts-born Harvard graduate raised in a wealthy family, was no furniture designer. He merely needed a durable, rugged chair for afternoons in the sun while he was vacationing on Lake Champlain in Westport, New York, in the summer. The amateur woodworker used just one wooden plank cut into 11 segments that were jointed together for his now-legendary seat, which is said to have been made of hemlock, hickory or basswood.
The story of the Adirondack chair continues with Lee’s friend, carpenter Harry Bunnell, covertly patenting the chair and going on to produce it as the Westport Plank chair for a growing audience over the next two decades. Over a century later, the Adirondack chair has gone through several design evolutions while maintaining its popularity and basic form with slats of wood such as pine offering comfort both indoors and out.
The widespread demand for rustic Adirondack outdoor furniture was bolstered by the turn-of-the-century establishment of rural escapes to treat diseases such as tuberculosis. The low-slung Adirondack chair became common in these places of convalescence, allowing patients to recline and breathe in the country air. It also complemented the camp-style architecture that was prevalent in the Adirondacks for recreation as well as restoration, where rugged furniture with exposed wood and minimal carving filled interiors and wide porches.
Today, Adirondack chairs are made in a range of materials and can be found around the world, from ski resorts to lakeside piers, their durability and classic form making them an enduring favorite for spending time in nature.
Find vintage Adirondack chairs, benches, lounge chairs, decorative objects, folk art and other furniture on 1stDibs.
$1,920Sale Price|20% Off
Adirondack Style Birch Twig and Mushroom Box
Located in Chicago, IL
This box is part woodland, part wink. A mid to late 20th century American Adirondack fantasy, it is clad entirely in cut birch branches and raised on birch branch legs, as if it simp...
Birch
$1,180Sale Price|20% Off
19thc Rounded Cheese Box With Handle
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 19Thc pantry box / cheese box with a handle in fine condition. This cheese box in great condition. This cheese container is from New England and is si...
Wood
$396Sale Price|41% Off
19Thc Original Red Painted Cutlery / Knife Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Hand crafted and painted cutlery box from Pennsylvania in original red painted surface. The condition is very good and has square nail construction.
Wood
$1,276Sale Price|20% Off
Late 19Thc Shaker Style Pantry Boxes -Stack of Four
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Late 19Thc Shaker pantry boxes in fine condition and all matching stack.This matching stack of four boxes are in great condition and all have copper nail construction.Sold as a coll...
Wood
$460Sale Price|20% Off
20Thc Tin Coffee Canister
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 20Thc Coffee tin canister in original painted labels & original condition.
Tin
$716Sale Price|20% Off
18thc European Pantry Box With Lid
Located in Los Angeles, CA
18thc European Pantry Box With Lid in great condition.This is like a oversized pantry box or storage box with the original lid.
Wood
$716Sale Price|20% Off
19Thc Paint Decorated Pa. Dutch Pantry Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 19Thc early pantry box was used in the kitchen for feeds and grains. This was paint decorated later in the early 20thc.Looks like a Peter Hunt painted or decorated style. The co...
Wood, Paint
$1,196Sale Price|20% Off
19thc Oval Oversized Pantry Box.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19thc Oval oversized pantry box. Original paint. Large size wooden pantry found in New England. Spacious old and primitive.
Wood
$700Sale Price|20% Off
19thc Spice Wall Box/ Cabinet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Table top spice box with square nail construction and in fine condition.These early spice boxes are hard to find in such good condition.
Wood
$760Sale Price|20% Off
19thc New England Bucket With Original Lid From Maine
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19thc New England Bucket With Original Lid From Maine original paint and wonderful metal handle with wooden grip. Great color and great patina.
Wood
$716Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Original Grey Painted Dough Tray
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th century original grey painted and double handled dough try or cow trough. Great center piece for a farm table.
Pine
$716Sale Price|20% Off
19thc Hand Carved Wooden New England Dough Bowl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 219thc Wooden dough bowl found in New England. Wonderful patina and age to the surface. Great size.
Wood
$780Sale Price|20% Off
19th Dusty Rose Painted Furkin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Original dusty rose painted furkin / bucket i fine condition. Nice construction and form.
Wood
$1,036Sale Price|20% Off
Early 19Thc Original Blue Painted Mini -Dome Top Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Original Blue painted table top dome top document box.The hardware is original and square nail construction.The condition is good with minor scratches.
Wood, Paint
Hand Carved Organic Log Form Dresser Box
Located in Ferndale, MI
Hand Carved Organic Log Form Dresser Box
Wood
$476Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Walnut Cutlery Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This finely handmade 19th century walnut cutlery box is in fine condition and retains a nice mellow patina. Great for so many different uses. Super cool for outgoing mail or bills! N...
Wood
19thc Wall Hanging Spice Box With Porcelain Knobs
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19thc wall hanging spice box with porcelain knobs. crown molding on the top portion of the box. Wonderful hand made box with great patina and age. Original porcelain knobs.
Porcelain, Wood
$760Sale Price|20% Off
19thc original painted Fruit & Floral Decoration Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19thc original painted Fruit & Floral Decoration Box. Dovetailed construction and walnut wood. Wonderful age consistent of use.
Wood
$700Sale Price|20% Off
19Thc Original Paint Decorated Pantry Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Original paint decorated red over blue swing handled pantry box from New England.This amazing over painted pantry box has wonderful 19thc decoration and is in good condition.
Wood
$716Sale Price|20% Off
19Thc Original Mustard Painted Barrel
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This folky original mustard painted over grey barrel was found on a farm in Pennsylvania. The condition is very good and sturdy. The patina is amazing and it has a outdoor protective...
Oak
$716Sale Price|20% Off
19Thc Original Brown Painted Box W/ Drawer & Handle
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is either a 19thc hardware drawer box or a cash drawer of sorts.The construction is early cut nails and a dovetailed drawer.There is a brass & iron handle on the side of the box...
Brass, Iron
$475
H 0.75 in W 3 in D 1.75 in
Early 19th Century Georgian Burr Birch Pocket Snuff Box, England, circa 1820
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very handsome early 19th century Georgian pocket snuff box, the richly figured burr birch case inlaid with ebony stringing and an ebony shield-shaped cartouche, the functioning lid opening on wooden...
Birch
19th Century Graduated Stack of Paint Decorated Pantry Boxes
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th Century Graduated Stack of Paint Decorated Pantry Boxes, circa 1880, comprising five shaved splint bentwood pantry boxes with straight overlaps fastened via wooden pegs, in late...
Wood
$3,551
H 7.09 in W 16.54 in D 10.04 in
Antique 20thC Solid Silver & Burgundy Leather Three Tier Jewellery Box c.1920
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique early 20th Century British burgundy leather-bound jewellery box with decorative silver-gilt mounts, cast escutcheon and lion mask handles. It features a working lock and a ke...
Gold Plate, Silver
Shaker Storage Box
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful, finely crafted bentwood cedar Shaker style storage or decorative box, circa late-20th century, American. Box is a rich brown cedar wood tacked with hand forged brass nai...
Brass
Continental Baroque Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Enamel Box Late 19th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Continental Baroque style gilt bronze mounted enamel box, Late 19th century The square hinged top decorated overall with mythical figures. Measures: Height 3.5 in., 11.4cm (4 1/2"...
Enamel
$4,372
H 0.71 in W 2.76 in D 1.78 in
Antique 19thC Italian Silver & Silver Gilt Mounted Micro Mosaic Box c.1890
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th Century Italian grand tour solid silver and gilt silver mounted micro mosaic box. Made in rectangular form with angled cut corners. The micro mosaic depicts Pliny's Dove...
Silver
18th Century Original Green Painted Wood Box with Handle
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A Swedish green painted pine wood box from the Folk Art Rococo-period, meaning late 18th Century or early 19th Century. The lock hardware is original and the key is working working ...
Iron
1960s Italian Leather Jewelry Box with Metal Handles
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1960s Italian leather jewelry box with metal handles. No key included.
Metal
Georgian Mahogany Pair of Knife Boxes
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A Very Good Quality, 18th century, George III Period, Mahogany Pair Of Knife, Or Cutlery, Boxes Of Typical Shape With Serpentine Fronts And Superbly Figured, Inlaid And Crossbanded Sloped Lids, Revealing Later Fabric Lined Interior Compartments. Cutlery boxes, or as they are now more commonly referred to, Knife boxes, were of course originally made with the purpose of housing the homes most precious and valuable cutlery and enable it to be locked away when not in use. This was very important as generally the cutlery used...
Mahogany
$800Sale Price|50% Off
H 4.73 in W 3.55 in D 3.55 in
Empire-Style Crystal and Brass 'Bonbonnière', or Sweet Box
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A refined French Empire style gilt brass and cut crystal casket, dating from the 19th century. This elegant decorative box beautifully reflects the neoclassical vocabulary inspired b...
Crystal, Brass
Hand Painted Floral Red Trinket Box
Located in Bradenton, FL
A hand painted wooden trinket box. Richly decorated with floral sprays on each surface, with orange flowers and blue buds along green foliage against a bright red background. Edged i...
Wood, Paint
Small 19th Century original painted sarcophagus box
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Small 19th century original painted sarcophagus box circa 1870. Beautiful decorative box with original paint. Sarcophagus shaped lidded box in original paint with traces of origin...
Pine, Paint
19Thc Original Blue/Grey Large Pantry Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Original blue painted pantry box in very good condition.This blue /grey painted pantry box.Great size.
Pine
19thc Original Blue Painted Bail Handled Pantry Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Original blue painted bail handled pantry box with original handle in fine condition.Super patina ( untouched surface ). From a private collection.
Wood
19Thc Original Apple Green Pantry Box From New England
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This amazing early 19thc over sized hat or over sized pantry box in original apple green painted surface.The condition is very good with an amazing patina.
Wood
19Thc Paint Decorated Pa. Dutch Pantry Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 19Thc early pantry box was used in the kitchen for feeds and grains. This was paint decorated later in the early 20thc.Looks like a Peter Hunt painted or decorated style.The con...
Wood
Sold
H 5 in W 17.75 in D 13.25 in
Vintage Continental Pictorial Inlaid Mahogany Footed Document Box, circa 1940
Located in Big Flats, NY
A vintage Continental pictorial document box features mahogany construction with top having inlaid country scene with creekside house and water wheel, convex sides and seated on pyra...
Mahogany
Hand-Painted and Carved Indian Humidor
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This hand carved pine humidor has hand painted different Indians and Indian feathers painted throughout. The condition is pristine with minor nicks and scratches. The lid also has pa...
Pine
Large 19th Century Original Paint Pantry Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful large painted bail handled 19th century pantry box with fantastic bark like surface. The form and condition are great. Looks very Adirondack with the bark like surface.
Boxwood