Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
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.
Late 19th Century German Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Horn, Oak
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
1940s American Vintage Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Aluminum
20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
1860s American Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paint
20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
1910s American Vintage Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
19th Century American Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Linen
1920s American Vintage Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Mahogany
Early 20th Century North American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Mohair
19th Century American Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Marble, Wire
Late 20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Cowhide
20th Century Turkish Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Wool
1880s German Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
1830s English Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Upholstery, Hardwood
Late 20th Century Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather
Mid-20th Century German Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Cotton, Silk, Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Porcelain, Cotton, Silk
Mid-20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Plastic
2010s Mexican Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather
1850s German Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
Late 19th Century American Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Rope, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Teak
Early 1900s British Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Fabric, Wood
Late 19th Century English Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine
Late 20th Century Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather
20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Hickory, Wood
1960s American Vintage Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
1930s American Vintage Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather, Fir
20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Mahogany
20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Mahogany
Early 19th Century English Antique Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Early 2000s Singaporean Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
1990s American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Canvas, Plastic, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Adirondack Collectibles and Curiosities
Gold Leaf