Seating
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Seating
Velvet, Wood
1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Seating
Straw, Oak
1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Seating
Birch
Mid-19th Century English Antique Seating
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century European Aesthetic Movement Antique Seating
Ebony, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Seating
Upholstery, Wood
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Seating
Plywood
19th Century European Aesthetic Movement Antique Seating
Ebony, Walnut
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Seating
Fabric, Wood
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Seating
Leather
19th Century English Edwardian Antique Seating
Brass
Late 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Seating
Birch
Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Seating
Elm
19th Century European Aesthetic Movement Antique Seating
Ebony, Walnut
1940s English Gothic Vintage Seating
Elm, Yew
1810s English Regency Antique Seating
Rattan, Ebony
Early 19th Century British Colonial Antique Seating
Wood
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Seating
Rosewood
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Seating
Elm, Yew
Late 19th Century Late Victorian Antique Seating
Mahogany
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Seating
Rubber, Wood, Plywood
Late 19th Century French Antique Seating
Upholstery, Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Seating
Wicker
19th Century Swedish Rustic Antique Seating
Wood
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Seating
Rattan, Beech
19th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Seating
Fabric, Beech, Linen
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Seating
Rush, Oak
1940s German Bauhaus Vintage Seating
Steel, Chrome
1890s Chinese Other Antique Seating
Porcelain
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Seating
Wicker, Rattan, Wood
Early 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Seating
Wood, Giltwood
19th Century Antique Seating
Beech
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Seating
Fabric, Mahogany, Leather
1940s French Brutalist Vintage Seating
Fabric, Wood
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Seating
Rattan, Beech
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Seating
Fabric, Wood
Early 19th Century British Regency Antique Seating
Oak
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Seating
Fabric, Wood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Seating
Silk, Wood
1830s Austrian Biedermeier Antique Seating
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Oak, Walnut, Spruce
19th Century French Folk Art Antique Seating
Wood
19th Century British Victorian Antique Seating
Mahogany
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Seating
Linen, Wood
Mid-19th Century Hungarian Folk Art Antique Seating
Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Seating
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century French Country Antique Seating
Oak
1870s Belgian Renaissance Revival Antique Seating
Oak
Mid-19th Century French French Provincial Antique Seating
Leather
Early 19th Century English Antique Seating
Pine
Late 19th Century British Regency Antique Seating
Cane, Wood, Paint
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Seating
Walnut, Leather, Textile
19th Century French Directoire Antique Seating
Oak
Beautifully curved bentwood and original woven rope seats.
1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Seating
Rush, Bentwood
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Seating
Linen, Oak
1940s Directoire Vintage Seating
Upholstery, Wood
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Seating
Birch
19th Century English Antique Seating
Walnut
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Seating
Leather
Unique Chairs, Sofas and Other Seating for Sale on 1stDibs
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.
Read More
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Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
Julien Sebban’s energetic design collective is radically reshaping the look of 21st-century European furniture and interiors.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
Rock Your Cares Away on This Sunny Hand-Crocheted Swing
The boho-chic Enchanted Forest Swing, handmade by marginalized women from Turkey and Syria, is uplifting in every way.
Learn Why Designer Maarten Baas Set This Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair on Fire
What happens when you do something to a piece of furniture that you shouldn’t? It becomes an entirely new object.
Eileen Gray’s Famed Cliffside Villa in the South of France Is Returned to Its Modernist Glory
After years of diligent restoration, E-1027, the designer-cum-architect’s marriage of romance and modernism, is finally complete.