Armchairs
20,361
7,190
809
to
3,327
17,108
9,934
28,360
22,168
23,231
8,676
3,851
1,857
1,332
511
445
368
269
257
241
233
176
175
167
160
115
54
29
918
3,012
16,430
7,999
1,594
9,628
3,406
324
81
323
835
782
2,515
2,780
1,781
711
263
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
18,280
14,933
6,176
7,344
5,547
6,388
5,303
6,151
5,246
5,851
5,111
5,915
18,284
13,825
7,336
6,064
5,510
21,470
6,289
3,495
3,287
2,928
405
266
244
243
206
Armchairs For Sale
Pair of Armchairs by Heczendorfer László, Hungary, 1960
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of Armchairs by Heczendorfer László, Hungary, 1960
Category
1960s Hungarian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Beech
Pair of Art Deco Armchairs in Blue Upholstery, Europe 1930s
Located in Utrecht, NL
Art Deco emerged in the first half of the 20th century, flourishing in the 1930s as a glamorous and modern design movement blending luxury and functionality. Art Deco took inspiratio...
Category
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Birch
Guillerme & Chambron Pair of Lounge Chairs in Oak and Brown Upholstery
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Guillerme & Chambron for Votre Maison, pair of lounge chairs, fabric, oak, France, 1960s
This esteemed French design duo is known for their exceptional craftsmanship in solid oak fu...
Category
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Oak
Jindrich Halabala Lounge Chair in Beige Sheepskin
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jindrich Halabala, lounge chair, model 'H269', stained beech, reupholstered in sheepskin "Maori" Honey by Skandilock, Czech Republic, 1930s.
Extraordinary easy chair in beige brown ...
Category
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Beech, Sheepskin
Art Deco Club Chair in Dark Blue Mohair, Europe 1930s
Located in Utrecht, NL
The Art Deco movement - emerging in the 1920s and reaching its peak in the 1930s - celebrated elegance, luxury, and meticulous craftsmanship, while forever leaving its mark on design...
Category
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Mohair, Wood
A Pair of Art Deco Armchairs, Europe ca 1930s
Located in Utrecht, NL
Bold geometric shapes, striking silhouettes and a luxurious feel, are some of the most defining terms for the early 20th Century movement that forever changed design. Art Deco left a...
Category
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Hartmut Lohmeyer for Wilkhahn Pair of Lounge Chairs
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Hartmut Lohmeyer for Wilkhahn, pair of lounge chairs, teak, cane, green colored upholstery, Germany, 1962
This low reclining lounge chair by Hartmut Lohmeyer is organically shaped. ...
Category
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Upholstery, Cane, Teak
Pair of Taichiro Nakay Armchairs in Cherry Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Taichiro Nakay for La Permanente Mobili, lounge chairs, cherry wood, fabric, Italy, 1955
Taichiro Nakay is an incredibly talented Japanese designer who is mostly known for his part...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Cherry
Mid-Century Modern Selig Imperial Swivel Pod Egg Chair Recliner and Ottoman
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Swanky vintage 1970s pod chair recliner and ottoman manufactured by Selig Imperial in Sweden during the 1970s. Classic, timeless, sleek modern style that will look just as cool 40 y...
Category
1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Pair of Swedish Modern armchairs, 1940s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Attributed to Bertil Fridhagen and produced by Svenska Möbelfabrikerna, Bodafors, Sweden, 1940s. Signed.
Good original condition with small signs of usage.
Category
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Oak
Rare "Kleinhans" Chair, circa 1939 Charles Eames/Eero Saarinen / MODERNIST
Located in Buffalo, NY
Iconic Kleinhans armchair , designed by Charles eames and Eero Saarinen . Early chair ,designed by two modern masters,, I believe this to be they're only collaboration... designed ...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Naugahyde, Birch, Plywood
Fauteuil Tappeto Volante d’Ettore Sottsass
Located in Saint ouen, FR
Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007)
Circa 1974
Édition Bedding Brevetti
Wood, polyurethane foam, velvet, cotton jersey, felt
Height: 71 cm
Depth: 112 cm
Width: 180 cm
Category
1970s Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Wood
Pair of De Sede DS 47 Brown Leather Armchairs
By De Sede
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
This De Sede DS-47/01 neck leather armchair, manufactured in Switzerland, is upholstered in 3-5 mm thick natural hide in a rich brown color. The seat is extendable by 15 cm, offering...
Category
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Foam, Wood
Italian mid-century modern armchair rattan Margherita Albini for Bonacina, 1951
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century modern armchair rattan Margherita Albini for Bonacina, 1951
Armchair mod. Margherita entirely in rattan with a round base. The backrest and seat follow curved lin...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Rattan
Danish Art Deco Armchair 1920s in original Condition
Located in Handewitt, DE
Danish Art Deco armchair 1920s. All in original condition with the 1st fabric.
Category
1920s Danish Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Wood
Italian Two Novecento Armchairs designed by Antonio Citterio for Moroso, 2000
Located in Traversetolo, IT
The Novecento Moroso armchair by Antonio Citterio is made of fireproof cold-foamed foam, with an internal steel structure.
Novecento Moroso, with wooden structure covered in non-defo...
Category
Early 2000s Italian Modern Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Lounge chairs "Karelia" by Liisi Beckmann for Zanotta, 1960s, set of 2
Located in bruxelles, BE
Pair of orange armchairs designed by Liisi Beckmann and manufactured by Zanotta in the '60s, Karelia model. Seat height: 34 cm. Wear due to time and age.
FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Faux Leather, Foam
Pair of H269 Lounge Chairs by Jindřich Halabala for Up Závody Brno, 1930s
Located in Lucenec, SK
Pair of iconic H-269 lounge chairs by Jindrich Halabala for Up Závody Brno Czechoslovakia, 1930s. The armchairs have been reupholstered in the past (due to the condition of the uphol...
Category
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Bentwood, Fabric, Upholstery
Pair of Arm Chairs by Jordi Vilanova, Spain, 1960's
Located in Barcelona, ES
Pair of arm chairs designed in 1960's by Jordi Vilanova, Spain. Very rare model, designed only for meeting rooms. Walnut wood frame with original vinyl upholstery.
Category
1960s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Walnut
Pair of Falcon Chairs by Sigurd Ressell, Norway, 1970s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Norwegian Falcon chairs in brown leather by Sigurd Ressel, Norway, 1970s.
Good vintage condition with signs of usage and patina.
Please note: flat-packed global shipping available: ...
Category
1970s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Jean Gillon "Rodeio" Easy Chair, Brazil, 1960s
By Jean Gillon
Located in Stockholm, SE
Produced in the 1960s by Wood Art Brazil.
Jean Gillon (1919–2007) was born in Lasi, Romania. In 1956, already possessing a consistent portfolio, he moved to São Paulo, where he dev...
Category
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Eero Saarinen for Knoll Pair of ‘Conference’ Armchairs of UNESCO Paris
By Knoll, Eero Saarinen
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Eero Saarinen for Knoll International, pair of ‘Conference’ armchairs, fabric, lacquered steel, France, Paris, designed in 1957
These armchairs were commissioned by the UNESCO Headq...
Category
1950s French Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Steel
French 1950s Wicker and Iron Chair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredible wicker and iron chair from France, 1950s. Curved back with original woven wicker seat and wrought iron frame with iron scroll detail. Unique and beautiful chair with nice ...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Armchairs
Materials
Wrought Iron
Pair of upholstered low armchairs - Italy, 1970s
Located in London, GB
Low and wide, this pair of vintage Italian armchairs are rational yet typically louche. The result is a classicism which lends itself to myriad contexts. A gently flared back and arm...
Category
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Mohair, Upholstery
Triangular Armchair, by Jorge Zalszupin, Brazilian Midcentury Modern
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Designed by the iconic Brazilian modernist Jorge Zalszupin in the 1960s, the Triangular Chair is a masterpiece that seamlessly blends form, material, and narrative. This extraordinar...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Leather Egg Chair 3316 by Arne Jacobsen, 1958
Located in Prague 8, CZ
This iconic swivelling lounge chair was designed by Arne Jacobsen 1958 for the SAS Royal Copenhagen Hotel in Denmark and is one of the most famous chairs in the world recognized by d...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Aluminum
A Pair of Pine and Iron Armchairs for Åby Möbelfabrik, Sweden 1940s
By Åby Möbler
Located in Utrecht, NL
This pair is a striking example of mid-century Scandinavian design, blending natural materials with industrial elements. The chairs feature a robust frame constructed from solid pine...
Category
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Iron
Original Design Fiberglass Wing Chair by Miroslav Navratil, 1970s
Located in Praha, CZ
- Czechoslovakia
- Around 1970s
- very good original condition with original textile
- also suitable for a new upholstery
- published in books and furniture catalogues
- stable
jr
Category
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Fiberglass
Modern Low Chair Gropius CS1 Fluffy Edition with Ottoman in Faux Fur by NOOM
Located in Paris, FR
New NOOM furniture collection is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Bauhaus School in Germany. Ideas of functionalism and conciseness, the combination of Craft...
Category
2010s Ukrainian Modern Armchairs
Materials
Fur, Fabric, Bouclé, Faux Fur, Sheepskin, Wool, Velvet
Italian Juliet Armchairs designed by Benjamin Hubert for Poltrona Frau, 2015
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Benjamin Hubert, born in 1984, British, child prodigy of international design, designs Juliet. The armchair symbol of the centenary of
Poltrona Frau, winner of the design contest la...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Armchairs
Materials
Aluminum
Rare Bauhaus Mart Stam tubular chair by Thonet / original green colour!!
Located in Praha, CZ
- Thonet
- Before 1930, earliest model, practically unseen
- Original red eisengarn, iron fabric, perfect condition, original screws
- Lacquered in original green seen in Thonet col...
Category
1920s German Bauhaus Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Steel
1960s, Danish design by Svend Skipper, "Teddy Bear Chair" with ottoman.
Located in Tarm, 82
1960s, Danish design by Svend Skipper, armchair with ottoman. Completely renovated-reupholstered "Teddy Bear Chair" in quality felt-like furniture wool. Renewed armrest and legs in t...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Wool, Oak, Teak
Très belle paire de Fauteuils en palissandre et cuir
Located in CANNES, FR
Très belle paire de Fauteuils en palissandre et très beau cuir beige de style Art-Déco
Très belle assise
Category
2010s French Art Deco Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Palisander
Hans Wegner Vintage JH-501 Chair in Oak and Cane c1950s
Located in London, England
Hans J. Wegner - Model JH-501: "The Chair", 1949
This early version of Hans Wegner's most iconic design was simply known as the 'The Chair' when it was first produced or fondly as '...
Category
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Rattan, Oak
Pair of Hans Wegner Rosewood China Chairs c1950s
Located in London, England
Hans J. Wegner - Pair of Model FH-4283 China Chairs, 1944
Produced by Fritz Hansen in Denmark these versions of Wegner's iconic design are made in exquisite, highly figured rosewood...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Rosewood
Hans Wegner JH-713 Armchair in Oak and Leather
Located in London, England
Hans J. Wegner, JH-713 Armchair, 1957
The JH-713 chair is from Danish master Hans Wegner’s golden collaboration period in the 1950s with master cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen. Intende...
Category
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Oak
Patinated Bellini CAB 413 Armchair in Vintage Cognac Saddle Leather for Cassina
By Cassina, Mario Bellini
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Exquisite original Mario Bellini CAB 413 chairs, a true emblem of timeless design. Manufactured by the renowned Italian design house, Cassina, in the 1970s, these chairs represent a ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Contemporary Pair of Italian Armchairs, Renzo Zavanella Reissue, Wood and Velvet
Located in Brussels, BE
Contemporary Pair of Italian Armchairs, Renzo Zavanella Reissue, Wood and Velvet
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Materials
Velvet, Wood
Pair of "Sella" Armchairs with Ottoman by Carlo De Carli for Sormani, 60s
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of "Sella" Armchairs with Ottoman by Carlo De Carli for Sormani, 60s
Carlo de Carli (bon 1910, Milan, Italy–died 1999, Milan, Italy) was an Italian modernist designer, architec...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Blue Restored Art Deco Armchair, Jindrich Halabala, UP Zavody, Czech, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Art Deco Armchair Designed by Jindrich Halabala
Period: 1930-1939
Designer: Jindrich Halabala
Maker: UP Zavody
Source: Czechia (Czechoslovakia)
Material: Walnut
With this armchair,...
Category
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Walnut, Lacquer
Eero Saarinen for Knoll Pair of ‘Conference’ Armchairs of UNESCO Paris
By Knoll, Eero Saarinen
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Eero Saarinen for Knoll International, pair of ‘Conference’ armchairs, fabric, chromed metal, France, Paris, designed in 1957
These armchairs were commissioned by the UNESCO Headqua...
Category
1950s French Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Rare Model 107 Chair by Viggo Boesen for Slagelse Mobelvaerk, Denmark, c. 1940's
Located in Norwalk, CT
Presenting an important and rare Model 107 Chair, designed by Viggo Boesen for Slagelse Mobelvaerk – an iconic masterpiece embodying the essence of early Danish Modern design.
Dati...
Category
1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Wool, Beech
Set of 2 Marsala armchairs by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset, 1970s
Located in JASSANS-RIOTTIER, FR
Set of 2 armchairs designed by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset in the 70s
Marsala model
Structure in brown Plexiglas, cushions in foam covered by a black leather
Good vintage conditio...
Category
1970s French Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Foam, Plexiglass
Italian armchair in black leather, 1980s
Located in PARIS, FR
Large armchair in black leather with a tubular chrome steel frame. High-end Italian craftsmanship, designed in the postmodern style of the 1980s. In very good condition.
DV1409
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal
1970s, Danish lounge chair, original condition, furniture velour, beech wood.
Located in Tarm, 82
1970s, Danish lounge chair. Original very good condition: no smells and no stains. Light green furniture velour, beech wood legs. Manufactured by Danish furniture maker in about 1970...
Category
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Velvet, Beech
Falcon Chair by Sigurd Ressell, 1970s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Norwegian "Falcon" chair by Sigurd Ressel, Norway, 1970s. Very good vintage condition with small signs of usage and patina. Produced by Vatne Möbler.
Category
1970s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Jules Leleu, Pair of Armchairs, France, circa 1928
By Jules Leleu
Located in New York, NY
The house of Leleu rose to prominence in the 1920s during the Art Déco period, and became known for the ornate classicism of its richly refined furniture and lavish interiors. In the...
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Mahogany
“Oskar” Armchair by Carl Malmsten for O.H. Sjögren, Sweden 1930s
Located in Utrecht, NL
The ‘Oskar’ armchair was designed in 1939, the same year that Carl Malmsten participated in the New York World’s Fair. It was there that the expression “Swedish Modern” was coined, b...
Category
1930s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Bouclé, Wood
Pair of Haagse School Armchairs, Netherlands Early 20th Century
Located in Utrecht, NL
This elegant pair of armchairs embody the distinctive design principles of the Haagse School (The Hague School) movement, which emerged in the Netherlands during the early 20th centu...
Category
Early 20th Century Dutch Art Deco Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Bas van Pelt Oak and Bouclé Lounge Chair, The Netherlands 1940s
By Bas Van Pelt
Located in Utrecht, NL
Bas van Pelt’s designs were only produced when an order was placed, which is still a tradition at “My Home Foundation”, and explains the limited numbers of surviving models. This lou...
Category
1940s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Bouclé, Oak
Guillerme et Chambron "José" Armchair, France 1950s
Located in Utrecht, NL
The company Votre Maison is one that has left an indelible mark on the history of French design. The 'José' armchair, designed by Robert Guillerme along with his sales partner Jacque...
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Oak
Unusual Mahogany Armchair, George Jakob Hunzinger, New York City, circa 1880s
Located in Buffalo, NY
An American 'Aesthetic Movement' mahogany armchair, circa 1880's, attributed to avant garde New York City furniture maker and designer, George Jakob Hunzinger, the padded back and se...
Category
1890s American Aesthetic Movement Antique Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Mahogany
Le Corbusier - Perriand - Jeanneret LC1 Armchair
Located in Saint ouen, FR
Le Corbusier
Charlotte Perriand
Pierre Jeanneret
LC1 Armchair
Cassina edition
New
Steel / cowhide leather
Signed and numbered
Certificates
2024
2600 euros
Category
2010s Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Pair of “Laila” Armchairs by Ilmari Lappalainen for Asko, Finland 1948
Located in Utrecht, NL
The “Laila” model by the Finnish designer Ilmari Lappalainen originates from 1948, with the earliest original drawings kept in the Lahti City Museum in their Lappalainen Collection.
This pair of “nr. 238” armchairs are from the Finnish designer’s most famous series called “Laila”. The design became sought after by collectors even in its production time, which is quite rare in the case of Nordic mid-century modern furniture. Lappalainen was a renowned designer, famous for his designs’ comfort. Some of his designs even received medical approval because they had such a good seating that it prevented back problems. These armchairs have a cosy modern style, modelled on the Swedish and Danish furniture of the time, including the round edges and generous seat cushion and back with tufted buttons. The bodies have the classic Nordic look, which explains the contemporary popularity of these armchairs both among the public and museums. The modern aesthetic is further elevated by the textured, premium upholstery that complements the shape and the wooden, tapered legs as well.
Wood is omnipresent in the Nordics, and Finnish woodworking is world-famous for its traditions. These chairs were created for Asko, the Finnish furniture manufacturing company founded in 1918 by Aukusti Asko Avonius, known for the production of high-quality furniture. By 1930 the company had developed into the largest furniture chain in Finland and the largest supplier of furniture in the Scandinavian countries. After the war, the damage it caused and the new homes of Karelian migrants concentrated production on essential furniture, which the Finnish Ministry of Public Affairs ordered to sell at an affordable price. Favourites of this time included Ilmari Lappalainen’s Laila series.
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The pair has been reupholstered recently in a premium fabric. Each of our items can be re-upholstered by our in-house atelier in a fabric of choice. Please reach out for more information.
Dimensions:
30.9 in W x 33.07 in D x 30.11 in H; Seat height 15.35 in
78.5 cm W x 84 cm D x 76.5 cm H; Seat height 39 cm
Literature:
Riitta Miestamo "The Form and Substance of Finnish Furniture", Askon Säätiö, Esan Kirjapaino oy, Lahti 1981.p 65.
About the Designer:
Ilmari Lappalainen (1918 - 2006) was a great Finnish designer whose most active working years were from the end of the 1940s until the end of the 1970s.
Lappalainen first graduated as a teacher of woodworking in 1939, followed by a degree in interior design in 1947. By the end of the school of interior design, he was already working as an intern in Asko and after graduating he got a permanent design position at the company. Lappalainen worked as a teacher and as an interior designer for Asko's department stores, public spaces and hotels.
Lappalainen's most popular products / series are the Laila sofa...
Category
1940s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Pair of Swedish Modern Beech Armchairs, Sweden circa 1940s
Located in Utrecht, NL
The expression “Swedish Modern” was first used in the 1930s, when modern Swedish design was becoming increasingly well known in Europe and the United States. It was at its height in ...
Category
1940s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Wood, Beech
Pair of Dark Green Upholstered Armchairs, Scandinavia 1950s
Located in Utrecht, NL
Scandinavian mid-century furniture design is celebrated for its elegance, functional forms, and fine craftsmanship. After WWII, design focus moved from the stylised geometry and glam...
Category
1950s Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Percival Lafer "MP-81" Armchairs, 1972, Set of 2
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Percival Lafer "MP-81" armchairs, cognac leather, Brazil, 1972, set of two.
The Percival Lafer "MP 81" Armchairs, designed in 1972, exemplifies Brazilian Modern design. These distin...
Category
1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Midcentury Black Leather 1960s Eero Saarinen Knoll Executive Armchair
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Basel, BS
A Saarinen Executive Armchair in Black leather with a metal base. This chair is completely original from the 1960's, and beautifully patinated. The leather is conditioned and rock ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Antique and Vintage Armchairs for Sale on 1stDibs
Armchairs have run the gamut from prestige to ease and everything in between, and everyone has an antique or vintage armchair that they love.
Long before industrial mass production democratized seating, armchairs conveyed status and power.
In ancient Egypt, the commoners took stools, while in early Greece, ceremonial chairs of carved marble were designated for nobility. But the high-backed early thrones of yore, elevated and ornate, were merely grandiose iterations of today’s armchairs.
Modern-day armchairs, built with functionality and comfort in mind, are now central to tasks throughout your home. Formal dining armchairs support your guests at a table for a cheery feast, a good drafting chair with a deep seat is parked in front of an easel where you create art and, elsewhere, an ergonomic wonder of sorts positions you at the desk for your 9 to 5.
When placed under just the right lamp where you can lounge comfortably, both elbows resting on the padded supports on each side of you, an upholstered armchair — or a rattan armchair for your light-suffused sunroom — can be the sanctuary where you’ll read for hours.
If you’re in the mood for company, your velvet chesterfield armchair is a place to relax and be part of the conversation that swirls around you. Maybe the dialogue is about the beloved Papa Bear chair, a mid-century modern masterpiece from Danish carpenter and furniture maker Hans Wegner, and the wingback’s strong association with the concept of cozying up by the fireplace, which we can trace back to its origins in 1600s-era England, when the seat’s distinctive arm protrusions protected the sitter from the heat of the period’s large fireplaces.
If the fireside armchair chat involves spirited comparisons, your companions will likely probe the merits of antique and vintage armchairs such as Queen Anne armchairs, Victorian armchairs or even Louis XVI armchairs, as well as the pros and cons of restoration versus conservation.
Everyone seems to have a favorite armchair and most people will be all too willing to talk about their beloved design. Whether that’s the unique Favela chair by Brazilian sibling furniture designers Fernando and Humberto Campana, who repurposed everyday objects to provocative effect; or Marcel Breuer’s futuristic tubular metal Wassily lounge chair; the functionality-first LC series from Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret; or the Eames lounge chair of the mid-1950s created by Charles and Ray Eames, there is an iconic armchair for everyone and every purpose. Find yours on 1stDibs right now.