Armchairs
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Wood, Paint
1970s American Louis XVI Vintage Armchairs
Brass
Early 1900s French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Louis XVI Armchairs
Fabric, Walnut
1970s American American Classical Vintage Armchairs
Textile, Silk, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Wood
19th Century Italian Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Wood, Fabric
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Linen, Wood
1980s American Louis XVI Vintage Armchairs
Walnut
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
1960s American American Classical Vintage Armchairs
Aluminum
1990s American American Classical Armchairs
Cherry
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Hardwood
1860s French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Giltwood
20th Century American Louis XVI Armchairs
Wood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Brass
19th Century English Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Bouclé, Mahogany
19th Century English Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Bouclé, Mahogany
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Velvet, Wood
Mid-19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Wood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Wood
1960s Louis XVI Vintage Armchairs
Wood
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century Louis XVI Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century Louis XVI Armchairs
Silk, Wood
2010s American Louis XVI Armchairs
Fabric, Wood, Giltwood, Down
1790s French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Wood
Early 20th Century European Louis XVI Armchairs
Linen, Wood
2010s French Louis XVI Armchairs
Beech
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Beech
Mid-18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Cherry
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Fabric, Paint, Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Armchairs
Walnut, Upholstery, Linen
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.