Armchairs
1980s Belgian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Wood
2010s Portuguese Modern Armchairs
Wood, Leather
Early 1900s German Art Nouveau Antique Armchairs
Beech, Bentwood
2010s Portuguese Modern Armchairs
Leather, Wood
2010s Philippine Modern Armchairs
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Ukrainian Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Plywood
2010s Portuguese Modern Armchairs
Stainless Steel
1940s French Modern Vintage Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
1960s American Modern Vintage Armchairs
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Armchairs
Aluminum
20th Century Austrian Modern Armchairs
Leather, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Armchairs
Other
1960s American Modern Vintage Armchairs
Bronze
1960s Dutch Modern Vintage Armchairs
Fabric
2010s Portuguese Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Oak
20th Century American Art Nouveau Armchairs
Naugahyde, Bentwood
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Armchairs
Other
2010s American Modern Armchairs
Iron
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Chrome
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Leather, Fabric, Wood
1910s German Jugendstil Vintage Armchairs
Beech, Bentwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Armchairs
Upholstery
2010s Mexican Modern Armchairs
Hardwood, Upholstery
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Leather, Bentwood
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Modern Armchairs
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Armchairs
Bouclé
2010s Portuguese Modern Armchairs
Stainless Steel
2010s Portuguese Modern Armchairs
Stainless Steel
2010s Unknown Modern Armchairs
Leather
2010s Portuguese Modern Armchairs
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Armchairs
Chrome
1980s American Modern Vintage Armchairs
Goatskin, Lacquer
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Art Nouveau Armchairs
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Armchairs
Other
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Armchairs
Walnut
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Leather, Fabric, Wood
2010s Indian Modern Armchairs
Fiberglass
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Armchairs
Other
2010s American Modern Armchairs
Steel
2010s Argentine Modern Armchairs
Leather, Wood
2010s American Modern Armchairs
Steel
2010s Italian Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Armchairs
Other
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Armchairs
Other
2010s Turkish Modern Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood, Foam
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Textile, Rattan
2010s Italian Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery
2010s Italian Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Hardwood
1950s American Modern Vintage Armchairs
Steel
2010s Spanish Modern Armchairs
Aluminum
1960s Swedish Modern Vintage Armchairs
Walnut
1970s European Modern Vintage Armchairs
Steel
2010s Italian Modern Armchairs
Velvet, Walnut
2010s Italian Modern Armchairs
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Armchairs
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Armchairs
Other, Gold Leaf
2010s Italian Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery
2010s Unknown Modern Armchairs
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.