Armchairs
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Fabric
Early 1800s Swedish Gustavian Antique Armchairs
Wood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Armchairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1840s American American Empire Antique Armchairs
19th Century Italian Antique Armchairs
Wood, Leather, Silk, Upholstery
19th Century French Antique Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century Victorian Antique Armchairs
Walnut
2010s American Modern Armchairs
Iron
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Bouclé
2010s Canadian Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Wood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Iron
2010s Canadian Modern Armchairs
Brass
1890s French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Wood, Trimming
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Teak
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Armchairs
Linen, Wood, Paint
1970s Danish Vintage Armchairs
Aluminum
Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Gustavian Armchairs
Beech
Late 19th Century Antique Armchairs
Fabric
1880s English Victorian Antique Armchairs
Velvet
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Armchairs
Leather
Late 19th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Antique Armchairs
Beech
Mid-19th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Antique Armchairs
Steel
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Velvet
Early 19th Century Italian Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Mid-19th Century Swedish Karl Johan Antique Armchairs
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.