Armchairs
1940s German Bauhaus Vintage Armchairs
Steel
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Iron
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Iron
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Iron
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Fabric, Velvet
1940s American Louis XVI Vintage Armchairs
Wood
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Steel
1940s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Fabric, Wood
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Leather
1940s French Louis XV Vintage Armchairs
Fabric, Wood
1940s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Aluminum
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
1940s French Vintage Armchairs
Mahogany
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Leather, Mahogany
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Leather
1940s French Vintage Armchairs
1940s French Vintage Armchairs
1940s French Vintage Armchairs
Oak
1940s Hollywood Regency Vintage Armchairs
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Satin
1940s French Vintage Armchairs
Iron
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Mahogany, Fabric
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Sycamore
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Ormolu
1940s English Vintage Armchairs
1940s French Vintage Armchairs
Bronze
1940s Argentine Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Cowhide, Hide, Wood
1940s American Vintage Armchairs
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Armchairs
Giltwood, Fabric
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Wool, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Armchairs
Wrought Iron
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Wood, Velvet
Mid-18th Century Louis XVI Antique Armchairs
Beech
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Velvet
20th Century Czech Bauhaus Armchairs
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Czech Bauhaus Armchairs
Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Armchairs
Iron
20th Century Czech Bauhaus Armchairs
Chrome
1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Armchairs
Velvet, Wood
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Velvet, Walnut
1940s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Armchairs
Aluminum
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Bouclé
1940s Danish Modern Vintage Armchairs
Wool
1940s Italian Vintage Armchairs
Leather
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Felt
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Iron, Wrought Iron
1940s Italian Vintage Armchairs
Mohair
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Metal
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Fabric
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Armchairs
Brass
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage 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.