Armchairs
19th Century Spanish Modern Antique Armchairs
Plastic
19th Century French Empire Antique Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
Late 19th Century English Georgian Antique Armchairs
Metal
1840s English Early Victorian Antique Armchairs
Upholstery
19th Century Regency Antique Armchairs
Mahogany
1860s English Victorian Antique Armchairs
Velvet, Oak
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Fabric
19th Century English Regency Antique Armchairs
Upholstery, Mahogany, Giltwood
19th Century British William IV Antique Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 1800s Italian Antique Armchairs
1850s Italian Mid-Century Modern Antique Armchairs
Brass
20th Century British William IV Armchairs
Damask
1950s English Vintage Armchairs
Leather
19th Century English Regency Antique Armchairs
Hide, Wood
2010s Brazilian Armchairs
Upholstery, Cane, Hardwood
Early 20th Century British Armchairs
Wood
19th Century English Regency Antique Armchairs
Brass, Bronze
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Brass
20th Century English Art Deco Armchairs
Velvet, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Art Deco Armchairs
Velvet, Foam, Plywood
Early 20th Century Scottish Rustic Armchairs
Straw, Wood
20th Century English Armchairs
Leather
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Armchairs
Bouclé, Wood, Beech
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Fabric
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Fabric
Mid-19th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Armchairs
Velvet, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Velvet
Late 19th Century French Antique Armchairs
Velvet
19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Antique Armchairs
Beech
19th Century French Antique Armchairs
Leather
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Fabric
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Armchairs
Fabric
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Armchairs
Velvet
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Armchairs
Velvet, Walnut
19th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Antique Armchairs
Velvet
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.