Modern Armchairs
MODERN STYLE
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
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Style: Modern
Period: 1950s
Tubular Lounge Chair and Ottoman in Black Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Armchair and ottoman in steel and leather, Europe, 1950s.
Modern tubular armchair and matching ottoman. These items are made of bent tubular steel with black saddle leather upholste...
Category
1950s European Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal, Steel
Tubular Lounge Chair in Black Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Lounge chair in steel and leather, Europe, 1950s.
Modern armchair made in Europe in the 1950s. This chair is made of bent tubular steel with black saddle leather upholstery. Beautif...
Category
1950s European Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal, Steel
Pair of André Sornay Armchairs in Sapele Mahogany and Bouclé, France, 1950s
By Andre Sornay
Located in The Hague, NL
This rare pair of armchairs was designed by André Sornay and produced by his workshop in Lyon in the early 1950s. High, angled backrest in sapele mahogany with upholstered cushions. ...
Category
1950s French Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Bouclé, Chenille, Upholstery, Wood, Mahogany
Bent Steel Lounge Chair by Jacques Hitier for Tubauto, France, c. 1955
Located in New York City, NY
Two Available; Priced Individually
Graphic bent metal lounge chairs by celebrated architect and designer Jacques Hitier. These chairs are a gr...
Category
1950s French Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Model 5003, Rudolf Wolf, 1950. set of armchairs
By Rudolf Wolf
Located in The Hague, NL
Amazing pair of minimalist and constructivist armchairs model 5003 for Elsrijk, The Netherlands, 1950
The solid steel rod frames are repainted but still have a bit of a patina.
Two ...
Category
1950s European Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Digamma by Ignazio Gardella, Set of 2 with 2 Pouf
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Designed by Ignazio Gardella in 1957, the Digamma armchair is a comfortable chair rooted in the tradition of late Italian modernism.
Its rational structure features two geometric sec...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Brass
C. 2000s "Frank" Chair Prototype by Frank Gratz in Polished Stainless
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a prototype Frank chair, designed and fabricated by Frank Gratz, patriarch of Gratz Industries in the late 1950s. This is a recent production example from the 2000s as Gratz ...
Category
1950s American Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Steel
1950s Pair of Lena Arm Chairs by Sven-Erik Fryklund for Hagafors Stolfabrik
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a pair of Lena armchairs designed by Sven-Erik Fryklund, originally designed in 1955. They were manufactured by the Swedish furniture company Hagafors Stolfabrik and distribu...
Category
1950s Swedish Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Wood, Birch
Pair of armchairs by Jacques Hitier, Tubauto edition
Located in PARIS, FR
Jacques Hitier was a French decorator and furniture designer born in Paris on March 28, 1917, and died in La Frette-sur-Seine on March 6, 19991. Patrick Favardin describes him as "on...
Category
1950s French Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Purple Swan Swivel Armchair
Located in London, GB
Originally designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, the swan armchair was groundbreaking at the time and has gone on to become a true classic.
The ...
Category
1950s Danish Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Fabric
Set of Two White Armchairs by Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner
Located in Milan, IT
Brazil, 1950s
Painted stainless steel, fabric upholstery
Set of two pieces.
Category
1950s Brazilian Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Stainless Steel
Harry Bertoia, Bird Armchair and Ottoman, 1952
Located in Saint ouen, FR
Bird Chair" armchair H. Bertoia
Armchair with its ottoman
First edition
Bird chair designed by harry bertoia for knoll in 1952. The structure of the chair is made up of solid st...
Category
1950s European Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Blue Silk Velvet Lounge Chair "Digamma" by Ignazio Gardella
Located in New York City, NY
This modernist armchair was designed by Ignazio Gardella in 1957. It features a clever design with a three-position reclining back, minimalist lines, and Gardella's signature "duck" ...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal, Brass, Steel
Bachelor Chair
Located in Forest, BE
The “Bachelor” chair has been known as being the first success of Verner Panton. An original Fritz Hansen work designed and created in 1953. The chair was marketed toward businesses,...
Category
1950s Danish Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Chrome
Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Purple Swan Swivel Armchair, Set of Two
Located in London, GB
Originally designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, the swan armchair was groundbreaking at the time and has gone on to become a true classic.
The ...
Category
1950s Danish Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Fabric
Set of 2 Green Velvet and Oak Wood Armchairs and a Sofa, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Set of 2 armchairs and a sofa. Upholstered with green velvet an oak wood.
Manufactured by unknown designer in Spain, circa 1950.
Materials:
Velvet.
Oakwood.
Important inf...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Velvet, Oak
Armchair by Lina Bo Bardi
Located in PARIS, FR
Brazilian Modern manifest, the scissor chair is a Lina Bo Bardi design still on the process of attribution. It has been inspired by Le Corbusier Modernism and the tropical wood give ...
Category
1950s Brazilian Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Walnut
Original CM197 Armchair by Pierre Paulin for Thonet France
By Thonet, Pierre Paulin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original CM197 armchair by Pierre Paulin. Designed for Thonet, France in 1958. Green vinyl upholstery in excellent original condition. Can be reupholstered easi...
Category
1950s French Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Caned and Ebonized Arm Chair Designed by Edward Wormley
Located in Stamford, CT
A sharp looking ebonized chair with caned side panels designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar.
Category
1950s American Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Walnut
Vintage Sofa Set by Silvio Cavatorta - Italy 1950s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Sofa Set realized by Silvio Cavatorta in the Mid-20th century.
Top rare an impressive set of a sofa and a pair of armchairs realized in cur...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Wood, Fabric, Rosewood
Max Bill, Chair "Kneuzzargenstull", 1951
By Max Bill
Located in Saint ouen, FR
Max Bill - Chair "Kneuzzargenstull"
Edition Möbelwerke Horgan Glarus
Circa 1951
Wood and steel
78x48x52cm.
Category
1950s European Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Vittorio Nobili Armchair
Located in San Francisco, CA
Armchair mod
Seat and armrests in one piece of curved plywood.
Compass signaling Gold 1956.
Prod. Tagliabue 1955
Compass signaling
Measures: 98,5 x 58,5 x 48,5 cm.
Very good ...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Plywood
Pair of Tubular Lounge Chairs and Ottoman in Black Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pair of armchairs and ottoman in steel and leather, Europe, 1950s.
Modern pair of tubular armchairs and matching ottoman. These chairs are made of bent tubular steel with black sadd...
Category
1950s European Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal, Steel
Original CM197 Armchair by Pierre Paulin for Thonet, France
By Thonet, Pierre Paulin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original CM197 armchair by Pierre Paulin. Designed for Thonet, France in 1958. Green vinyl upholstery in excellent original condition. Can be reupholstered easi...
Category
1950s French Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Foldable Fireside Chair by Hans J Wegner
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Really nice foldable fireside chair
Hans J Wegner
Teak wood and black skai,
circa 1950.
Category
1950s Danish Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Teak
Pair of Armchairs by Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture
Located in Hudson, NY
Set of two armchairs mahogany stain wood and new upholstery design by Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture.
Category
1950s American Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Wood
Mid-Century Beautiful Pair of Italian Armchairs
Located in Milan, Italy
A beautiful and perfect pair of 1950 circa Italian armchairs in wood with yellow velvet cover. Production Italy.
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Velvet, Wood
Rare James Mont Upholstered Lounge Chair
By James Mont
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A rare James Mont lounge chair with curved arms. Another one available to make a pair.
Category
1950s American Vintage Modern Armchairs
Original CM197 Armchair by Pierre Paulin for Thonet France
By Thonet, Pierre Paulin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original CM197 armchair by Pierre Paulin. Designed for Thonet, France in 1958. Green vinyl upholstery in excellent original condition. Can be reupholstered easi...
Category
1950s French Vintage Modern Armchairs
Giuseppe Scapinelli. Mid-Century Modern Armchair in Caviúna Wood
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Extremely rare armchair made of Brazilian caviúna wood (nicknamed 'golden wood'). This is a stylish and very comfortable seating, suitable to any decoration style.
Category
1950s Brazilian Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Wood
Mahogany Armchair Attributed to Jacob Kjaer
By Jacob Kjaer
Located in San Francisco, CA
A wonderful armchair, attributed to Jacob Kjaer. Featuring an elegant rosewood frame and original black leather seat and back.
Category
1950s Danish Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
Pair of Classic Armchairs by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, circa 1950s
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A pair of classic armchairs by T.H.Robsjohn-Gibbings fro Widdicomb, ca' 1950's. Open walnut frames, reupholstered.
Category
1950s American Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Walnut
Harry Bertoia, Bird Armchair and Ottoman, 1950
Located in Saint ouen, FR
Bird armchair and ottoman - Harry Bertoia
Black edition (1st edition)
Circa 1950
Metal and fabric
H99xL96xP88.
Category
1950s European Vintage Modern Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Modern armchairs for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Modern armchairs for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage armchairs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, building and garden elements, asian art and furniture and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with fabric, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern armchairs made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Portugal pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original armchairs, popular names associated with this style include Finn Juhl, De Sede, Jaime Hayon, and Philippe Starck. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for armchairs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $139 and tops out at $497,965 while the average work can sell for $4,833.
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