Chairs
1880s French Baroque Antique Chairs
Hardwood
1980s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Mahogany, Leather
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Chairs
Leather, Oak
Late 19th Century Austrian Belle Époque Antique Chairs
Bentwood
1980s North American Post-Modern Vintage Chairs
Mahogany, Plywood
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Chairs
Metal
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Metal
Late 19th Century English Renaissance Revival Antique Chairs
Oak
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Chairs
Birch, Laminate
1880s Scottish Victorian Antique Chairs
Walnut
1980s German Post-Modern Vintage Chairs
Wood
1980s German Post-Modern Vintage Chairs
Steel, Zinc
1880s French Antique Chairs
Iron
Late 19th Century Swiss Black Forest Antique Chairs
Nutwood
Late 19th Century Portuguese Antique Chairs
Oak
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Chairs
Steel, Chrome
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Chairs
Metal
1890s English Renaissance Antique Chairs
Tapestry, Oak
Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antique Chairs
Wood, Elm
Late 19th Century French Antique Chairs
Wood
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Leather, Walnut
1890s Scottish Victorian Antique Chairs
Walnut
1880s Italian Renaissance Antique Chairs
Faux Leather, Walnut
Late 19th Century English George I Antique Chairs
Leather, Giltwood
1980s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Hardwood
1980s Brazilian Hollywood Regency Vintage Chairs
Bamboo, Rattan
1890s American Late Victorian Antique Chairs
Wicker, Wood
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Rattan, Reed, Glass
1880s Scottish Victorian Antique Chairs
Walnut
1980s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Metal
1880s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Chairs
Bentwood
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Chairs
Metal
1880s Scottish Victorian Antique Chairs
Walnut
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Chairs
Oak, Paint
Late 19th Century Northern Irish Aesthetic Movement Antique Chairs
Oak
Late 19th Century Austrian Renaissance Revival Antique Chairs
Bentwood
Late 19th Century English Chippendale Antique Chairs
Mahogany
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Aluminum
Late 19th Century Swiss Black Forest Antique Chairs
Nutwood
Late 19th Century Swedish Rustic Antique Chairs
Pine
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Chairs
Metal
Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Chairs
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Chairs
Cane, Beech
1980s American Modern Vintage Chairs
Leather, Wood
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Chairs
Bouclé
1980s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Rattan, Wood
1980s German Vintage Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Chairs
Gold Leaf
1980s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century Syrian Moorish Antique Chairs
Bone, Shell, Walnut
Late 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Chairs
Birch
1980s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Chairs
Leather
1980s British Post-Modern Vintage Chairs
Steel
1980s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Aluminum
1980s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Wood
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Chairs
Metal
1890s Italian Post-Modern Antique Chairs
Iron
Shop Antique and Vintage Chairs on 1stDibs: Lounge Chairs, Dining Chairs and Other Seating for Sale
Chairs are an indispensable component of your home and office. Can you imagine your life without the vintage, new or antique chairs you love?
With the exception of rocking chairs, the majority of the seating in our homes today — Windsor chairs, chaise longues, wingback chairs — originated in either England or France. Art Nouveau chairs, the style of which also originated in those regions, embraced the inherent magnificence of the natural world with decorative flourishes and refined designs that blended both curved and geometric contour lines. While craftsmanship and styles have evolved in the past century, chairs have had a singular significance in our lives, no matter what your favorite chair looks like.
“The chair is the piece of furniture that is closest to human beings,” said Hans Wegner. The revered Danish cabinetmaker and furniture designer was prolific, having designed nearly 500 chairs over the course of his lifetime. His beloved designs include the Wishbone chair, the wingback Papa Bear chair and many more.
Other designers of Scandinavian modernist chairs introduced new dynamics to this staple with sculptural flowing lines, curvaceous shapes and efficient functionality. The Paimio armchair, Swan chair and Panton chair are vintage works of Finnish and Danish seating that left an indelible mark on the history of good furniture design.
“What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts,” said Ray Eames.
Visionary polymaths Ray and Charles Eames experimented with bent plywood and fiberglass with the goal of producing affordable furniture for a mass market. Like other celebrated mid-century modern furniture designers of elegant low-profile furnishings — among them Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Finn Juhl — the Eameses considered ergonomic support, durability and cost, all of which should be top of mind when shopping for the perfect chair. The mid-century years yielded many popular chairs.
The Eameses introduced numerous icons for manufacturer Herman Miller, such as the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, molded plywood dining chairs the DCM and DCW (which can be artfully mismatched around your dining table) and a wealth of other treasured pieces for the home and office.
A good chair anchors us to a place and can become an object of timeless appeal. Take a seat and browse the rich variety of vintage, new and antique chairs on 1stDibs today.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
Learn Why Designer Maarten Baas Set This Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair on Fire
What happens when you do something to a piece of furniture that you shouldn’t? It becomes an entirely new object.
Kaleidoscopic Upholstery Makes This Edward Wormley Chair a Showstopper
What at first glance seems an unusual choice jibes perfectly with the designer's aesthetic.
Design Icon Ilse Crawford on Her Colorful New Hans Wegner Chairs
If anyone is brave, humble and adept enough to recolor these mid-century masterpieces, it’s Ilse Crawford. Here, she gives us the details on her five earthy paint choices and tells us how she feels about design collaborations.
How to Reupholster a Chair
Want to update an old chair that still has good bones? We spoke to experts to find out how they approach reupholstering antique furniture.
How to Spot Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI Chairs
A field guide for anyone who wants to brush up on their knowledge of French antiques
The Ball Chair, Eero Aarnio’s Space Age Masterpiece, Was Almost Never Made
Now considered emblematic of 1960s mod aesthetics, the Finnish designer's famous creation was far from an overnight success.