Chairs
18th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Chairs
Wood, Fabric, Linen
Early 18th Century Swedish Baroque Antique Chairs
Leather, Wood
1750s English George II Antique Chairs
Mahogany
Mid-18th Century Antique Chairs
Fruitwood
Mid-18th Century George III Antique Chairs
Mahogany
17th Century Italian Antique Chairs
Leather, Walnut
18th Century Austrian Rococo Antique Chairs
Reed, Wood
16th Century English Elizabethan Antique Chairs
Oak
1790s American Hepplewhite Antique Chairs
Upholstery, Mahogany, Satinwood, Muslin
18th Century Italian Directoire Antique Chairs
Mohair, Wood
18th Century French Antique Chairs
Walnut
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Chairs
Mahogany, Oak
Early 2000s American Post-Modern Chairs
Chrome
Early 2000s Finnish Modern Chairs
Suede
1780s English George III Antique Chairs
Upholstery, Hardwood
Early 2000s Italian Modern Chairs
Stainless Steel, Chrome
Late 18th Century Austrian Aesthetic Movement Antique Chairs
Wood
Late 18th Century Chinese Antique Chairs
Cane, Rosewood
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
1690s Swedish Folk Art Antique Chairs
Pine
18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Chairs
Wood, Walnut
1760s English George III Antique Chairs
Mahogany
Early 18th Century English Jacobean Antique Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
Early 2000s Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Oak
Early 2000s North American Chairs
Wood
Early 2000s Dutch Chairs
Epoxy Resin, Wood
17th Century Antique Chairs
Walnut
Late 18th Century Dutch Louis XVI Antique Chairs
Mahogany
18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Chairs
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
1710s Antique Chairs
Giltwood
18th Century Georgian Antique Chairs
Giltwood
1780s English George III Antique Chairs
Leather
Late 18th Century Austrian Baroque Antique Chairs
Fabric, Cherry
16th Century Antique Chairs
Leather, Walnut
Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Chairs
Metal
Early 2000s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Steel
18th Century British Antique Chairs
Ash, Elm
Early 2000s Italian Modern Chairs
Plastic
16th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Chairs
Walnut
Early 2000s Italian Modern Chairs
Fabric
Mid-18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Chairs
Pine
Early 2000s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Stainless Steel
Early 2000s German Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Oak
Early 2000s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Birch
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Brass
Early 2000s Danish Post-Modern Chairs
Metal
1790s English Queen Anne Antique Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Late 17th Century English Baroque Antique Chairs
Linen, Walnut
Early 2000s Dutch Chairs
Cord, Epoxy Resin, Lacquer
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Oak
Early 2000s French Modern Chairs
Steel
Early 2000s German Chairs
Steel
Early 2000s Italian Modern Chairs
Fabric
18th Century Louis XIV Antique Chairs
Leather, Wood
Early 2000s English Chairs
Plastic
18th Century English Sheraton Antique Chairs
Mahogany
Early 2000s Spanish Chairs
Plastic
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
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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.