Chairs
1990s French Organic Modern Chairs
Iron
1990s Italian Modern Chairs
Bamboo
1990s Italian Post-Modern Chairs
Chrome
1990s Swedish Post-Modern Chairs
Metal
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
2010s Spanish Country Chairs
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Wrought Iron
1940s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Chairs
Wrought Iron
1970s Post-Modern Vintage Chairs
Chrome
Mid-20th Century European Industrial Chairs
Iron
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Velvet
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Chairs
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Organic Modern Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Chairs
Chrome
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chairs
Bamboo, Rattan
2010s Spanish Country Chairs
Wrought Iron
1990s Dutch Chairs
Cord, Carbon Fiber
1990s British Post-Modern Chairs
Seagrass
1990s Italian Modern Chairs
Aluminum
1990s Italian Chairs
Wool
1990s Organic Modern Chairs
Rattan, Velvet
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather
1990s European Bauhaus Chairs
Chrome
1990s American Chairs
Ultrasuede
1990s French Space Age Chairs
Polyester
1990s Italian Modern Chairs
Lacquer
1990s Italian Modern Chairs
Aluminum
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Steel
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.