Rattan Chairs
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rattan Chairs
Rattan
Late 20th Century Bohemian Rattan Chairs
Rattan, Lacquer
2010s Philippine Modern Rattan Chairs
Rattan, Maple
Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Rattan Chairs
Chrome
1910s Austrian Belle Époque Vintage Rattan Chairs
Rattan, Beech, Bentwood
Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Rattan Chairs
Chrome, Steel
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rattan Chairs
Metal
1810s English Regency Antique Rattan Chairs
Rattan, Pine
2010s Spanish Modern Rattan Chairs
Metal
2010s Philippine Modern Rattan Chairs
Rattan, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Rattan Chairs
Bamboo, Rattan
1970s American Vintage Rattan Chairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Rattan
2010s Mexican Post-Modern Rattan Chairs
Rattan, Mahogany
2010s Rattan Chairs
Rattan, Wood
2010s Portuguese Industrial Rattan Chairs
Iron
2010s Portuguese Industrial Rattan Chairs
Iron
2010s Portuguese Industrial Rattan Chairs
Iron
2010s Portuguese Industrial Rattan Chairs
Iron
Antique and Vintage Rattan Chairs for Sale on 1stDibs
Shopping for vintage rattan chairs? Lightweight, durable and versatile, rattan furniture is whatever one wants it to be: elegant or rustic, chic or workaday.
For rattan dining chairs, armchairs, lounge chairs and other rattan seating, there is no shortage of popular search terms for interested parties — suggestions include Bielecky Brothers, New York–based makers of handcrafted rattan furniture since 1903; Milanese artist-designer Gabriella Crespi, who blended rattan with brass in sexy, sculptural pieces during the 1970s; and Peacock chairs, a catchall term for the numberless iterations of the beloved high-backed seat.
Few things inspire such extreme devotion as furnishings crafted from the versatile fibers of a tropical palm native to Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Indeed, antique and vintage rattan furniture has found legions of devotees over the years. The long-lasting natural medium, made popular in Great Britain and the United States during the Victorian era, is a master of disguise, able to mingle with a wide range of styles — when done the right way.
The use of rattan stretches from prehistory to IKEA. To clarify, rattan is not bamboo, which is a rigid, hollow reed. Stalks of rattan (whose name derives from the Malay rotan) are dense, steamable and bendable, which is why it lends itself to curvaceous designs and infinite creative uses in a way bamboo does not. Nor is rattan synonymous with wicker, which is a broader term for woven items — often made of rattan fibers but also of willow, other pliable reeds or even synthetic materials.
“Furniture made out of woven materials has occurred since the beginning of time and in every culture,” says interior designer and rattan aficionado Amanda Lindroth, noting that in earlier times, rattan furnishings were most often found in semi-outdoor settings like sunrooms and porches. Rattan pieces were welcomed indoors in the mid-20th century, and over time the medium has been put to use by giants of modernism such as Josef Hoffmann, Thonet, Jean-Michel Frank and Donald Deskey.
Find antique and vintage rattan chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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.