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Art Nouveau Chairs

ART NOUVEAU STYLE

In its sinuous lines and flamboyant curves inspired by the natural world, antique Art Nouveau furniture reflects a desire for freedom from the stuffy social and artistic strictures of the Victorian era. The Art Nouveau movement developed in the decorative arts in France and Britain in the early 1880s and quickly became a dominant aesthetic style in Western Europe and the United States.

ORIGINS OF ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Sinuous, organic and flowing lines
  • Forms that mimic flowers and plant life
  • Decorative inlays and ornate carvings of natural-world motifs such as insects and animals 
  • Use of hardwoods such as oak, mahogany and rosewood

ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ANTIQUE ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

Art Nouveau — which spanned furniture, architecture, jewelry and graphic design — can be easily identified by its lush, flowing forms suggested by flowers and plants, as well as the lissome tendrils of sea life. Although Art Deco and Art Nouveau were both in the forefront of turn-of-the-20th-century design, they are very different styles — Art Deco is marked by bold, geometric shapes while Art Nouveau incorporates dreamlike, floral motifs. The latter’s signature motif is the "whiplash" curve — a deep, narrow, dynamic parabola that appears as an element in everything from chair arms to cabinetry and mirror frames.

The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau was particularly influenced by the soft colors and abstract images of nature seen in Japanese art prints, which arrived in large numbers in the West after open trade was forced upon Japan in the 1860s. Impressionist artists were moved by the artistic tradition of Japanese woodblock printmaking, and Japonisme — a term used to describe the appetite for Japanese art and culture in Europe at the time — greatly informed Art Nouveau. 

The Art Nouveau style quickly reached a wide audience in Europe via advertising posters, book covers, illustrations and other work by such artists as Aubrey Beardsley, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Alphonse Mucha. While all Art Nouveau designs share common formal elements, different countries and regions produced their own variants.

In Scotland, the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh developed a singular, restrained look based on scale rather than ornament; a style best known from his narrow chairs with exceedingly tall backs, designed for Glasgow tea rooms. Meanwhile in France, Hector Guimard — whose iconic 1896 entry arches for the Paris Metro are still in use — and Louis Majorelle produced chairs, desks, bed frames and cabinets with sweeping lines and rich veneers. 

The Art Nouveau movement was known as Jugendstil ("Youth Style") in Germany, and in Austria the designers of the Vienna Secession group — notably Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann and Joseph Maria Olbrich — produced a relatively austere iteration of the Art Nouveau style, which mixed curving and geometric elements.

Art Nouveau revitalized all of the applied arts. Ceramists such as Ernest Chaplet and Edmond Lachenal created new forms covered in novel and rediscovered glazes that produced thick, foam-like finishes. Bold vases, bowls and lighting designs in acid-etched and marquetry cameo glass by Émile Gallé and the Daum Freres appeared in France, while in New York the glass workshop-cum-laboratory of Louis Comfort Tiffany — the core of what eventually became a multimedia decorative-arts manufactory called Tiffany Studios — brought out buoyant pieces in opalescent favrile glass. 

Jewelry design was revolutionized, as settings, for the first time, were emphasized as much as, or more than, gemstones. A favorite Art Nouveau jewelry motif was insects (think of Tiffany, in his famed Dragonflies glass lampshade).

Like a mayfly, Art Nouveau was short-lived. The sensuous, languorous style fell out of favor early in the 20th century, deemed perhaps too light and insubstantial for European tastes in the aftermath of World War I. But as the designs on 1stDibs demonstrate, Art Nouveau retains its power to fascinate and seduce.

There are ways to tastefully integrate a touch of Art Nouveau into even the most modern interior — browse an extraordinary collection of original antique Art Nouveau furniture on 1stDibs, which includes decorative objects, seating, tables, garden elements and more.

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Style: Art Nouveau
Beautiful Set of 3 Thonet Wood Garden Chair 'Gartensessel No. 4', circa 1900
Located in Regensburg, DE
Timeless and rare set of three solid wooden Thonet garden chairs made in Austria. The garden chair no. 4 has a knotted structure which was first designed by Gebrüder Thonet in the l...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Wood

Pair of Libertys London Style Art Nouveau Chesterfield Brown Leather Armchairs
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this exceptionally rare pair of Victorian Chesterfield library armchairs with Liberty’s of London style Art Nouveau carved frames What a pair of...
Category

19th Century English Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak

Art Nouveau Set of Six Chairs in Solid Oak. Vienna, c. 1910.
Located in Vienna, AT
ceptional Set of Six Viennese Art Nouveau Solid Oak Chairs – Vienna, circa 1910 We are pleased to present an exquisite set of six original Viennese Art Nouveau chairs, crafted in so...
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Leather

Original Chair Kolo Moser and Josef Hoffmann Attr. Jugendstil, Wiener Werkstätte
Located in Vienna, AT
An armchair with design-vocabulary used by Kolo Moser and Josef Hoffmann in their early works from 1901 on.
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Nutwood

Church Chair Faldstool Art Nouveau Santo Antonio Cathedral, wax polished
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Early 20th century church chair Art Nouveau kneeling stool from St. Anthony's Cathedral In walnut and shaped seat, polished with wax. Measures cm: H 46/...
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1910s Italian Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Walnut, Beech

Jugendstil Vintage Bentwood Chair No 248 a by J. & J. Kohn, circa 1901, Austria
Located in Vienna, AT
Jugendstil bentwood chair Model No. 248 a J. & J. Kohn designed 1901 and first for sale in 1902. This chair 248 a is a variant of the Loos designed model and features function in a s...
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Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Beech

Dutch Art Nouveau Amsterdamse School Armchair by Lion Cachet, 1925
Located in Antwerp, BE
Exquisite museum-quality Lion Cachet armchair, an opulent masterpiece meticulously crafted from the finest oak, macassar ebony, and rosewood, adorned with ...
Category

1920s Dutch Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak, Rosewood

art nouveau oak stool chair Jugendstil Rabenau embroidery a. 1910 exc condition
Located in Landshut, BY
solid built oak Jugendstil CHAIR made in Rabenau / Saxonia upholstered with care - fitted with hand embroidered jute fabric Rabenau's chairmaking tradition is almost 400 years ol...
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1910s German Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Wool, Jute, Oak

Thonet Bentwood Chairs with Table, Art Nouveau Seating Set, Austria, circa 1915
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Beautiful bentwood seating set made by the famous Austrian manufactory of Thonet around 1915. This artfully processed Art Nouveau seating set consists of four exceptional craftedb chairs, all made of fine beechwood that has been bent under steam and high pressure to get this outstanding looking result. All chairs have been newly upholstered with the original, renowned "Vienna mesh", typical for these kind of chairs. The very special design with beautiful arranged high backrests is absolutely matchless. A lovely round beechwood table with unique designed feet and an additional "floating" compartment finalizes the look of this remarkable Thonet suite...
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Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Harnisch and Co chair Wiena 1880s Set of Two
Located in Čelinac, BA
Wiena 1880s chair by Harnisch Co
Category

1880s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Bentwood

Harnisch and Co chair Wiena 1880s  Set of Two
Harnisch and Co chair Wiena 1880s  Set of Two
$1,568 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Early 20th Century Set of Four Chairs Art Nouveau in Walnut, Original Upholstery
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Early 20th century set four Italian chairs Art Nouveau in walnut, original upholstery in good conditions, restored and polished to wax. Chairs, 19th century, with velvet upholstery ...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Early 20th Century Oak Armchair by Thorvald Bindesbøll, Denmark circa 1905
Located in Valby, 84
A stunning and rare armchair designed by Thorvald Bindesbøll (1846–1908), one of Denmark’s most celebrated architects and designers of the late 19th and early 20th century. This exq...
Category

Early 1900s Danish Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak

Art Nouveau Period Desk Chair in Carved Wood, Circa 1900.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Art Nouveau period desk chair in carved wood, circa 1900. Carved wood Art Nouveau period desk chair, circa 1900. H: 89cm, W: 47cm, D: 40cm
Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Wood

Mid Century Bentwood Chairs, Thonet Style, Italy 50s, Pair
Located in Lucija, SI
Pair of Mid Century bentwood and cane chairs from the 50s era. In good vintage condition with signs of use and age. All visible on pictures. The cane net is in original condition; ha...
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1920s Italian Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Bentwood

Art Nouveau Pair of Side Chairs in Walnut, Restored & New Upholstered
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Early 20th century Art Nouveau elegant robust couple of side chairs in blond walnut, new upholstered, restored and polished to wax. Measures cm: H 45/100, W 40, D 43.
Category

1910s Italian Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Eliel Saarinen Children's Chair, Early 20th Century
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Children's chair, designed by Eliel Saarinen, Early 20th Century. Painted wood. Storage under the seat. Designed for the Munkkiniemi Pension in Helsinki Finland. Good vintage conditi...
Category

Early 20th Century Finnish Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Wood, Paint

2 Art Nouveau Oak Chairs Still with the Original Leather Seats from Around 1900
Located in München, DE
Two beautiful ornate Art Nouveau wooden chairs. Probably made in France around 1900. The original riveted leather seats are still on. Great...
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Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak

Rare Vintage Chairs Attributed to Basile-Ducrot
By Ernesto Basile
Located in Milano, IT
Discover the elegance Attributed to Basile-Ducrot's rare vintage chairs, a testament to the legendary Italian designer's mastery of Art Nouveau style. Crafted in the circa 1910s, the...
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1910s Italian Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Wood

Thonet Vienna Wooden Childrens Chair, Austria, 1900s
Located in Vienna, AT
A lovely wooden chair for children by Thonet Vienna, dated around 1900. In good, original condition with nice patina. Labelled and stamped.
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Wood

Sculptural Chairs Art Nouveau by Giacomo Cometti in Ebonized Hand Carved Walnut
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Pair of sculptural chairs Art Nouveau by Giacomo Cometti in ebonized hand carved walnut in good conditions, with probable original upholstery still usable, sanitized by us. The two c...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Wiener Werkstätte Modernist Chairs in Walnut, Original Taupe Velvet Upholstery
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Early 20th century pair of Wiener Werkstätte Modernist chairs in walnut, original taupe velvet upholstery, still usable. Measures cm: H100/50, W 45, D 45.
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Velvet, Walnut

Viennese Chair Josef Neyger, 1847-1878
By Josef Neyger
Located in Praha, CZ
Chair from a Viennese competitor, which copied Gebrüder Thonet products in yeas 1847-1878. Newly restored.
Category

Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Antique Asolana Chair from the Early 1900s, Walnut with Straw Seat, Wax Polished
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Ancient Asolan hand-made chair, with straw seat, from the early 1900s, full of charm The Asolana chair is normally used as a "single" element to define the style of a corner or as a status symbol to declare one's passion for the world of creative design. About Asolo and Bassano del Grappa...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Four Mackintosh Style Black Lacquered High Back Chairs, 1979
Located in Puglia, Puglia
In the style of Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. These four chairs, solidly built in black lacquered wood, with ivory bouclé upholstery, late 1970s.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Bouclé, Wood

Jugendstil Chair in the Style of Vienna Secession, 1900s
Located in Reichenschwand, DE
This early 20th-century Jugendstil chair reflects the refined minimalism and geometric precision associated with the Vienna Secession movement. Its form is sharply defined, favoring ...
Category

Early 1900s German Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Metal

Wooden & Cane Chair, Czechoslovakia 1910s
Located in Zohor, SK
This beautifully crafted vintage chair, produced in Czechoslovakia in the 1910s, is a striking example of early 20th-century European design. Made from solid oak, the chair features ...
Category

1910s Czech Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Cane, Oak

Art Nouveau Period, Three Chairs in Oak, Belgium, circa 1900
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Art Nouveau period, three chairs in oak, Belgium, circa 1900.
Category

Early 1900s Belgian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Oak

Children's Stool from Thonet for the Barber Shop
Located in Vienna, Austria
Children's stool for a barber shop, made in beech wood from the company Thonet. Adjustable from the minimum seat height of 69 cm to the maximum seat height of 80 cm. The stool has ...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Beech

6er Set Original Jugendstil Stühle antik Esszimmerstuhl Schnitzerei
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten sechs wunderschöne antike Esszimmerstühle mit gedrechselten Rückenlehnelementen und gepolsterten Sitzflächen zum Verkauf an. Zustand: Guter gebrauchter Zustand mit alters...
Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Set of Four Art Nouveau Chairs in the Style of Otto Prutscher, Mahogany -Austria
Located in Girona, Girona
Set of four chairs in solid mahogany, French polish, new linen upholstery. In the style of Otto Prutscher, Austria, Vienna, circa 1910.
Category

1910s Austrian Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Linen, Mahogany

Large scale French walnut open arm chairs with hooved feet C 1900.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Large scale French walnut open arm chairs with hooved feet C 1900.
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Walnut

Elegant American Art Nouvea Arts Crafts Tiffany Stickley Styl
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Elegant design, proportions and handcarved design pair of oak antique American Art Nouveau Arts Deco Arts and Crafts in the style of Tiffany or Stickley pair of chairs. Rare collecti...
Category

1910s American Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Oak

Antique chairs 6 pieces solid oak & reupholstered leather
Located in Würzburg, DE
✓ Freshly covered ✓ Beautiful decorations ✓ Sturdy construction Dimensions: W: 46cm H: 92cm D: 43cm Seat height: 49cm Article: Antique chairs Item no.: 970 Origin: France around 1...
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Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak

Four Chairs in the Thonet Style, circa 1900
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
4 Chairs in the Thonet style, circa 1900.  
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Beech

Art Nouveau Italian Hand Painted Iron Folding Garden Scalloped Chairs and Stools
Located in Firenze, IT
These rare Art Nouveau (early 1900) set of Italian design masterfully hand-crafted iron folding garden chairs or stools is so festive and cha...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Iron

19th Century Single Chair in Black and Yellow
Located in Schöfflisdorf, CH
19th century single chair in black and yellow.
Category

1890s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Satin, Wood

Early Modern 'Jugendstil' Leather Strap Desk Chair, Germany, circa 1900
Located in New York, NY
An early German modernist desk chair with seat and back rest composed of intersecting layers of leather straps. This chair is original but can be reproduced to meet your specifica...
Category

Early 20th Century German Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak, Wood

Swivel chair by Lajos Kozma
By Jozsef Heisler, Lajos Kozma
Located in Kleinburg, ON
Lajos Kozma was one of the most authentic representatives of Hungarian Art Nouveau in the early-20th-century. He had an unprecedented influence on the European design through his dra...
Category

1930s Hungarian Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Steel

Art Nouveau Armchair 'Model Stössler', Design by Adolf Loos, Vienna, circa 1900
Located in Vienna, AT
Adolf Loos (1870 - 1933) designed the chair model shown here in 1899 based on an English model as part of his earliest work as an interior designer for the dining room in Eugen Stössler's apartment in Vienna. The omission of the front supports of the armrests and the backwards curved legs lend the early chair a touch of elegance. Instead of the turned legs of the English model, Loos used smooth round wood with brass feet to protect the carpet. So these ankle cuffs fulfill a practical purpose and at the same time have a decorative effect. They thus correspond to Loos' demand for a 'unity of form and function'. Beautifully shaped furniture made by hand in high quality, solid walnut and veneered, shellac hand-polished, upholstered seat and covered with leather, brass nails and brass shoes. Execution: Friedrich Otto Schmidt, Vienna, circa 1900 Model number 6865 The model was produced by the company F. O. Schmidt and was also in their offer at the time. This explains why this chair model, specially designed by Loos for one of his interiors, can also be found on the art market. Measures: Total height: 82.0 cm / 32.28 in Seat height: 47.0 cm / 18.50 in Width: 57.0 cm / 22.44 in Depth: 50.0 cm / 19.68 in Bibliography: - The dining room in the Stössler apartment was published in 1900 in the Viennese arts and crafts...
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Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Brass

French Art Nouveau Dressing Table Chair Circa 1890
Located in San Francisco, CA
Wonderful antique Art Nouveau period side chair / dressing table chair. Recent peacock pattern upholstery, and having its original gold gilding. Sturdy and sits will. France, late 1...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood, Giltwood

Pair of Art Nouveau Chairs in walnut, circa 1900
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of Art Nouveau chairs in walnut, circa 1900.  
Category

Early 1900s European Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Art Nouveau Dining Room Chocolate Brown Leather Chairs, Set Of Eight
Located in Lisbon, PT
This eight piece Art Nouveau dining-chair, with its original seat in chocolate brown leather. This dining chair set brings the sinuous lines and organic spirit of Art Nouveau era in...
Category

20th Century Portuguese Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pair of Chairs in the Thonet Style, circa 1900
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of chairs in the Thonet style, circa 1900 to be restored.
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Chairs

Child seat ( Attributed Wilhelm Schmidt For Prag- Rudniker ) 1887, Prague
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Chair Jugendstil, Art Nouveau, Liberty Material: Wood Country:France We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art Nouveau and Vintage styles since 1982.If you have any questions we are at your disposal. Pushing the button that reads 'View All From Seller'. And you can see more objects to the style for sale. rag-Rudniker Korbwaren-Fabrication (Basketwork Factory) The „Prag-Rudniker Korbwaren-Fabrication” had its origins in 1877 in Rudnik (Galicia), where Ferdinand Ernst Count Hompesch established a wickerwork school. Distribution of the products was done by the Prague merchants Karl and...
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1880s Czech Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Wood, Wicker

Charming Little English Chair circa 1900 Beautiful Original Fabric to Net
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Charming little English chair, circa 1900 beautiful original fabric to net.
Category

Early 1900s English Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Art Nouveau Dining Chairs Pair Designed by Paul Mathieu for Stephanie Odegard
Located in New York, NY
Introducing the Art Nouveau Dining Chairs Pair, a stunning set of Art Nouveau dining chairs designed by the renowned Paul Mathieu for Stephanie Odegard. These elegant Art Nouveau din...
Category

2010s Indian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Metal, Bronze, Sheet Metal

Art Nouveau Chairs Pair Designed by Paul Mathieu for Stephanie Odegard
Located in New York, NY
"Introducing the Art Nouveau Chairs Pair, a stunning set of Art Nouveau chairs designed by the renowned Paul Mathieu for Stephanie Odegard. Thes...
Category

2010s Indian Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Metal, Bronze, Sheet Metal

Nobiliary Dining Chair of Thonet from Wiener Werkstaette
Located in Mariano Del Friuli, GO
Rare chair of the Wiener Werkstaette considered the prototype of the successive variants on Design by the architect. Gustav Sigel. The rectangular sections and geometric motifs of th...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Bentwood

Swivel chair Model 339 by Lajos Kozma
By Jozsef Heisler, Lajos Kozma
Located in Kleinburg, ON
Lajos Kozma was one of the most authentic representatives of Hungarian Art Nouveau in the early-20th-century. He had an unprecedented influence on the European design through his dra...
Category

1930s Hungarian Vintage Art Nouveau Chairs

Materials

Steel

Art Nouveau chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Art Nouveau chairs 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 chairs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, building and garden elements, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, hardwood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Art Nouveau chairs made in a specific country, there are Europe, Austria, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original chairs, popular names associated with this style include Thonet, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Woka Lamps, and Jacob and Josef Kohn. 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 chairs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $155 and tops out at $87,192 while the average work can sell for $3,152.

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