Modern Chairs
MODERN STYLE
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
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Style: Modern
Period: Mid-20th Century
alvar aalto stool60 natural 1950's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This stool60 was manufactured in the 1950s.
Category
1950s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto stool60 vinyl leather red 1950's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This stool 60 was manufactured in the 1950's.
The seat is covered with vinyl leather.
The condition of the vinyl leather is not torn, but there are some stai...
Category
1950s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
Pair of Midcentury Leather Chairs, Designer Sedus
Located in Asheville, NC
1960s style side office chairs with tubular chrome legs, molded plastic shell with sectioned and boxed attached leather upholstery. Recently shipped from the South of England.
Category
1960s German Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Metal
Set of 4 Monk chairs in leather, Afra and Tobia Scarpa, Molteni, 1973
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The Monk chair is distinguished by its inherent essence of expressive quality of materials, embodying elegance through the skillful use of national walnut, natural ash, leather and r...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Pair of Thonet Bentwood Cafe Bistro Dining Chairs
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Only 2 available, price is per chair. Bentwood cafe chairs sold in a set of 2. Chairs all match, even in terms of use. They are all very tight and well-constructed, having been made...
Category
1960s Romanian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Beech
Set of Four No.811 Chairs, Josef Hoffmann, 1960s
Located in London, GB
A vintage set of four beech Model 811 chairs designed by Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann in the mid to late 1920s. The chair was featured on the front cover of Thonet-Mundus' catal...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Linen, Beech
Set of Three Iron And Wicker Settee And Chair By Giacometti
Located in Pasadena, CA
Set of Three Iron And Wicker Settee And Chair By Giacometti. There are rams heads on the arm rests. In the back rest there is a sunburst/sunflower emblem/design on the backing.
The ...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Modern Chairs
Materials
Brass, Iron
Pair of Vintage Barcelona Chairs by Mies van der Rohe
Located in Zandhoven, BE
Iconic Vintage Pair of Barcelona Lounge Chairs by Mies van der Rohe!
Timeless pair of Barcelona lounge chairs, a design classic by the legendary Mies van der Rohe! These chairs ar...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Modern Chairs
Materials
Leather
Pierre Jeanneret Office Cane Chairs Set of 8
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
A beautiful set of 8 Pierre Jeanneret floating back office chairs in solid teak. All chairs are in good vintage condition.
The braided canework has been replaced.
These iconic piec...
Category
1950s Indian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Teak, Cane
Chair by Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig, 1938
Located in Berlin, DE
Chair, plywood construction, dark stained, ash veneer
Design / Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig 1938
Dimensions / H.84cm W.40cm D.50cm
Manufacturer / Maggioni Italy
Designed for the Bocco...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Ash, Plywood
Authentic Early Modernist Chair Robert Mallet Stevens, France, 1930s
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
Robert Mallet-Stevens (1886-1945) came from an art-loving family and was one of the most influential French avant-garde architects and designers. He met very early on René Herbst and...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Steel
Jorgen Hovelskov Harp Chair, Denmark 1960s
Located in New York, NY
A sculptural Jorgen Hovelskov designed harp chair.
Solid oak and rope.
Category
1960s Danish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Rope, Oak
Vintage Mid Century Modern Clam Chairs by Seymour Weiner for Kodawood - Set of 4
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Mid Century Modern Clam Shell Chairs by Seymour James Weiner for Kodawood - Set of 4
Featuring 4 vintage MCM “Clam Shell” armchairs designed by Seymour J. Wiener for Kodawoo...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Chairs
Materials
Upholstery, Wood
Sedie Medea, Vittorio Nobili per Fratelli Tagliabue, 1960
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Le sedie Medea, progettate da Vittorio Nobili per Fratelli Tagliabue negli anni ’60, sono un’icona del design italiano del XX secolo. Caratterizzate da una silhouette slanciata e ele...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Wood
Josef Hoffmann Bentwood Beech Prague Model 811 Chairs in Black and Leather Weave
Located in Los Angeles, CA
In the 1920s, Michael Thonet's company crafted the iconic No. 811 Bentwood Chair. Josef Hoffmann is commonly credited with creating the "Prague chair," the design is also attribute...
Category
1960s European Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Bentwood, Cane
Rare Translucent Molded Side Chair
Located in Princeton Junction, NJ
Rare Translucent Molded Side Chair
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Jacques Adnet Eight Armchairs
Located in Georges Mills, NH
Set of eight hand-stitched leather armchairs with brass-plated sabots. Designed for the U.N.E.S.C.O headquarters in Paris; 1958. Each chair is individually numbered on an embossed al...
Category
1950s French Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Brass
Mid-Century Modern to Modern Oak Maroon Vinyl Rolling Game or Dining Chairs
Located in Topeka, KS
Wonderful Mid-Century Modern to modern rolling game or dining chairs comprised of oak frames, maroon vinyl seats and backs, brass sabots, and casters. Beautiful condition, keeping in...
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Chairs
Materials
Faux Leather, Oak
Selene Chair - White
Located in Princeton Junction, NJ
Selene Chair - White
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Pair of Original Red Carimate Armchairs by Vico Magistretti
Located in MADRID, ES
Vico Magistretti (6 October 1920 - 19 September 2006) was an Italian industrial designer, dedicated to furniture and architecture.
He graduated from the Milan Polytechnic in 1945, and became a follower of Ernesto Nathan Rogers. During the 1950s he devoted himself to designing mass-produced furniture. Some of his lamps are famous, such as the so-called Eclisse.
Some of his designs can be found in important museums in Europe, the United States and Japan. The MoMA in New York houses objects...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Straw, Zebra Wood
Vintage French School Chairs, Set of Four
Located in High Point, NC
A set of four vintage school chairs with high armrests manufactured in France circa 1950. These authentic metal chairs feature low backrests and ...
Category
1950s French Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Steel
Børge Mogensen, Set of 4 J39 Dining Chairs
Located in Kastrup, DK
Børge Mogensen 1914-1972:
Set of 4 Shaker dining chairs model J-39 by Børge Mogensen for FDB Mobler.
Crafted from solid oak wood and features a ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Modern Chairs
Materials
Rattan, Oak
CM 196 Side Chair by Pierre Paulin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
All original CM 196 side chair by Pierre Paulin. Measure: Seat height is 18" inches. Very comfortable and sturdy.
Category
1960s Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Steel
alvar aalto stoolE60 kids size painted green 1960's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This chair 69 was manufactured in the 1950s.
There is evidence of overpainting
There is some damage to the leg of the chair, but there is no problem in using...
Category
1960s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
Sedie in legno e metallo tedesche moderne, Egon Eiermann per Wilde + Spieth 1960
Located in MIlano, IT
Set di sei sedie modello SE68, con strutture provviste di quattro zampe in tubolare d'acciaio a sezione sottile, con supporto centrale sul retro, sempre in metallo, a cui è fissato l...
Category
1960s German Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Metal
alvar aalto stool60 painted red 1930's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This stool 60 was manufactured in the 1930's.
This stool is painted red and white.
There is some peeling and damage in the paint here and there, but it is a ...
Category
1930s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto stool60 natural 1950's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This stool60 was manufactured in the 1950s.
Category
1950s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto stool60 natural 1950's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This stool60 was manufactured in the 1950s.
Category
1950s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto stool60 natural 1950's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This stool60 was manufactured in the 1950s.
There is some damage to the seat.
Category
1950s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto chair69 natural 1930's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This chair 69 was manufactured in the 1930s.
It has a structure that seems to be an early product that is not found in current products.
The paint film from ...
Category
1930s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto stool60 natural hedemora 1940's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This stool60 was manufactured in the 1940s.
It is from the era when it was manufactured in Hedemora, Sweden.
Category
1940s Swedish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto chair69 Painted Deep blue 1930's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This is chair 69 .
Deep blue paint is applied all over.
This chair was manufactured in the 1930s.
Category
1930s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto chair69 natural hedemora 1940's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This chair 69 was manufactured in the 1940s.
It is from the era when it was manufactured in Hedemora, Sweden.
It has a structure manufactured with hedemora f...
Category
1940s Swedish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto chair69 natural hedemora 1940's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This chair 69 was manufactured in the 1940s.
It is from the era when it was manufactured in Hedemora, Sweden.
It has a structure manufactured with hedemora f...
Category
1940s Swedish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto stool60 vinyl leather black 1950's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This stool 60 was manufactured in the 1950's.
The seat is covered with vinyl leather.
The condition of the vinyl leather is not torn, but there are some stai...
Category
1950s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto chair65 black linoleum top
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This is chair 65 black linoleum top.
Category
1960s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto stool60 vinyl leather red 1950's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This stool 60 was manufactured in the 1950's.
The seat is covered with vinyl leather.
The condition of the vinyl leather is not torn, but there are some stai...
Category
1950s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto chair69 natural hedemora 1940's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This chair 69 was manufactured in the 1940s.
It is from the era when it was manufactured in Hedemora, Sweden.
It has a structure manufactured with hedemora f...
Category
1940s Swedish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
alvar aalto chair68 Painted White 1950's
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
Designed by Alvar Aalto.
This is chair 68 .
White paint is applied all over.
This chair was manufactured in the 1950s.
Category
1950s Finnish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Birch
Pair of Mid-Century Chiavari Chairs with Cane Seat
By Chiavari
Located in Vienna, Austria
Set of two Chiavari chairs produced in the 1950´s.
The chairs have a cane seat in on excellent condition with a high back (66 cm).
The cherry wood frame has been refresh and receive...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Wood
Italian Modern Red Wood Chair Kazuki by Takahama for Simone Gavina, 1960s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Red wood chair mod. Kazuki by Kazuhide Takahama for Simone Gavina, 1960s
Armchair mod. Kazuki in glossy red lacquered wood. The back is...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Wood
1950's Pair Mid Century Modern Danish Walnut Upholstered Barrel Arm Chairs
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a pair of vintage danish barrel back armchairs, dating to the mid 1950's. I purchased it from the daughter of the original owner's, who clarified that they had bee...
Category
1950s American Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Fabric, Walnut
Rudolph M. Schindler, Rare Dining Chair
Located in LAGUNA BEACH, CA
Discover a rare and exquisite piece of design history with this Rudolph M. Schindler dining chair, attributed to the iconic Howenstein House in South Pasadena. Crafted by the visiona...
Category
1940s Austrian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Plywood
rare Gio Ponti leggera chair, n.646 by Cassina, from Hotel Royal Naples, 1955
By Gio Ponti
Located in Rome, IT
very rare Gio Ponti iconic chair, n. 646 by Cassina
ash and re-upholstery in ivory cotton
this model was manufactured by Cassina, Meda as a variation on Ponti's legendary "leggera" c...
Category
1950s European Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Velvet, Ash
Pair of Charlotte Perriand Dordogne Chairs for Robert Sentou, France c1950
Located in London, GB
Set of four or six available.
Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), a key figure of European modernism, famously started her career with a rebuff from Le Corbusier’s studio: “We don’t em...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Modern Chairs
Materials
Straw, Pine
Desk ‘Bird’ Chair by Preben Fabricius for Alfred Kill
Located in Stamford, CT
A Bird chair by Jorgen Kastholm and Preben Fabricius for Alfred Kill. This desk chair model has the rarer Casters. Newly recovered in black Sorensen leather.
Category
1960s Danish Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Steel
Pierre Paulin for Artifort Green F560 Mushroom Chair
Located in London, GB
Originally designed by Pierre Paulin in 1960 in collaboration with Artifort, the Mushroom chair, also known as the F560, is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, making it a true design icon.
Inspired by women’s swimming...
Category
1960s Dutch Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Fabric
Pair Kazuhide Takahama Kazuki Chairs for Simon Gavina International, Italy 1969
Located in London, GB
Set of four or six available.
Kazuhide Takahama was born in Japan in 1930 and after completing his studies in Architecture in Tokyo he started working in Kazuo Fuioka’s studio. In ...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Lacquer
Set of Four Charlotte Perriand Dordogne Chairs for Robert Sentou, France c1950
Located in London, GB
Set of six available.
Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), a key figure of European modernism, famously started her career with a rebuff from Le Corbusier’s studio: “We don’t embroider ...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Modern Chairs
Materials
Straw, Pine
Guhl Chair by Willy Guhl '1. Edition, Special Sealed, Safe Surface'
By Willy Guhl
Located in Zürich, CH
Willy Guhl was a Swiss furniture designer and became one of the most important representatives of the 20th century Swiss neofunctionalism. Between 1941 and 1980 Guhl taught at the Sc...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Modern Chairs
Materials
Concrete
Armchair by Yngve Ekström, 1960
By Ingve Eastrum
Located in Milano, Lombardia
very pretty and elegant Nordic chair with a retro flavor and very colorful. Perfect for warming up the rooms in your home if you want to indulge in a vintage touch. The chair is in e...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Textile, Wood
Set of Six Charlotte Perriand Dordogne Chairs for Robert Sentou, France c1950
Located in London, GB
Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), a key figure of European modernism, famously started her career with a rebuff from Le Corbusier’s studio: “We don’t embroider cushions here.” Not dete...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Modern Chairs
Materials
Pine, Straw
Sculpted Bronze Sun Face Chair
Located in Savannah, GA
A sculpted bronze sun face chair, mid 20th century.
Unknown maker.
23 inches wide by 21 ½ inches deep by 37 inches tall; seat height 19 ½ inches
Weighing 100 lbs.
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Chairs
Materials
Bronze
Modernist Armchair by Dom Hans van der Laan, Netherlands, 1960s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Dutch modernist chair, Dom Hans Van Der Laan, Jan De Jong, 1961, Bossche School
One of 12 ever made, from the boards room of the townhall of Budel, 1961, The Netherlands.
It was com...
Category
1960s Dutch Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Copper
Pierre Jeanneret ‘Library’ chair, model no. PJ-SI-51-A, France/India, 1956
Located in London, GB
Pierre Jeanneret (1896-1967) is recognised as a pivotal figure in modernism. His collaborations with his cousin Le Corbusier are especially significant, particularly their codificati...
Category
1950s French Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Wood
Pair of Exceptional Mid-Century Italian Chairs in the Style of Gio Ponti
By Gio Ponti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of exceptional mid-century Italian dining chairs in the style of Gio Ponti. Large scale for European chairs.
One pair left from the set of 6 pictured in situ.
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Bronze
Cross armchair, Marcello Cuneo, Arflex 1960 circa
By Arflex, Marcello Cuneo
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The seat was born from a very simple idea : two U-shaped tubes connected by a joint. These two chairs are exemplars from the 1970s and are perfect for more types of environments, inc...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Metal
1965 Giancarlo Piretti for Castelli DSC 106 Stacking Dining / Side Chairs in Oak
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a single (multiple chairs are available, though the price listed is for each chair) DSC 106 chair designed by Giancarlo Piretti and produced by Castelli in Italy. ...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Chairs
Materials
Oak
Modern chairs for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Modern 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, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern chairs made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Scandinavia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original chairs, popular names associated with this style include Finn Juhl, Jover + Valls, Emeco, and Kartell. 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 $25 and tops out at $103,950 while the average work can sell for $2,723.
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