Although named for the last Stuart monarch of England, antique Queen Anne furniture, with its curvy cabriole legs and pad feet, has its origins in the earlier reign of King William III, which began in 1689 and ended with his death in 1702. Later evolving during Anne’s rule from 1702–14, the style would continue to influence design in the decades after her death.
Sometimes called late Baroque or early Georgian, Queen Anne chairs, bedroom furniture and tables are subdued yet ornate and characterized by a graceful blend of influences ranging from Asian design to classical motifs. Furnishings of this era — with their curvilinear supports and novel emphasis on comfort and versatility — are marked by a shift away from the more opulent and angular William and Mary style.
Chairs designed in the Queen Anne style are more functional and lightweight than their predecessors. They often feature a vase or fiddle-shaped splat, which refers to the central vertical back element, in order to support the spine and plush cushions. Craftsmen of the era predominantly worked in walnut, maple and pine. Any embellishments they introduced in their furnishings were frequently minimal and refined and expressed by way of modest flourishes such as shells or scrolls. Some pieces were more lavish with “japanned” finishes, or varnished interpretations of East Asian lacquer art. Almost every piece of furniture, whether a tea table or desk, included S-shaped, animalistic cabriole legs that end in a paw or claw-and-ball form.
These qualities made Queen Anne furniture popular throughout Europe and North America. Boston and Philadelphia became hubs for the production of this style of furniture, spurred by the arrival of British artisans who fostered a market for well-heeled colonists. While the showier Chippendale style later surpassed it in popularity, Queen Anne’s simple elegance still draws an enduring appreciation.
Find a collection of antique Queen Anne dining tables, seating, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.
Walnut Queen Anne Corner Chair
Located in West Chester, PA
Walnut Queen Anne corner chair with a wonderful old patina, pierced splats with hearts, deep scalloped skirts with turned arm supports and three turned legs with one front cabriole l...
Vintage Chinoiserie Rosewood Corner Chair
Located in Pasadena, TX
Vintage Chinoiserie rosewood corner chair Lovely rosewood chair with intricately carved floral motifs. Measures: 27 Width x 22 Depth x 32 Hei...
Rosewood
American Georgian Walnut Upholstered Corner Chair, Circa 1770
Located in Charleston, SC
American Georgian walnut corner chair with carved splat backs, carved decorative molded edge, scrolled arms, turned ringed columns, carved corner fret...
Upholstery, Walnut
English Oak Bobbin Corner Chair
Located in Faversham, GB
A superb oversized Victorian bobbin corner chair in oak with a freshly upholstered calico seat cushion. The double railed ladder back rest with si...
Calico, Oak
Harvey Probber Cubo Corner Chair
Located in Hanover, MA
Original corner segment from Harvey Probber's Cubo sectional seating group. Original plush velour covers unzip to be removed for cleaning. Stainless steel tubular legs extend up th...
Stainless Steel
Carved Walnut Art Nouveau French Corner Chair
By J. Horner
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Very fine carved walnut French Art Nouveau corner lounge chair.
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 20th Century Upholstered Walnut Corner Chair
Located in Pasadena, TX
This is a highly carved Corner chair. It has a slat arm and an upholstered seat. The cabriole legs rest on brass casters.
Walnut
Unusual Antique Victorian Oak Corner Chair
Located in Suffolk, GB
Unusual antique Victorian oak corner chair having a quality shaped top rail supported by a turned column, shaped splats, newly reupholstered drop...
Other
English Mahogany Corner Chair
Located in Woodbury, CT
English mahogany corner chair with wavy ladder back, overupholstered seat and unique brass and wood armature for music or book reading. Also nicely sized for marrying the 18th and 2...
Mahogany
Nordic Carved Oak Corner Chair
Located in London, GB
A beautifully crafted Swedish corner chair from the 1930s, made from solid oak. The chair features elegant carved detailing, highlighting the craftsmanship of the period. Its compact...
Fabric, Oak
Victorian Carved Walnut Upholstered Seat Corner Chair
Located in Germantown, MD
Victorian Carved Walnut Upholstered Seat Corner Chair. Good antique condition. Measures 24.5" in width, 22" in depth, 29" in height. Seat height is 16" and the arm height is 26.25"....
Upholstery, Walnut
French Louis XV Style Carved Walnut Corner Chair
Located in Vienna, AT
The low curving back centered by a splat of pierced foliate scrolls, cabriole legs, restoration will be done on request Diamentions: Height 32", Widht 27" Depth 33"
Walnut
English Regency Walnut Hand Carved Corner Chair
Located in Lomita, CA
This English Regency style corner chair provides an excellent seated vantage point. It is made of walnut, circa 1900 - 1925, and is still super stylish 120 years later. The design ...
Walnut
19th Century English Rush Seat Ladder Back Chair
Located in Southampton, NJ
An attractive corner, accent or desk chair in Cherry having strong rush seat with ladder back frame. In excellent condition having strong, solid joints and tightly woven rush seat wi...
Rush, Cherry
Queen Anne Period Walnut Corner Chair, Circa 1702-1714
Located in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Queen Anne period walnut corner chair, 1702-1714. It is solid walnut, raised on four boldly carved cabriole legs with C-scrolls and pad feet. The seat is known as bell-shaped. The...
Walnut
Antique 18th Century Queen Anne High-Back Corner Chair
Located in Peabody, MA
18th century, circa 1750, English Queen Anne high-back corner chair in walnut with vasiform splats of burl wood. Upholstered in cordovan leather.
Leather, Walnut, Burl
Dutch Yew Wood Corner Chair from the Queen Anne Period, 18th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having shaped splat back supports and a flat top rail leading to under curled arms, the generous drop in upholstered seat raised on cabriole legs in pad feet.
New York Queen Anne-Chippendale Walnut Corner Chair
Located in West Chester, PA
This rare corner chair is pictured in the book "Long Island Is My nation" by Dean Failey. This chair has a wonderful original finish. Pictured in "Long Island Is My Nation" by De...
English Chinoiserie Decorated Corner Chair
Located in Westwood, NJ
An unusual Queen Anne lacquered and chinoiserie decorated corner chair with urn form splats, compass seat, carved shell cabriole leg, stretcher ba...
Queen Anne Five-Legged Chair, 18th Century
Located in Austin, TX
Queen Anne five-legged chair 18th century generously sized Queen Anne chair with three pierced splats and turned supports. Unique with five cabriole legs ending in pad feet. Mahogany...
Mahogany
Handsome Queen Anne Antique Corner Chair
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Queen Anne Mahogany Corner Chair, circa 1740, the horseshoe crest rail over pierced splats and a square seat resting on turned legs and a central cabriole leg with a pad foot connect...
English Mahogany Corner Chair in the Queen Anne Style, 19th Century
Located in valatie, NY
This handsome mahogany corner chair was designed in the Queen Anne style with the typical vase-shaped splats and cabriolet legs. It has comfortable wide flat arms, turned supports, a scalloped apron and an upholstered seat. A great conversation piece for any place in a room whether it’s the corner or not. In the late 17th century roundabout chairs...
Mahogany
American Walnut Queen Anne Corner Chair
Located in San Francisco, CA
An American walnut Queen Anne corner chair, the curved backrest surmounted by a molded crestrail above rounded handgrips over vasiform splats divided and flanked by turned supports a...
Walnut
English Mahogany Queen Anne Corner Chair. Circa 1760
Located in Charleston, SC
English mahogany Queen Anne corner chair with burgundy leather seat, turned stretchers, and terminating on pad feet. 18th Century
Unusual Queen Anne Walnut Reading Chair
Located in Essex, MA
Shaped carved crest above out scrolled arms over two shaped splats , with detachable ratcheted reading stand , raised on cabriole legs with central shell carved knee ending on pad feet.