Evoking rusticity and relaxation through simple and elegant designs, vintage Adirondack furniture originated in the Adirondack Mountains of northeastern New York. The most famous piece is the Adirondack chair, which dates to 1903.
With its ample armrests and sturdy but comfortable slanted seat, the reclined Adirondack chair was designed by Thomas Lee for his own country home. The postwar golden age of modern patio and garden furniture production — led by the likes of Brown Jordan, Knoll, Salterini and Woodard — was decades away at the time, and there were few pieces of furniture specifically created for outdoor use.
Lee, a Massachusetts-born Harvard graduate raised in a wealthy family, was no furniture designer. He merely needed a durable, rugged chair for afternoons in the sun while he was vacationing on Lake Champlain in Westport, New York, in the summer. The amateur woodworker used just one wooden plank cut into 11 segments that were jointed together for his now-legendary seat, which is said to have been made of hemlock, hickory or basswood.
The story of the Adirondack chair continues with Lee’s friend, carpenter Harry Bunnell, covertly patenting the chair and going on to produce it as the Westport Plank chair for a growing audience over the next two decades. Over a century later, the Adirondack chair has gone through several design evolutions while maintaining its popularity and basic form with slats of wood such as pine offering comfort both indoors and out.
The widespread demand for rustic Adirondack outdoor furniture was bolstered by the turn-of-the-century establishment of rural escapes to treat diseases such as tuberculosis. The low-slung Adirondack chair became common in these places of convalescence, allowing patients to recline and breathe in the country air. It also complemented the camp-style architecture that was prevalent in the Adirondacks for recreation as well as restoration, where rugged furniture with exposed wood and minimal carving filled interiors and wide porches.
Today, Adirondack chairs are made in a range of materials and can be found around the world, from ski resorts to lakeside piers, their durability and classic form making them an enduring favorite for spending time in nature.
Find vintage Adirondack chairs, benches, lounge chairs, decorative objects, folk art and other furniture on 1stDibs.
$920Sale Price|20% Off
20Thc Bar Harbor Child's Wicker Chaise Lounge
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1930's Bar Harbor original painted wicker chase lounges with Sunbrella fabric ( water proof). They also are coated with nautical varnish to protect from bad weather for on a covered...
Wicker
$2,636Sale Price|20% Off
19th C Original Salmon Painted Trendle Bed W/ Rag Rug Cushion
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19thc original salmon painted trendle or child's rope bed with a custom made mattress from 19thc rag rug fabric. It comes with rag rug cushions & pillows. This bed is in amazing ...
Pine
19th Century Grain Painted Paneled Wood Door
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous grain painted solid wood paneled door. Painted in the Trompe loi style to imitate rosewood or another exotic wood. Door is grain painted on one side only. Other side is ol...
Hardwood
Hans Hartl "Soloform 5008" Chaise Lounge
By Eugen Schmidt, Hans Hartl
Located in Hanover, MA
Rare Soloform model 5008 chaise lounge designed by Hans Hartl (1899-1980) for Eugen Schmidt, Darmstadt, Germany, 1953. Measures: 72 1/2" W x 35 3/4" D x 30 1/4" H Known as the Shell Couch (Schalencouch) channel tufted white leather upholstered hardwood frame with elastic straps and foam on tubular chrome base. Very rare and beautiful Avant Garde freeform chaise longue produced in very few numbers. This is one of the few post WWII designs produced by Hartl and exemplifies the link between art and design during this progressive period. Hartl was a high profile architect, decorator and furniture designer during the late 1920s-1930s period whose works were published alongside those of greats such as Josef Hoffmann, Le Corbusier, Mendelsson, Pier Luigi Nervi...
Chrome
$996Sale Price|20% Off
H 20.75 in W 17.5 in D 8 in
Mid-19th Century Child’s Grain Painted Miniature Chest of Drawers
Located in Nantucket, MA
Mid-19th century Benchmade child’s grain painted Miniature chest of drawers. A country piece in the American Empire style, with a step-back drawer and backsplash, above the case with...
Wood
$81,900
H 33.08 in W 30.12 in D 39.38 in
Mid-Century Modern Chaise Lounge by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler, 1954
By Carlo Hauner, Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
This chaise lounge is one of the designs by Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner, produced by Forma S.A. Móveis e Objetos de Arte. The traditional chaise is a lounge chair characterized by...
Iron
$1,565
H 56 in W 32 in D 15.5 in
19th Century American Rustic Southern Pie Safe with Distressed Blue Paint
Located in Savannah, GA
A truly American Southern piece, this rustic wooden pie safe features pierced tin inserts in the double doors and on the sides. Other features include two ...
Tin
Alpine Blue Painted Folk Art Chairs 19th Century
Located in Hastings, GB
A rare and beautifully preserved examples of late 19th-century Alpine folk art chairs, most likely originating from the Tyrol or southern Bavaria regions. This pair retains a str...
Pine
Late 19th Century Quebec Paint Decorated Plant Stand, circa 1890
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique Quebec paint decorated plant stand or bucket bench, circa 1890, pine slat construction with three shelves, fluted backsplash and apron, and deli...
Pine
Post Modern Chaise Lounge Newly Upholstered in Ivory White Bouclé
By Preview, Weiman Preview Furniture, Directional
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Float away from the worries of the day in this luxurious post modern chaise lounge newly professionally upholstered in super soft ivory white bouclé. Sculptural form exudes a sophisticated look that's gentle and inviting. Ivory white bouclé fabric's texture is breathable and ventilates well. Cozy in winter and cool in summer. Enveloping padded comfort with a thick seat cushion layered over a descending pedestal base. So sexy from all sides, this chaise lounge is beautiful enough to float in a room. Modern. Fresh. Reminiscent of Vladimir Kagan, Milo Baughman and Adrian Pearsall's iconic amorphous designs. Nestle in with your favorite blanket and read for hours, nap, binge watch your favorite series, or shop 1stDibs on your electronic device...
Bouclé, Upholstery
Colima Steel and Upholstery Chaise Lounge
Located in Mexico City, MX
The Chaise Longue Colima is a versatile piece as it provides transparency to space with its electrostatic painted steel structure. The twisted paper cord weave and upholstery add hum...
Steel
$2,465
H 72.05 in W 46.46 in D 19.69 in
Antique 19th Century Painted Folk Art Farmhouse Bridal Cabinet
Located in OOSTERHOUT, NL
An extraordinary antique pine bridal cabinet dating from around 1825. This cabinet is simply designed but beautifully painted in rustic colors and features a tree of life on the door...
Pine, Paint
$7,500
H 33.75 in W 63 in D 11.5 in
19th Century American General Store Apothecary Grain Paint Hand Stenciling
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Beautiful 19th century general store large scale yellow pine apothecary in old surface. Found in the north eastern united states. Most likely of Pennsylvania origin. Red stain grain ...
Wood
19th Century Swedish Longcase Clock, Painted
Located in San Francisco, CA
This lovely " Grandfather" clock has retained it's original painted finish. The face is in good condition, so is the case. The clock mechanism is not in working order at this time, h...
Wood
Custom Upholstered Platform Sleigh Bed
Located in NYC, NY
Custom upholstered platform bed with equal size footboard and headboard - creating a sleigh bed affect allowing a double-function as a lounge ...
Upholstery