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Office Chairs and Desk Chairs For Sale
Period: Mid-20th Century
Period: 1990s
Executive Desk Chair by George Nelson for Herman Miller
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A fully upholstered and adjustable high back swiveling and rolling desk chair with a four point cast steel base.
Category
1960s American Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Upholstery
Art Deco 2 Armchair
Located in Kraków, Małopolska
Art Deco armchair from 1940, Czech Republic.
Designed by a famous Czech designer Jindrich Halabala, (a Czech designer ranked among the most outstanding creators of the modern period...
Category
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Aluminum Chairs by Charles & Ray Eames for Vitra, USA, 1958
Located in Antwerp, BE
Aluminum Chair; Charles & Ray Eames; Vitra; 1958; Office Chair; Leather; Chrome; Brown; The Aluminum Group; USA;
Aluminum chair designed by Charles & Ray Eames and manufactured by ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Mid-Century Design Chair No.515 by Oswald Haerdtl for Thonet
By Thonet, Oswald Haerdtl
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Mid-century design chair no.515 by Oswald Haerdtl for Thonet.
Category
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Faux Leather, Wood
Ray & Charles Eames for Herman Miller Full Option Rare Green Desk Chair, 1958
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
This chair is part of the private collection of Casey Godrie and is situated in his private house.
Ask him for competitive shipping quotes. His incredible Dune Villa, Amsterdam Beach, find more details on his family name plus eu, is for sale soon too. :-)
Alu chair...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Swivel Chair by Vincent Cafiero for Knoll
By Vincent Cafiero, Knoll
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A swivel lounge chair, with the original button-tufted black leather upholstery, on a five-point polished aluminum base. Upholstery required.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Two Armchair from 1960
Located in Kraków, Małopolska
Two Art Deco armchair from 1960 Czech Republic.
Category
1950s Czech Art Deco Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Pierre Jeanneret PJ-SI-62-A Armchair / Authentic Mid-Century Modern
Located in Zürich, CH
Sculptural qualities define this object. A vivid dynamic between the different volumes and surfaces, showing different qualities from different angles. Its expressive form offers a c...
Category
1960s Indian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Cane, Teak
Midcentury Upholstered Steel Frame Rolling Office Armchair
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-Century Modern, office armchair features a rolling, height adjustable steel frame with newly upholstered seat and back.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Set of 4 Niels Otto Moller 1951 Dining Chairs in Original Red Cord
Located in London, GB
This set of Niel Otoo Moller's Model 71 chair was designed in 1952. Mosty assume that Niel Otto Moller designed this first chair produced by his workshop JL Moller but in fact, Niels...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Hardwood
Rare Early 1960s Eames Chair No.680 1st Generation Herman Miller Hille EA101 MCM
Located in London, GB
An iconic and extremely rare first-generation Eames side chair in lovely vintage condition. This fantastic chair is a treasure of design history, produ...
Category
1950s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Design Stool Adjustable in Height Italian Production of the 40s
Located in bari, IT
Italian Industrial archeology technical stool from the 1940s.
The stool can be adjusted in height by +/- 5 cm in reference to the standard hei...
Category
1940s Italian Industrial Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Acton Bjørn & Vilhelm Lauritzen Armchair Produced by Willy Back in Denmark
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare armchair attributed to Acton Bjørn & Vilhelm Lauritzen. Produced by cabinetmaker Willy beck in Denmark.
Category
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Leather, Rosewood
A Pair of French Art Deco Desk or Bridge Armchairs
Located in Long Island City, NY
A Pair of French Art Deco beech desk / bridge armchairs.
Category
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Fine French Art Deco Mahogany Arm Chair
Located in Long Island City, NY
A fine French 1930's mahogany armchair in the manner of Adnet.
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Mahogany
1950s Mid Century Modern Office Chair by Jorge Rasmussen
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid-century office chair designed and manufactured by Jorgen Rasmussen in Denmark circa 1950s. This desk chair features a plywood frame with a chrome metal base and four wheels, maki...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Bentwood
1960s Eero Saarinen for Knoll Executive Swivel Desk Chair on Casters in Fabric
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a rare Saarinen Executive Chair, Model 68S, originally designed by Eero Saarinen for Knoll International in 1950. This example dates to the 1960s.This has many of the feature...
Category
1960s American Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Vittorio Nobili for Fratelli Tagliabue Medea Chair, Italy, 1950s
Located in LEWES, GB
A very nice original Vittorio Nobili Medea chair, for Fratelli Tagliabue, Italy, 1950s. Stamped with makers mark. Fast shipping worldwide.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Metal
Mid-Century Armchair in Rosewood Designed by Ole Wanscher, Danish Design, 1950s
Located in Lejre, DK
Armchair in rosewood and patinated leather designed by Ole Wanschar M.A.A. for A.J.Iversen in 1950s. Made in Denmark. Great condition.
Category
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Leather, Rosewood
Contoured Ladder Back Armchair in Teak, Torbjørn Afdal, Vamo, Denmark, c. 1960's
Located in Deland, FL
Introducing a rare ladderback armchair designed by the incomparable Torbjørn Afdal for Vamo. Designed and crafted in Denmark in the early 1960's this elegant armchair is constructed from solid teak with graceful curves and exquisite woodgrains throughout. Featuring new vintage-feeling forest green upholstery this armchair is ideal for collectors and designers alike searching for the perfect office or accent chair.
Torbjørn Afdal was a Norwegian born designer who graduated from the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry in 1946 and spent much of his career with the legendary Bruksbo Tegnekontor, who for three decades were one of Norway’s leading design offices for quality furniture. Among those who purchased Afdal’s designs were First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and the Japanese Emperor as well as other notable heads of state during the mid-20th century.
His work is characterized primarily by a refined understanding of material and form. Afdal implemented a combination of art and tradition in his work, with a talent for utilizing the natural possibilities of rare hardwoods which is on full display in this splendid ladderback armchair.
With sculpted armrests, curved "ribs" that mold to the sitter's back and a marvelously minimalist stance this accent chair is ideal for collectors and designers alike searching for an authentic Torbjørn Afdal chair...
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Teak
Arne Jacobsen High Back 'Oxford' Swivel Chairs
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, set of six 'Oxford' desk chairs model 3272, aluminium, wood, fabric upholstery, United Kingdom, design 1965, later production.
The original version o...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Fabricius & Kastholm FK 85 Lounge Chair and Ottoman for Kill International
Located in Los Angeles, CA
FK85 lounge chair and ottoman by Danish design duo, Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm, c. 1960s, Germany. The swivel lounge chair and fixed ottoman features a chrome plated steel ...
Category
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel, Chrome
Kaare Klint Armchair Model 3758a in Leather and Mahogany Rud Rasmussen Denmark
Located in WIJCKEL, NL
Armchair model 3758 A in original red indian leather and mahogany base. Model designed in 1927 for the Danish Museum of Decorative Art, produced by Rud Rasmussen in the 1940’s. Signed with manufacturer’s label to underside: (Rud. Rasmussens Snedkerier).
Kaare Klint is widely recognized as the father of Danish modern design. It is hard to overstate his influence. He developed an entirely new analytical approach to furniture design that his students at the Danish Academy of Art would emulate for years to come, yet was also inspired by historic designs from various cultures, modernizing and re-interpreting classic pieces for new generations.
Literature: Kaare Klint, Harkær, pg. 28-30. Dansk Møbelkunst Gennem 40 Aar: 1927-1936, Jalk, pg. 169. Danish Chairs, Oda, pg. 22-23.
Kaare Klint (1888-1954) is regarded as the founding father of Danish Modernim. As an architect, furniture designer and leading professor at the Department of Furniture Design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Klint established the principles of modern Danish furniture by combining a profound appreciation of traditional construction techniques with a modernist emphasis on function and a rejection of ornaments.
Klint’s design was always based on relentless research; he never compromised. Every piece had to fulfill its purpose, be completely clear in its construction with dimensions and proportions corresponding to the human body and display materials and craftsmanship of the highest quality. Logic, often using a mathematical system of measures, and a constructive way of thinking were the foundation of Klint’s philosophy of furniture design. Like many of his contemporaries, counting Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius, he advocated standardization and functional requirements and dismissed the use of all ornamentation. But Klint realized his vision in wood and leather, using traditional craftsmen and working methods and often finding inspiration in historical models. In this way, he charted the course for an alternative Nordic Functionalism that idealized the workshop and the collaboration between furniture architects and cabinetmakers as opposed to the factory.
Kaare Klint’s first major work was a collaboration with his mentor, the architect Carl Petersen. In 1914 they were commissioned to design furniture and fixtures for Faaborg Art Museum. One of the highlights to emerge from this commission was the Faaborg chair, a light and elegant chair with clear references to classical furniture. The construction and proportions of an 18th century English Chippendale...
Category
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
Soft Pad Office Chair by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, US, 1960s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Charles and Ray Eames softpad office chair, produced by Herman Miller. This distinguished chair, crafted as the original USA edition for Herman Miller, features a sleek black leather seat and backrest, complemented by a chrome frame and armrests. An extension of the iconic Aluminum Group chairs, designed in 1958 for the Irwin Miller home, the Soft Pad Group retains the structural integrity of its predecessor while introducing plush cushions for enhanced comfort. Its 5-star base with casters, tilt-swivel mechanism, and seat-height adjustment ensure functionality and versatility, making it ideal for executive or office use. The Eames soft pad executive chair...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Chrome
Art Deco French Desk Chair in Walnut
Located in Houston, TX
Comfortable and spacious Art Deco French Chair made out of walnut wood. Newly re-upholstered with light beige velvety fabric. The chair is supported by 4 elongated legs, with tips of...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Brass
2 Art Deco J. Halabala Armchair
Located in Kraków, Małopolska
2 Art Deco armchair from 1940, Czech Republic.
Designed by a famous Czech designer Jindrich Halabala, (a Czech designer ranked among the most outstanding c...
Category
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Set of 4 Italian Metal Dining Chairs, 1960's
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Beautiful set of 4 Italian armchairs, 1960s.
Made of black lacquered steel.
The chairs are restored with new fabric and new foam, they are in perfect condition.
They are reupholster...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Vtg Jansko Clear Sculpted Lucite Mid-Century Modern Yellow Vinyl Swivel Chair
By Jansko
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Jansko clear sculpted Lucite Mid-Century Modern yellow Vinyl swivel chair. Item features a swivel seat, sculptural clear lucite frame, chrom...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Chrome
Mid-Century Italian Swivel Armchair, 1960s
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Beautiful and comfortable Italian swivel armchair or desk chair, 1960's.
The chair is reupholstered with new fabric and new foam, this is i...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
A Swivelling Elm Office Chair or Desk Chair T
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A Swivelling Elm Office Chair or Desk Chair
The Chair is unmistakably a country piece, made in the 1960s by a skilled traditional craftsman to his own unique design. The chair has ...
Category
1960s Country Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Elm
French Alpine Midcentury Deerskin Desk or Side Chair
Located in New York, NY
A Primitive Desk / Side Chair with a Seat of Stretched Deerskin.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
A French Mid-Century Organic and Sculptural Wooden Desk and Chair
Located in Long Island City, NY
A Rare French organic and sculptural solid wood desk and chair.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Organic Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Hardwood
1960s Leather Palisander Side or Desk Chair, Denmark
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of wear
- High of seat 45 cm.
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Chrome
Black Leather and Teak Desk Chair by Illum Wikkelsø for N. Eilersen, 1960s.
Located in Dublin 8, IE
Vintage Danish Black Leather & Teak Desk Chair – There are many chairs out there but not many are quite as beautiful as this one. Designed by the Danish designer Illum Wikkelso for N...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Leather, Teak
Midcentury Armchair by Arne Jacobsen, 1950s
Located in Lejre, DK
Armchair designed by Arne Jacobsen M.A.A for Fritz Hansen in 1958. Made in Denmark, great original condition.
Category
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Beech
Decoene Freres, Art Deco Pivoting Armchair circa 1930
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Decoene Freres, Art Deco pivoting armchair in walnut
Fully restored, leather reupsholted.
Category
1930s Belgian Art Deco Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Chrome
Chair model 3117 by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, 1950s
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wood and metal office chair. Rotates on itself and height adjustable. Maximum height: 87 cm, maximum seat height: 55 cm. Stamped on the und...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Metal
Pair of blue velvet armchairs, 1965
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Pair of blue velvet armchairs, 1965
Condition: Very good - Restored
Materials: Velvet, Wood
Epoque: 1960
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Velvet, Wood
Art Deco J. Halabala Armchair
Located in Kraków, Małopolska
Art Deco armchair from 1940 Czech Republic.
Designed by a famous Czech designer Jindrich Halabala, (a Czech designer ranked among the most outstanding creators of the modern period....
Category
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Carlo Ratti Walnut Desk Chair for Compensati Curvati Italy
By Carlo Ratti
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A sculptural molded dark walnut plywood swiveling Hourglass desk chair with stainless steel star base . The unique styling of the chair would make it a statement piece in any home of...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Stainless Steel
Swiveling Armchair by Eero Saarinen for Knoll
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A Mid-Century Modern sculptural swiveling armchair designed by Eero Saarinen featuring a cruciform chromed steel base with casters. The seat retains its original textured wool uphols...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Stainless Steel
Preben Fabricius Jorgen Kastholm FK6725 chairs set Kill 1964
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Super large set of high back conference office chairs model FK6725 designed by Preben Fabricius and Jorgen Kastholm and manufactured by Kill International, Germany 1964. These so-cal...
Category
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum, Steel
Georgian Arm, Office Chair. Ball and Claw
Located in Manhasset, NY
Georgian Arm, Office Chair. Ball and Claw
A finely carved and well datailed Ball anc Claw Arm Chair in the Georgian Taste. The carved crest rails abov...
Category
Mid-20th Century Georgian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Mahogany
Horseshoe Armchair by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A first production rare walnut laminated and sculpted horseshoe back dining chair, with a flared rosewood backplate and a loose button tuft...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Rosewood, Upholstery, Walnut
Isamu Kenmochi Kabuto Office Chair, circa 1960
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Kabuto office chair designed by Isamu Kenmochi.
Manufactured by Tendo Mokko (Japan) in 1961.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use, preserving a bea...
Category
1960s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Metal
1960s Stow Davis Office Desk Chairs in Tan Leather w/ Bronze Bases 3x Available
By Stow Davis
Located in Philadelphia, PA
These are large Desk Chairs in Tan leather with Bronze Four-Star Bases, produced by Stow-Davis Furniture of Grand Rapids, MI. in the 1960s. The listed price includes one chair, and w...
Category
1960s American Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel, Bronze
4 Fine French Art Deco Walnut Bridge Armchairs
Located in Long Island City, NY
Four fine French 1940s Neoclassical style walnut bridge armchairs.
Price is chair.
Category
1940s French Neoclassical Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Walnut, Fabric
Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen 'Oxford' Desk Chairs
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, pair of 'Oxford' desk chairs model 3272, aluminium, wood, fabric upholstery, United Kingdom, design 1965, recent production
The original version of t...
Category
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Set of 8 Chairs 50° in Leather and Wood, Danish
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
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 ...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Pair of Rare Chairs with Armrests by Martin Eisler, circa 1955 Midcentury Brazil
Located in New York, NY
Designed in 1955 by Martin Eisler for "Forma," the rare chai with armrests is made of Jatobá wood and leather
Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler are most known by well-shaped armchairs made in iron, but the production it's away more complex, handcrafted, and extensive.
The wood pieces produced by Forma Móveis...
Category
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
A Fine French Art Deco Walnut Gondola Armchair with Brass Sabots
Located in Long Island City, NY
A fine French Art Deco gondola armchair with brass details.
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Bronze
Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm Office Chair Model FK84, 1962
Located in Los Angeles, CA
wonderful office chair Model FK84 by Preben Fabricius & Jørgen Kastholm for Kill International, 1962, early production with cantilevering back rest, in black leather on a three star ...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Metal, Chrome
FK6725 Bird Tulip Chair Green by Fabricius & Kastholm Knoll 1990s
Located in Aachen, NW
This fine example of the FK6725 Bird office chairs was designed by Jorgen Kastholm & Preben Fabricius in the early 60s and produced by Walter Knoll in the 1990s.
The so called "Bir...
Category
1990s German Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Bauhaus Tecta desk chair white leather D49 by Walter Konecke, 1959
By Hans Könecke
Located in Zevenaar, NL
This D49 leather desk chair by Tecta made of high-quality, buttoned leather. Even an office chair has the right to get a chic design. The Tecta chair has even made it into the ranks ...
Category
1950s German Bauhaus Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Architectural Designer Desk Chair By Edward Wormley for Dunbar
Located in Chicago, IL
Architectural Designer Desk Chair By Edward Wormley for Dunbar
Wood shows some wear. I think will benefit from some touching up from a refinishe...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Wood
1960s Finn Juhl Model 209 Diplomat Chair in Mahogany and Brown Leather - Cado
Located in Knebel, DK
Finn Juhl designed the model 209 chairs in 1961. The chair is part of a series of furniture named the Diplomat series with chairs, desks, tables, cabinets and other furniture.
The c...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
Pair of Arm Chairs with Swivel Backrest from 1960s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Pair of arm chairs with swivel backrest from 1960s, unknown designer or manufacture. Very stylish chairs with swivel backrest that adjust when sitting, nickel plated steel bases, har...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel, Nickel
Desk chair by Torbjorn Afdal for Bruksbo-Nesjestranda
Located in PARIS, FR
Beautiful and rare Elton model armchair designed by Torbjorn Afdal and manufactured by Bruksbo-Nesjestranda, Norway in the 1960's. The structure is made of solid palissander, in a de...
Category
Mid-20th Century Norwegian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Leather, Palisander
Antique and Vintage Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
An essential part of every office or home workstation, office chairs and desk chairs are critically important to your comfort and getting the job done.
Desk chairs have evolved over time. While writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson pined for a wider range of motion and introduced some improvements to his English-style Windsor chair, inventing the swivel chair along the way. So the next time you roll, recline or swivel at your vintage desk, remember: The third president of the United States had a lot to do with that functionality.
Changes in the availability of resources have also led to innovations in desk chair design. After World War II, for example, optimistic American designers made use of wartime materials in their efforts to create practical domestic goods.
Mid-century modernism is the name given to the broad postwar time period that prioritized thoughtful design. Journalist Cara Greenberg, who coined the term “mid-century modernism,” cites “ergonomic wisdom” as part of the reason for the longevity of the era’s furnishings, and when it comes to sitting in a desk chair for hours at a time, what could be more important than ergonomic support?
As mid-century modernism was marked by resourcefulness and boundless creativity — and produced designers who, in most cases, prioritized comfort and support — it follows that all mid-century chairs are not the same. Nowhere is this perhaps more evident than at Herman Miller. The legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer got its start in the office, with design director George Nelson enlisting the likes of Charles and Ray Eames to produce desk chairs and lounge chairs that are still celebrated today. Elsewhere at the time, the numerous pieces Florence Knoll created for Knoll’s office furniture line were envisioned as design solutions for the changing needs of residential and office spaces.
If you’re working remotely and streamlined seating isn’t your thing, don’t be afraid of making a statement with your office chair. Introduce a touch of drama to your video calls by way of 19th-century desk accessories and the alluring forms we typically associate with antique desk chairs designed in the Empire and Regency styles. For a minimalist touch, a spare, utilitarian Industrial-style office chair can work in any space but will fit in particularly well amid the exposed brick and steel architecture that characterizes a loft apartment.
An inspiring home office cleverly mixes materials and styles to create a welcoming place of productivity and comfort, and if you’re gathering with colleagues at your company HQ, an array of wood, leather and metal office chairs can help integrate disparate textures in a conference room or any other collaborative space. On 1stDibs, explore a diverse collection of office and desk chairs today.
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