Following the Revolutionary War, the American republic referenced the Roman Republic in its designs to celebrate its independence and declare itself a powerful new country. Imbued with neoclassical elements like those being promoted by architect Robert Adam in Great Britain, antique Federal-style furniture was the first distinctly American style in its melding of ancient influences, European aesthetics and national pride.
Dating roughly from 1790 to 1830, the style featured angular furniture with saber legs and smooth surfaces that contrasted with the curvy Rococo style that was previously in fashion. Eagles were common ornamental motifs on Federal-period furniture, as were cornucopia, lyres, garlands and scrolls, adding subtle flair to pieces characterized by clean lines, geometric symmetry, balanced shapes and a sense of grandeur.
Instead of sculptural carvings, authentic Federal-style furniture was adorned with inlays and patterned veneers that showcased the rich character of different grains and types of wood. As social life tended to be informal in the young country, furniture was often lightweight, so it could be easily rearranged in a drawing room or bedroom. Pieces like dining tables with drop leaves and sideboards became popular, replacing larger chests of drawers.
The Federal style varied by region: Artisans in Charleston, South Carolina, decorated chairs with carved backs, for instance, while those in Baltimore, Maryland, preferred painted details. Its major proponents included father-and-son cabinetmakers John and Thomas Seymour in Boston, Duncan Phyfe and Charles-Honoré Lannuier in New York and Samuel McIntire in Salem, Massachusetts.
Find antique Federal tables, mirrors, storage cabinets and other Federal furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Duncan Phyfe Style Mahogany Striped Upholstered Chairs, a Pair
Located in Germantown, MD
A Pair Duncan Phyfe Style Mahogany chairs with striped Upholstery. Very good vintage condition. Chairs have been reupholstered down the road. Measure 17" in width, 20" in depth and ...
Upholstery, Mahogany
$1,850 / set
Pair Of Federal Mahogany Side Chairs
Located in Essex, MA
With arched backs with pierced splats with small carved rosettes. Drop in seats and raised on square tapered legs with H form stretchers.
Mahogany
Pair Federal Style Mahogany and Maple with Cane Seat Side Chairs
Located in Germantown, MD
A Pair Federal Style Mahogany back and Maple Frame with Cane Seat Side Chairs. Measures 18" in width, 18" in depth and 33" in height. Seat height is 17"
Mahogany, Maple
Vintage Hand Painted Hitchcock Rush Seat Chairs - Set of 2
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This exquisite pair of antique Hitchcock-style side chairs is a masterwork of 19th-century American craftsmanship. Featuring the iconic Federal silhouette, each chair is finished in ...
Gold Leaf
$9,000 / set
Set of 6 American Federal Hitchcock Side Chairs
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 6 American Federal Hitchcock style black painted side chairs with floral decoration on back.
$3,600 / set
Pair of American Federal Painted Side Chairs
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of American Federal faux bamboo painted side chairs with spindle back and rush seat with cushion
Faux Bamboo
Set of 4 American Federal Tiger Maple Side Chairs
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 4 American Country Federal style (19th Cent) tiger maple side chairs with a stretcher and rush seat
Maple
$3,600 / set
Pair of American Federal Painted Side Chairs
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of American Federal faux bamboo painted side chairs with spindle back and rush seat with cushion
Bamboo
$16,900 / set
H 33.47 in W 20.48 in D 25.6 in
Set of 8 Contemporary Dining Chairs Upholstered in Brick Velvet
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Timeless design in combination with handmade couture techniques. The dining chairs features curved wooden upholstered back for greater comfort. Offere...
Fabric, Wood
Set of Eames upholstered side chairs by Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Highland, IN
This set of side chairs by Charles and Ray Eames are post-war classics. The seats are elephant hide gray fiberglass with olive green naugahyde upholstery and they sit on cast aluminu...
Aluminum
$636Sale Price / set|28% Off
H 33.5 in W 19 in D 17 in
Vintage Italian Duncan Phyfe Style Dining Chairs, Set of 5
By Duncan Phyfe
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and handle all the shipping details. However, if you let us know what 1st Dibs is quoting you and give us your zip code, we can sometimes ship it for less and get it to you faster. For a shipping quote, click on "ASK THE SELLER" under the purchase button and provide your zip code. Offering One Of Our Recent Palm Beach Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A Set of 5 Vintage Italian Provincial...
Wood
$1,800
H 28.5 in W 22 in D 18 in
American Mahogany Shield Back Side Chair with Serpentine Seat, c. 1790
Located in Kenilworth, IL
American mahogany shield back side chair with over rail upholstered serpentine seat. The four vertical back rails are carved with water leaf at ...
Upholstery, Chestnut, Ebony, Mahogany, Pine
$1,353 / set
H 33.27 in W 18.71 in D 16.54 in
Pair of Quality Antique Regency Carved Mahogany Side Chairs
Located in Suffolk, GB
Pair of quality antique Regency carved mahogany side chairs having a quality shaped carved mahogany top rail and centre splat, newly reupho...
Mahogany
$1,200Sale Price / set|33% Off
H 37 in W 19 in D 18 in
Versatile Set of 4 Louis XVI Style Natural Wood and Upholstered Dining Chairs
Located in Hopewell, NJ
A set of 4 custom Louis XVI style carved wood dining chairs upholstered in lovely neutral ivory material with beige flecks.
Upholstery, Wood
$3,840Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 30 in W 17.25 in D 19.5 in
Set of Six Shelby Williams 'Gazelle' Sculptural Aluminum Side Chairs, 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant and sculptural, this rare set of six (6) Shelby Williams 'Gazelle' dining chairs captures the best of American Mid-Century Modern design with a distinctly architectural profi...
Aluminum
$1,612 / set
H 33.08 in W 18.12 in D 16.93 in
Pair of Antique Regency Carved Figured Mahogany Side Chairs
Located in Suffolk, GB
Pair of antique Regency carved figured mahogany side chairs having a quality figured mahogany carved top, carved mahogany splat to the centre, newly reupholstered drop in seats in a ...
Mahogany
Don Albinson Stacking Side Chairs by Knoll Set of 14
By Knoll, Don Albinson
Located in Highland, IN
Important industrial designer Don Albinson, a Cranbrook peer of Charles and Ray Eames, Ralph Rapson, Harry Bertoia and Eero Saarinen worked in the Eames office as head designer for 1...
Aluminum
Dining Chairs Set of 12 Walnut, 1 Carver and 11 Side Chairs
Located in Toronto, CA
Dining chairs walnut 1 arm and 11 side chairs 19th century styling made by Lionel Rawlinson pop off seats so upholstery can be easily changed. Solid sturdy chairs.
Walnut
6 Leather Upholstered Dining Chairs, France, 1940s
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Six exquisite French dining chairs from the 1940s era. High backs framed by the wood structure, which taper in very slightly at the top, with "moustache" shaped tops, a motif echoed ...
Wood
$4,600Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 32.5 in W 19 in D 18.5 in
Set of 4 Antique English Regency Dining Chairs in Mahogany w/ Upholstered Seat
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A fine set of four English Regency dining chairs in mahogany with carved bugles resting on back chair rail below the top slat which is line inlaid, with turned front legs and saber r...
Upholstery, Mahogany
Sold
H 38.5 in W 21 in D 23.5 in
Baker Furniture Federal Mahogany Shield Back Side Chairs or Dining Chairs, Pair
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous pair of Federal or Hepplewhite style shield back side chairs or dining chairs By Baker Furniture, "Historic Charleston" Collection USA, Late 20th Century Solid carved m...
Upholstery, Mahogany
Sold
H 33 in W 17 in D 17 in
Set of 6 Circa 1810 Federal Mahogany Side Chairs from Boston Massachusetts
Located in Chicago, IL
Crafted during the Federal period, this set of side chairs exemplifies practicality and elegance. Federal period furniture was influenced by t...
Upholstery, Mahogany
Sold
H 34.88 in W 18.5 in D 18 in
Pair of Lewis Barnes Hand Painted Cane Seat Fancy Chairs, Portsmouth NH c 1820
Located in Milford, NH
A nice pair of hand painted golden yellow cane seat fancy chairs, branded “L. Barnes” on the underside, circa 1820. Paint decorated in a musical motif crest , the shaped back splat f...
Wood
Sold
H 39 in W 25.5 in D 22 in
Vintage Theodore Alexander Sheraton Style Mahogany Brown Leather Side Desk Chair
Located in Dayton, OH
An exquisite late 20th century side chair by Theodore Alexander. Designed in the manner of Sheraton / Federal styling with a sculptural back and large seat over square tapered legs ...
Leather, Mahogany
Pair of 2 Hitchcock Black Federal Side Chairs, Rush Seats.
By Hitchcock
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Pair of 2 Hitchcock Black Federal Side Chairs, Rush Seats. These vintage Hitchcock chairs are black lacquer painted and embellished with ochr...
Rush, Wood
Antique Curly Mahogany Federal Cane Seat Dining Side Chair Scrolled Back
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Federal side chair. Made from mahogany with curly mahogany back splat. Features a scrolled form with turned crest rail and cane seat. Front turned legs are connected to th...
Cane, Mahogany
Sold
H 36 in W 18 in D 19 in
Early 20th C. Set of Four Federal Style Satinwood Inlaid Mahogany Side Chairs
Located in Germantown, MD
Early 20th Century Set of Four Federal Style Satinwood Inlaid Mahogany upholstered seat Side Chairs. Chairs appear to have been refinished down the road. Measure 18" in width, 19" in...
Mahogany, Satinwood
Sold
H 33.5 in W 19.5 in D 18.75 in
2 Vintage S. Bent & Bros Colonial Windsor Thumb Back Black Maple Side Chairs
Located in Dayton, OH
2 S. Bent & Bros Hitchcock style colonial windsor thumb back side chairs. Made from maple with a black finish, stenciled back and gold trim. S. Bent & Brot...
Maple, Paint
Sold
H 36.25 in W 18.5 in D 21 in
Pair of Academic Revival Federal Mahogany Heart Back Side Chairs, 1900-25
Located in Kenilworth, IL
Pair of Academic Revival heart back mahogany side chairs with half rail upholstered boxed seats in indigo fabric with brass nail head tacks. The front le...
Brass
Set of Six Comb-Back Windsor Side Chairs, circa 1840
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique set of six comb-back windsor side chairs, circa 1840, having comb crest rails above bamboo-turned spindles, over a carved plank seat, raised on bamboo-turned legs braced by d...
Wood
Sold
H 32.5 in W 17.25 in D 17.5 in
Pair of American Federal Mahogany Upholstered Side Chairs on Saber Legs, C. 1820
Located in Charleston, SC
Pair of American Federal mahogany side chairs with carved splat backs, removable upholstered white muslin seats, and terminating on the or...
Muslin, Upholstery, Mahogany
Set of 12 American Federal Gilt Eagle Side Chairs
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 12 American Federal style (20th Cent) ebonized side chairs with fluted sides and a gilt carved eagle back with an upholstered seat.
Upholstery, Wood