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Modern Side 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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 chaircrafted 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: 1940s
1940s Jens Risom For Knoll Associates 666 WSP Dining Chair with Webbing in Maple
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is an original Jens Risom for Knoll Associates 666 WSP dining chair, circa 1940s. The chair is in gorgeous original condition with some patina and wear shown to the s...
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Maple

1947 Pair of George Nakashima for Knoll N19 Straight Chairs in Natural Birch
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a gorgeous pair of early George Nakashima for Knoll N19 birch straight chairs, produced by Knoll Associates. This chair appears to be natural birch. It shows some ...
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Birch

American Designer, Side Chair, Wood, USA, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A wood side chair designed and produced in the US, c. 1940s. 15” seat height
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Wood

American Designer, Side Chairs, Wood, USA, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of stained wood side chairs designed and produced in the US, c. 1940s. 16” seat height
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Wood

American Designer, Side Chairs, Wood, USA, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of stained wood side chairs designed and produced in the US, c. 1940s. 16” seat height
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Wood

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Art Deco Cloud Tables Attributed to Gilbert Rohde
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous pair of Mid-Century Modern sculptural "Cloud" form tables in the style of Gilbert Rohde. Tapered and reeded legs in a dark stained walnut with an organic cloud form glass to...
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Brass

Curved Back Chair from SS United States
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A rare curved back occasional chair from the famed ocean liner SS United States. Retaining original patent blue leather, aluminum legs covered in leat...
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Rare Chair from the Cabinet of the Deutscher Bundestag, circa 1949
Located in London, GB
Believed to be one of only three chairs remaining that were designed for the cabinet of Deutscher Bundestag the first democratic Germany, circa 1949. Design elegance and exceptional ...
Category

1940s German Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak

Pair of Italian Blond Mahogany Side Chairs
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Italian 1940 blond mahogany side chairs with muslin upholstered seat and back (design F. LIETTI)
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Mahogany, Muslin

Set of 6 Italian Muslin Ebonized Side Chairs
Located in New York, NY
Set of 6 Italian 1940s ebonized side chairs with brass trim sabot on feet and muslin upholstered seat and back. (design att: VITTORIO DASSI)
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Wood, Muslin

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Pair of 1980s Ettore Sottsass Mandarin Side Chairs for Knoll
Located in Lafayette, IN
This awesome pair of of Manadarin side chairs is were designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll, chairs feature curvaceous tubular steel arms finished in gloss black, matte-black straigh...
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1980s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

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George Nakashima Straight Chair for Knoll
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Designed by master craftsman George Nakashima for Knoll in 1946, the N19 chair was intended as a mass-produced counterpoint to the Nakashima Studio’s popular “Straight Chair...
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Mid-20th Century American Modern Side Chairs

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Art Deco Tables Gilbert Rohde Brown Saltman
Located in Rochester, NY
Matching pair of American Art Deco side tables designed by Gilbert Rohde for Brown Saltman in the original factory finished surface. Circa...
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1930s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Wood

Jens Risom C275 Side Chair in Oak
Located in Saffron Walden, GB
The C275 side chair was designed in 1957 and first appeared in the Jens Risom Design ‘Contemporary Furniture Catalog Supplement’ of that year. The piece is offered with an oak frame, a laminated oak back and a choice of upholstery options. In 2010, English furniture maker benchmark, in collaboration with Jens Risom and Rocket, secured the European rights to reissue Risom’s 1950s and 1960s furniture...
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21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Oak

Jens Risom C275 Side Chair in Oak
Jens Risom C275 Side Chair in Oak
H 31.11 in W 18.9 in D 20.87 in
Massimo Vignelli for Knoll Intl 'Handkerchief' Chairs, Signed, Set of Twelve
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This classic Post-Modern design by Massimo and Lella Vignelli for Knoll International is called the 'Handkerchief' stacking chair, labelled underneath with early production (original...
Category

1990s American Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Steel

George Nakashima Model 206 Side Chair for Widdicomb
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare model 206 dining / desk side chair designed by George Nakashima for Widdicomb. A matching set of four available separately.
Category

1950s Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Vintage 1940s George Nelson Side Chair for Herman Miller Model 4671
Located in San Francisco, CA
Offered here is a vintage George Nelson side chair For Herman Miller it's a Model 4671, first designed in 1948.
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Metal

Pair Jens Risom Armless Lounge Chairs. Maple with Red Webbing. Signed.
Located in Kansas City, MO
Pair of Jens Risom lounge chairs from his original 1941 design collection for Knoll. These are more recent production, signed with the Knoll Studio medallion. These have been used ...
Category

2010s American Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Nylon, Maple

Fine Quality Pair of French Louis XVI Carved Side Chairs, Circa 1940s
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
For customers that require professional insured delivery we are proud to have teamed up with a nationwide professional delivery company that will assist with coordinating your delive...
Category

1940s French Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Early Jens Risom Knoll Associates Armless Settee
Located in Southampton, NJ
Classic early Knoll Associates sofa designed by Jens Risom in the early 1940s. Solid birch base with sleek angled and tapering legs support a comfortable cantilevered seat with origi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Birch, Upholstery

Mid-Century French Louis XVI Nesting Tables Attributed to Maison Baguès
Located in Forney, TX
A magnificent set of three French mid 20th century gilded brass marble top nesting tables attributed to Maison Baguès for Parisian design firm Maison Jansen. Finished in luxurious Louis XVI taste, each table graduated in size, having a striking dramatically white veined verde green marble oval shaped top, resting on a triangular shaped patinated gilt metal frame in brilliant bronze dore style finish, adorned in foliate relief trim to apron, floral medallions above tripartite stretcher-joined fluted legs, terminating on tapered feet. Dimensions: (approx) Largest: 17.25"H, 24.25"W, 14"D Since its establishment, circa 1860, Maison Baguès has been an emblem of French elegance and sophistication in luxury interior design, originally the finest lighting, expanding into the finest quality furniture and decorative accessories. Each piece the firm makes is hand-assembled using traditional techniques in order to emphasize the elegant excellence of their detailed artisanal work. Still the epitome of savoir-faire, Maison Baguès’ luxurious pieces are prized for their craftsmanship, beauty and harmony. The master metalsmith Noël Baguès founded the company as specialists in liturgical bronzes, but by 1880 the company had expanded into the production of bronze light fixtures in response to the development of electrical lighting. Carried on by Noël’s son Eugène and grandsons Victor and Robert, Maison Baguès continued to progress, adding intricately detailed iron lighting collections in the 1920s as well as stair banisters, gates and accessory tables. Baguès began selling internationally in the interwar period, expanding the company’s operation to New York, Rome and Cairo. Noted for their high-end handcrafted work, such as complex carved sconces and hand-strung crystal chandeliers, Maison Baguès appealed to an elite clientele. While Baguès’ Art Deco crystal lighting fixtures drew the most attention, the company was also known for bespoke metalwork that drew commissions from important interior designers and decorating firms such as Maison Jansen and Raymond Subes. In 1928, eminent bourgeoisie décorateur Armand-Albert Rateau famously used a selection of Maison Baguès accessories to furnish the townhouse interiors of haute couturist Jeanne Lanvin. Beyond Rateau, the atelier was commissioned by many chic interiors icons like Raymond Subes and the legendary decorating firm Maison Jansen. International decoration offices such as Alberto Pinto, Pierre Yves Rochon...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Marble, Brass, Bronze

Jens Risom Original Pair of Side Chairs for Walter Knoll, Circa 1940's
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of early Knoll side chairs by designer Jens Risom. Circa 1940's. In original condition, with wear shown throughout and near the bottom of the legs. The chairs have been lightl...
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Nylon, Birch

Previously Available Items
1940s French Wooden Armchairs with Upholstered Seat, a Pair
Located in High Point, NC
These wooden armchairs were made in France, circa 1940. A Modernist influenced design with slender, curving frame supports a cushioned seat, reupholstered in a natural white cotton-l...
Category

1940s French Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Upholstery, Oak

Paul Laszlo Side Chair
Located in New York, NY
Paul Laszlo custom side chair. Single side chair with curved back and dowel details. Black-painted wood and upholstered seat.
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Paul Laszlo Side Chair
Paul Laszlo Side Chair
H 32.5 in W 20.5 in D 18 in
Paolo Buffa Set of Four Handcrafted Dining / Game Chairs, circa 1940
Located in New York, NY
Set of four elegant handcrafted dining/game chairs with upholstered seats and backs, sculpted wood frames, and brass sabots by Paolo Buffa, Italy, circa 1940. These are beautiful cha...
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Brass

Modern Porter's Chair in the Style of Baker Furniture in Safari Animal Print
Located in Houston, TX
Gorgeous and unique porter's chair in the style of Baker or Dunbar and freshly upholstered in a fun safari animal print by Andrew Martin. Super comfortable and stylish.
Category

1940s Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Fabric

French Modern Blue Velvet Bleached Set of Six Dining Chairs, 1940s
Located in Houston, TX
Wonderful set of fully restored 1940s French modern dining chairs. Frames were walnut, but they have been bleached to a lighter shade. All s...
Category

1940s French Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Velvet, Walnut

Pair of Leather and Wood Side Chairs, circa 1940
Located in Culver City, CA
Pair of leather and wood side chairs, circa 1940. Original cognac leather, brass-buttoned to beautiful hard wood solid frames.
Category

1940s English Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Exceptional Wrought Iron and Sheepskin Side Chair by Gilbert Poillerat
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Exceptional Wrought iron and sheepskin side chair by Gilbert Poillerat. Provenance: Parisian apartment of Gilbert Poillerat.
Category

1940s French Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Wrought Iron

Charlotte Perriand Side Chair
Located in London, GB
A strong and beautiful side chair by Charlotte Perriand. Taking inspiration from classic french framer furniture and seating this wonderful piece is executed perfectly. With an amazi...
Category

1940s French Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Oak, Rush

Charlotte Perriand Side Chair
Charlotte Perriand Side Chair
H 29.93 in W 16.15 in D 17.33 in
William Hinn "Hinn" Chair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Graceful lyrical chair of solid mahagony with original leather cushion, canned back rest and raffeta wrapped arms. Chair has an incredible presents and is beautifully made. Appears...
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1940s Mexican Vintage Modern Side Chairs

William Hinn "Hinn" Chair
William Hinn "Hinn" Chair
H 28.5 in W 28.5 in D 28.5 in

Modern side chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern side 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 side chairs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, tables, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern side chairs made in a specific country, there are Europe, North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original side chairs, popular names associated with this style include Emeco, Jasper Morrison, Philippe Starck, and Sir Norman Foster. 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 side chairs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $65 and tops out at $90,000 while the average work can sell for $2,120.

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