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.
$1,516Sale Price|20% Off
Early 20thc Pair of Ladder Back Charis with Rattan Seats
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of hand made ladder back chairs with rattan seats. The finial tops add a wonderful look to the entire design. The rattan seats are wonderful to sit on as the contour to the pers...
Wood
Pair of Old Hickory Leather Covered Chairs
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Old Hickory chairs covered in leather both seats and backings.The chairs have a great fine patina. The pair of chairs are heavy and sturdy.The leather is a top quality Italian leather.
Leather, Wood
$1,916Sale Price / set|20% Off
20Thc Maple Bar Stools W/ Suede Seats -Set of Three
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of three maple stools in mid century design with custom upholstered in suede leather seats.These stools are in very good condition and sturdy.
Wood
18Thc New England Rocking Chair W/ Original Rush Seat
Located in Los Angeles, CA
18Thc Spindle back early & worn New England rocking chair has such wonderful patina.This rocking chair was found in a estate from Maine and i...
Rattan, Wood
$716Sale Price|20% Off
19Thc Child's Ladder Back Chair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Ladder Back child's chair with suede / leather seat cushion.The condition is very good.
Leather, Wood
Late 18Thc Child's Windsor Chair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
18Thc Hand crafted Child's Windsor chair with original red painted surface.This bow back Windsor is from New England in very good condition.This chair came from a fifty year old coll...
Paint
$1,036Sale Price|20% Off
Early Original Paint Decorated 19th Century Hitchcock Armchair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 19th century original painted Hitchcock armchair with a decorated inside back. The condition is very good and sturdy. The back ground has a wo...
Wood
Early 20thc Original Painted Bar Stools W/ Suede Seats
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 20thc original painted with suede leather seats. Newly upholstered seats.These look like the wild west.
Leather, Wood
Early 20thc Walnut Foot Stool
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 20thc foot stool from Pennsylvania in pristine condition. hand woven seat top is in fins sturdy condition.
Wood
$4,600Sale Price|20% Off
Antler Throne Chair in the Style of Arthur Court.
Located in Chicago, IL
Authentic antler chair. The same form as the cast and patinated enamel aluminum antler chair by Arthur Court. The last three photos are of an Arthur Court Aluminum Antler chair that ...
Brass
A Nice Vintage Adirondack Bentwood Armchair With A Tortoise Finish
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A Nice Vintage Adirondack Armchair With A Tortoise Finish In good condition
Bentwood
$1,320Sale Price|20% Off
Pair of Rittenhouse Side Chairs
Located in Los Angeles, CA
These very hard to find side chairs are in good condition and maintain the original hand woven rawhide webbing and are very sturdy.Sold as a pair of matching side chairs.Rittenhouse ...
Wood
$1,895 / set
Hickory Child's Set W/ Leather Seats -3 Pcs.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of Three Hickory Children's Chairs W Suede / Leather Seats and Backing. Rocking chair measures - 21 x 21 x 25 Pair of chairs measure - 20 x 21 x 25 Each chair/Rocker may be sol...
Leather, Hickory
$1,356Sale Price|20% Off
Collection of Four Original Painted Bar Stools
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Amazing and sturdy bar stools in old original painted surface with a natural surface tops. Sold as a collection of four stools,One pair is slightly different from the other pair.Grea...
Wood, Pine
19th Century Plank Wood Bench
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th century Ranch House or farm house plank seat bench found on a porch in Texas.This bench is thick and very sturdy.
Wood
$1,160Sale Price|20% Off
Early 20thc Wooden Bar Stool
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 20thc wooden hand made bar stool in very good condition. wooden peg construction. Very strong and sturdy. great patina to the normal wear areas.
Wood
Amish Children's Rocking Chairs From Lancaster, Pa.-3
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Amish hand made children's rocking chairs in fine condition. These rocking chairs are marked Amish 1988 from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. These children's rocking chairs are all in great condition and very sturdy. Sold as a collection of three. Largest rocker measures - 18w x 27d x 32h seat height 12. medium rocker measures - 13.5w x 18d x 22h x seat height 9 small rocker...
Wood
Early 20th Century Plank Seat Bar Stool
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 20th century large plank seat bar stool. Natural wood color and in great condition. stool is made from a very strong and sturdy oak wood.
Wood
19thc Carved Stool With Suede Top
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful hand carved 19thc foot stool with suede top. Very beautiful design to the legs and the sides. Great size and very strong and sturdy.
Leather, Wood
19th Century Original Red Painted Child's Chair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fantastic undisturbed original red painted children's ladder back chair. The seat is a hand woven original seat.
Pine
Child's Bent Wood /Twig Wood Chair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 20thc hand made folky twig Child's chair with leather seat.This chair is in very sturdy condition.The trim of the twigs are painted original orange paint.This is a very strong...
Bentwood
19Thc Original Red Painted Rounded Bench
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Original red painted rounded farm bench from Pennsylvania. The condition is very good and has amazing cut outs.
Wood
$780Sale Price|20% Off
20Thc Plank Seat Original Painted Stool
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fine splay leg original black painted industrial stool swivels and rotates all the way around. It is heavy and solid oak wood underneath the painted surface. Probably from an ol...
Wood
Painted Taupe Bar Stools -Pair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
20Thc Painted bar stools with natural pine seats.Great condition.
Wood
19thc Early Round Stool with Suede Seat
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 19thc round foot stool with suede / leather top was found in New England. This early stool has early original turned legs and very sturdy.
Leather, Wood
Pair of Barstools with Sage Green Leather Seats
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of barstools with sage green leather seats.
Leather, Wood
Early 19thc Flame Stitch Hand Made Stool
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fantastic hand carved foot stool is dated 1842 and is made in New Hampshire.The condition is pristine.The flame stitch wool fabric was n...
Wool, Wood
Early 20Thc French Small Chairs in Linen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early 20Thc French small chairs covered in fine plaid linen.The finish is original white washed painted surface.The chairs are very sturdy and strong.Great...
Pine
19th Century Weavers Stool in Natural Surface
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fine antique weavers stool is in fine sturdy condition. It was found in New England.
Wood
19thC Original Green Painted Stool with Woven Seat
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19Thc Original green painted foot stool with hand woven hemp seat. The seat is amazing and in very sturdy condition.
Rattan, Wood
Early 20th Century Leather Covered Stool
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early dovetailed walnut stool is covered in leather and in very good, sturdy condition. Was found in New England.
Wood, Leather
19th Century High Chair with Lift Top Seat
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th century lift top high chair for children with beautiful cane lift top seat.
Wood
Mid-Century Modern "Acacia" Lounge Chair in Resin by Zachary A. Design
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous Cast Resin, Stobe aggregate and fiberglass. Carved Adirondack style stump chair in White. Cast from an actual tree stump. Fantastic looking and will definitely make you thin...
Stone
$7,050 / set
Carved Shield Back Chairs, Set of 10
Located in Annville, PA
This Set of 10 Carved Shield Back Chairs are slightly larger and heavier than some of our other shield back chairs. The chairs in this set are as pr...
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 20th Century W.F. Tubbs Sno-Shu Reclining Chair and Detachable Foot Stool
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
W.F. Tubbs of Norway, ME (1906-1939) "Sno-Shu" armchair with 3-stage adjustable back, with accompanying footstool which attaches between the front legs of the chair converting it to ...
Leather, Bentwood
1970s Pair of Faux Antler Aluminum Stools attributed to Arthur Court
Located in Lancaster, PA
This is a pair of faux antler stools in white powder-coated aluminum, attributed to American designer Arthur Court. The stools date to the 1970s. The antlers are extremely realisti...
Aluminum
Rustic Country House Bench
Located in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
Created solely out of teak branches these are fabulous and totally unique country house style garden seats of grand proportions. Please note we are currently working to a 30-36 week...
Teak
Adirondack Porch Bench and Side Table
Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Vintage one of a kind Adirondack porch bench and side table. Hand crafted of lodge pole. Made and used in the Adirondacks and moved to a Colorado mountain home. Both sculptural and i...
Wood
$1,420Sale Price|20% Off
19thc Original Paint Decorated Windsor Arm Chair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fine 19thc New England original paint decorated Windsor arm chair in fine as found condition.The back splash has fruit painted in it.
Wood
1940s Old Hickory Chaise Lounge in Hickory & Cane, Adirondack Style
By Old Hickory Furniture Company
Located in Stamford, CT
Designer and Manufacturer of this chaise lounge (1930s-1940s): Old Hickory Furniture Company of Martinsville, Indiana. The chaise lounge's structure is created with slender hickory t...
Hickory, Cane
19th Century Firehouse Windsor Armchairs
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This pair of natural surface Firehouse Windsor chairs are in good sturdy condition. They are the look of the 18th century Windsor chair rail chairs from New England.
Wood
Pair Of Hand Made Oak Wood Bar Stools, Gray painted Base
Located in Los Angeles, CA
20thc Original gray over white painted bar stools with plank seat. Mid century plank seat bar stools with turned legs, hand crafted. Seat Diameter 12 inches .
Wood
19thc Suede Top Drum Ottoman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fantastic Glendale High School Drum was made into a ottoman with a suede top cushion and feet added to the base. The condition is very good and super sturdy.
Pine
Quality Set Of Six Adirondack Style Tree Limb Stools
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A Set of Six Rey well made hardwood backed Stools in the Adirondack Style. With good weight and solid feeling comfort, the stools are assembled of tree limbs with the bark left on. ...
Hardwood
Rattan Settee with Schumacher Fabric Cushions, 1920s
Located in Stamford, CT
1920s Adirondack stylish rattan loveseat. Cushions fabricated in a Schumacher fabric.
Rattan
Early Folk Art Splayed Three Leg Milking Stool with Array of Colors
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Sculptural 3 legged milking stool with multiple layers of paint. Rectangular top with a hand hole cut thru the center and supported by 3 turned legs. Their is a marking with letters ...
Hardwood, Paint
1970s Outsider Artist Country Solid Slab Bench with Marquetry Barn Scene
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Experience the beauty and craftsmanship of this 1970s Outside Artist Country Solid Slab Bench. Handcrafted and featuring a stunning marquetry barn scene, th...
Wood