New in Wingback Chairs
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern New in Wingback Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern New in Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern New in Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern New in Wingback Chairs
Walnut
Mid-20th Century British New in Wingback Chairs
Leather
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage New in Wingback Chairs
Metal
Early 20th Century British New in Wingback Chairs
Wood
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage New in Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage New in Wingback Chairs
Brass
20th Century English Art Deco New in Wingback Chairs
Velvet, Beech
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage New in Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage New in Wingback Chairs
Hide, Sheepskin, Walnut
Late 18th Century American Antique New in Wingback Chairs
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern New in Wingback Chairs
Nickel
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage New in Wingback Chairs
Bouclé, Wood, Beech
1990s Chippendale New in Wingback Chairs
Cotton
Antique, New and Vintage Wingback Chairs
They may not offer structural support, but the wings on antique and vintage wingback chairs certainly do have a purpose or did, when the design was first conceived in England in the 1600s.
Back then, the armchair protrusions were meant to protect the sitter from drafts and from the strong heat radiating from the large fireplaces that were popular at the time. This explains why the wingback is so strongly associated with cozying up by the fireplace.
Although the functional aspect of a wingback may be obsolete in the 21st century, the chairs have maintained their popularity over the years and have seen waves of revivals, from mid-century modern spinoffs to playful contemporary adaptations (like the Bear chair by Pierre Yovanovitch, wherein the place of wings are furry ears — a cheeky send-up of Hans Wegner’s iconic mid-century Papa Bear chair).
Shop the most innovative versions of wingback chairs today on 1stDibs.
Read More
Arne Jacobsen’s Egg Chair Scrambled the Idea of What a Wingback Could Be
The curvaceous Egg was designed to cradle the body and offer privacy. Later, it became the seat of choice for bosses in movies, too.
23 Ways to Rethink the Classic Wingback Chair
We take a fresh look at a more than 300-year-old fixture in furniture design.