Wingback Chairs
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Wingback Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Oak, Upholstery
1990s English Modern Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Wool, Walnut
Late 20th Century Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Wingback Chairs
Leather
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Leather
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Leather, Teak, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Upholstery, Hardwood
1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Wool, Oak
1970s Vintage Wingback Chairs
Leather, Sheepskin
1970s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Bouclé, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Velvet
Mid-20th Century North American Wingback Chairs
Leather
1950s American Chesterfield Vintage Wingback Chairs
Walnut
Late 20th Century Dutch Wingback Chairs
Leather, Sheepskin
Early 20th Century Danish Wingback Chairs
Leather
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Metal
1940s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Velvet
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Wingback Chairs
Wool
20th Century English Wingback Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Brass
Early 20th Century British Wingback Chairs
Velvet
18th Century British Chippendale Antique Wingback Chairs
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.