Wingback Chairs
1950s English Chippendale Vintage Wingback Chairs
Upholstery, Down
1990s American Post-Modern Wingback Chairs
Bouclé, Upholstery
1960s British Vintage Wingback Chairs
Steel, Brass
Mid-20th Century British Wingback Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Wool, Walnut
1960s American Queen Anne Vintage Wingback Chairs
Damask, Maple
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Velvet, Beech
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Beech
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Metal
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Wingback Chairs
Nickel
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Leather, Teak, Canvas
1980s Chippendale Vintage Wingback Chairs
Velvet, Cotton, Mahogany, Down
1970s Vintage Wingback Chairs
Leather, Sheepskin
Late 20th Century American Chippendale Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Wingback Chairs
Hardwood, Naugahyde
Early 20th Century French Rococo Wingback Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Revival Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s Bohemian Vintage Wingback Chairs
Wicker
1940s Danish Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Sheepskin
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Teak
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Foam, Wood
1820s French Louis XV Antique Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Feathers, Linen, Wood
Mid-20th Century English Georgian Wingback Chairs
Mahogany
1960s American Vintage Wingback Chairs
Bamboo
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.