Wingback Chairs
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Wingback Chairs
Upholstery
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Wingback Chairs
Upholstery
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Wool, Teak
1980s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Steel
Late 20th Century Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Wingback Chairs
Leather
1940s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Wingback Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century English Chesterfield Wingback Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Wool, Oak
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Wood, Faux Leather
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Wool, Oak
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Leather, Wood
1910s Scandinavian Louis Philippe Vintage Wingback Chairs
Velvet, Walnut
Early 2000s European Modern Wingback Chairs
Velvet
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Wingback Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1930s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Velvet, Beech
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Velvet, Oak
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century American Federal Wingback Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Velvet
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Velvet
1950s Polish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Cotton, Oak
1950s Polish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Cotton, Oak
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
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.