Empire Style Armchair
Vintage 1950s American Slipper Chairs
Velvet, Walnut
Antique 19th Century English Armchairs
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Mahogany
Vintage 1950s Unknown Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Mahogany, Giltwood
Antique Early 1900s French Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Empire Armchairs
Wood
20th Century European Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Late 20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Giltwood
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Walnut
Vintage 1950s French Armchairs
Wood, Fabric
Vintage 1910s Swedish Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Armchairs
Antique Early 1800s Empire Armchairs
Mahogany, Giltwood
Vintage 1960s American Armchairs
Cane
Vintage 1960s American Armchairs
Leather
Antique 19th Century Armchairs
Early 20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Ormolu
Antique Early 19th Century European Empire Armchairs
Wood
Vintage 1940s French Armchairs
Vintage 1940s Armchairs
Fabric
20th Century Unknown Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Giltwood, Burl
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Beech, Upholstery
20th Century American Armchairs
Wood
Vintage 1940s Dutch Empire Armchairs
Velvet, Wood
Antique 1870s French Empire Armchairs
Leather, Mahogany
Antique Early 1900s French Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Antique 19th Century Danish Empire Armchairs
Wood
20th Century Unknown Armchairs
Wood, Upholstery
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Textile, Upholstery, Velvet, Wood, Mahogany
Vintage 1940s Armchairs
Wood, Fabric
20th Century American Armchairs
Metal
Late 20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Giltwood
Late 20th Century Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Mahogany
Vintage 1940s American Armchairs
Wood, Leather
Mid-20th Century American Empire Armchairs
Leather, Fruitwood
20th Century American Armchairs
Iron, Brass
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Upholstery
Vintage 1950s American Armchairs
Walnut, Leather
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
20th Century Armchairs
Late 20th Century Empire Armchairs
Cherry, Leather
Vintage 1940s American Empire Revival Armchairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Danish Empire Armchairs
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Fruitwood, Paint, Silk
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Velvet, Upholstery
1990s American Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century Swedish Armchairs
Early 20th Century French Armchairs
Iron, Brass
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Brass
Early 2000s European Empire Armchairs
Birch
Antique 1880s Swedish Empire Armchairs
Linen, Wood, Birch
Antique 19th Century Swedish Empire Armchairs
Beech
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Bronze
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Empire Style Armchair For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Empire Style Armchair?
Finding the Right Armchairs for You
Armchairs have run the gamut from prestige to ease and everything in between, and everyone has an antique or vintage armchair that they love.
Long before industrial mass production democratized seating, armchairs conveyed status and power.
In ancient Egypt, the commoners took stools, while in early Greece, ceremonial chairs of carved marble were designated for nobility. But the high-backed early thrones of yore, elevated and ornate, were merely grandiose iterations of today’s armchairs.
Modern-day armchairs, built with functionality and comfort in mind, are now central to tasks throughout your home. Formal dining armchairs support your guests at a table for a cheery feast, a good drafting chair with a deep seat is parked in front of an easel where you create art and, elsewhere, an ergonomic wonder of sorts positions you at the desk for your 9 to 5.
When placed under just the right lamp where you can lounge comfortably, both elbows resting on the padded supports on each side of you, an upholstered armchair — or a rattan armchair for your light-suffused sunroom — can be the sanctuary where you’ll read for hours.
If you’re in the mood for company, your velvet chesterfield armchair is a place to relax and be part of the conversation that swirls around you. Maybe the dialogue is about the beloved Papa Bear chair, a mid-century modern masterpiece from Danish carpenter and furniture maker Hans Wegner, and the wingback’s strong association with the concept of cozying up by the fireplace, which we can trace back to its origins in 1600s-era England, when the seat’s distinctive arm protrusions protected the sitter from the heat of the period’s large fireplaces.
If the fireside armchair chat involves spirited comparisons, your companions will likely probe the merits of antique and vintage armchairs such as Queen Anne armchairs, Victorian armchairs or even Louis XVI armchairs, as well as the pros and cons of restoration versus conservation.
Everyone seems to have a favorite armchair and most people will be all too willing to talk about their beloved design. Whether that’s the unique Favela chair by Brazilian sibling furniture designers Fernando and Humberto Campana, who repurposed everyday objects to provocative effect; or Marcel Breuer’s futuristic tubular metal Wassily lounge chair; the functionality-first LC series from Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret; or the Eames lounge chair of the mid-1950s created by Charles and Ray Eames, there is an iconic armchair for everyone and every purpose. Find yours on 1stDibs right now.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 7, 2024The difference between the Biedermeier and Empire styles lies largely in the characteristics most commonly associated with them. Although these two furniture styles both emerged around 1815 and persisted into the 1840s, pieces associated with them have differing features. Developed in France, the Empire style emphasized ornamentation and grandeur, with furniture makers often drawing inspiration from ancient Roman forms. Dark woods were the most commonly used materials of the style. In Germany and other parts of Central Europe, artisans working in the Biedermeier style favored simplicity. They also tended to source woods locally and chose light finishes for their pieces. Explore a selection of Biedermeier and Empire furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The Classical world is primarily what influenced French Empire furniture. Greek and Roman motifs appear on many pieces. In addition, the opulence of Egyptian furniture inspired furniture makers active during the period. On 1stDibs, shop a range of French Empire furniture.
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