French Empire Armchair
Antique Early 19th Century European Empire Armchairs
Leather, Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Textile, Upholstery, Velvet, Wood, Mahogany
Late 20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Giltwood
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Wood
Vintage 1940s French Armchairs
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Chairs
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Hardwood, Wicker
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Antique 19th Century French First Empire Armchairs
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Upholstery
Vintage 1940s Armchairs
Wood, Fabric
20th Century American Empire Armchairs
Upholstery
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Leather, Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Wood
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Ormolu
Vintage 1960s French Egyptian Revival Armchairs
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Muslin, Upholstery, Wood, Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Empire Revival Armchairs
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Velvet, Upholstery
Early 20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Ormolu
Early 20th Century Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Armchairs
Iron, Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany, Satinwood
Vintage 1930s Armchairs
Giltwood
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Armchairs
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Silk
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Giltwood
Late 20th Century Empire Armchairs
Cherry, Leather
Antique 1870s French Empire Revival Armchairs
Brass
Antique Early 1800s French Directoire Armchairs
Brass
Vintage 1910s Armchairs
Wood
1990s American Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique 1870s French Empire Armchairs
Leather, Mahogany
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Armchairs
Giltwood
Antique 1880s French Empire Armchairs
Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Vintage 1940s French Empire Armchairs
Wrought Iron
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Giltwood
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Vintage 1970s Louis XVI Armchairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery
20th Century Armchairs
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
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French Empire Armchair For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a French Empire 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 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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