Lusty Chair
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Wire
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Club Chairs
Cotton, Wood
Recent Sales
Vintage 1930s English Art Deco Chairs
Wicker
Vintage 1920s English Slipper Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1930s English Chairs
Muslin, Wood, Elm
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Vintage 1980s Canadian Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
Velvet
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Stools
Wool, Oak
2010s Italian Modern Credenzas
Marble, Gold, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Ceramic
2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
Silk
Vintage 1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Fabric, Teak
Antique Mid-19th Century French Rococo Chairs
Upholstery, Wood, Giltwood
2010s Belgian Modern Club Chairs
Linen
2010s Mexican Modern Lounge Chairs
Wicker, Hardwood
Vintage 1970s French Art Deco Benches
Steel
2010s Italian Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
2010s South African Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Feathers, Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Spanish Country Patio and Garden Furniture
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Brass
Finding the Right Chairs for You
Chairs are an indispensable component of your home and office. Can you imagine your life without the vintage, new or antique chairs you love?
With the exception of rocking chairs, the majority of the seating in our homes today — Windsor chairs, chaise longues, wingback chairs — originated in either England or France. Art Nouveau chairs, the style of which also originated in those regions, embraced the inherent magnificence of the natural world with decorative flourishes and refined designs that blended both curved and geometric contour lines. While craftsmanship and styles have evolved in the past century, chairs have had a singular significance in our lives, no matter what your favorite chair looks like.
“The chair is the piece of furniture that is closest to human beings,” said Hans Wegner. The revered Danish cabinetmaker and furniture designer was prolific, having designed nearly 500 chairs over the course of his lifetime. His beloved designs include the Wishbone chair, the wingback Papa Bear chair and many more.
Other designers of Scandinavian modernist chairs introduced new dynamics to this staple with sculptural flowing lines, curvaceous shapes and efficient functionality. The Paimio armchair, Swan chair and Panton chair are vintage works of Finnish and Danish seating that left an indelible mark on the history of good furniture design.
“What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts,” said Ray Eames.
Visionary polymaths Ray and Charles Eames experimented with bent plywood and fiberglass with the goal of producing affordable furniture for a mass market. Like other celebrated mid-century modern furniture designers of elegant low-profile furnishings — among them Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Finn Juhl — the Eameses considered ergonomic support, durability and cost, all of which should be top of mind when shopping for the perfect chair. The mid-century years yielded many popular chairs.
The Eameses introduced numerous icons for manufacturer Herman Miller, such as the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, molded plywood dining chairs the DCM and DCW (which can be artfully mismatched around your dining table) and a wealth of other treasured pieces for the home and office.
A good chair anchors us to a place and can become an object of timeless appeal. Take a seat and browse the rich variety of vintage, new and antique chairs on 1stDibs today.
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