Pair of Italian Crab-Form Grotto Chairs, Attributed to Pauly et Cie, Venice
By Pauly et Cie
Located in London, GB
The trend originated with the European nobility of the 18th and 19th centuries, who designed and built whole rooms as shell-encrusted pavilions, to resemble grottos. These chairs ar...
Velvet, Wood
Ch. 1102 Crab Chair by Peter Hedstrom
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by Eames molded plywood chair. This unique crab chair uses laminated bleach ashwood from Maine.
Bentwood
Crab Leg Lounge Chairs
Located in San Francisco, CA
Pair of american crab leg lounge chairs. Frames refinished in black lacquer and re-upholstered in a charcoal wool blend.
Wood
Set of Two Crab Chairs by Peter Hedstrom
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by Eames Molded plywood chair. This unique crab chair uses laminated bleach ash wood from Maine.
Mid 20th Century Design Crab Claw Chair
Located in London, GB
Crab Claw Chair with button back upholstery This fantastic Chair will add great style to any interior.
Fabric
Early Oak Wainscot Chair
Located in Sutton Coldfield, GB
Tobias Jellinek explains that the two things which distinguish the ‘caqueteuse’ from all other types of armchair are the trapezium shaped seat and the horizontal arms which are crook...
Oak
$1,520Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 36 in W 24 in D 21 in
French Pair of Armchair Carcasses, Montespan Style, 19th Century
Located in Montreal, Quebec
French pair of armchair carcasses, Montespan style, 19th century Very beautiful model and lovely wood finish, to be upholstered to your taste.
Wood
Pair of Early 20th-century Venetian Grotto Chairs
Located in San Francisco, CA
Odds are good that you haven't seen many of these, with their scallop shell backs and seats, dolphin-head arms, and particularly such strange, roughened, coral-textured legs suggesti...
Wood, Paint
$6,645 / set
H 39.38 in W 16.93 in D 15.75 in
Exquisite Pair of Chairs by Gabriel Viardot - France, Circa 1890
By Gabriel Viardot
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Rare and wonderful pair of "Pagoda" side chairs by Gabriel Viardot. Mahogany, with ivory and bronze detailing. The back medallions feature a dragon. Newly reupholstered with ve...
Pair of chairs - 19th century
Located in Porto, PT
Pair of chairs - 19th century. European; 19th century, made of walnut wood with satinwood inlays; decorated with hunting motifs. One has a defect in the leg and traces of woodworm da...
Wood
$1,191 / set
H 37.41 in W 15.75 in D 17.72 in
Pair of Alsatian couple chairs – 18th century period – Germanic baroque style –
Located in NAVILLY, FR
Pair of 18th century Alsatian chairs in dark stained solid wood, Germanic baroque style with Louis XIII influence. Each chair has a back carved in high relief decorated with scrol...
Beech
Pair of 18th Century Swedish Rococo Period Armchairs
Located in Charleston, SC
18th Century Swedish period Rococo pair of armchairs that have been scraped to the most its original finish with the natural wood showing through. This pair features carved cabriole...
Leather, Wood, Paint
A pair of large armchairs, early 20th century France.
Located in VILLERS-SUR-MER, FR
A pair of large red silk armchairs with high curved backs and rolled armrests. Early 20th century France.
Silk, Wood
Fantastic Pair of Venetian Grotto Style Side Chairs
Located in East Hampton, NY
Unique pair of Venetian style grotto chairs with seahorse carved back and scallop seats in a silvered wood.... the legs are carved in the shape of shells.
Wood
$6,500 / set
H 51.25 in W 23 in D 25 in
Antique Venetian Grotto Chairs, Hand Painted, Circa 1870s, Unique Pair
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Outstanding pair of Venetian carved and pierced wood grotto style side chairs. Beautifully painted by an artisan featuring faux marble seat supported by a garden urn. A very unique p...
Wood
$13,200Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 39 in W 27.5 in D 32 in
Pair of shell form carved chairs in a grotto style
Located in Houston, TX
The carving in this pair of chairs is spectacular due to the quality of the technique used To achieve the shape and whimsical nature of the design. The backs are gracefully curved I...
Mahogany
$13,500 / set
H 43.13 in W 27.25 in D 18.25 in
Pair of Italian 18th Century Regence Fauteuils, Armchairs
Located in Round Top, TX
An outstanding and very elegant pair of Regence period Venetian Fauteuils - armchairs. Beautifully constructed from painted and gilt wood with stunning color and original silk uphols...
Wood
$4,353 / set
H 34.26 in W 25.99 in D 19.69 in
Pair of Antique French Louis XV Armchairs, Carved Wood & Cane, 1970
Located in Marbella, ES
An elegant pair of Louis XV-style armchairs, crafted from carved wood with delicate curved motifs and floral ornamentation. The backs and seats feature natural cane webbing, lending ...
Wicker, Wood
Large Pair of 19th Century Oriental Armchairs
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very impressive large pair of Japanese carved softwood armchairs, each depicting carved exotic flowers and foliage.
Softwood
$21,196 / set
H 40.16 in W 26.38 in D 21.66 in
Pair of Aesthetic Movement Armchairs Attributed to G.Viardot, France, Circa 1880
By Gabriel Viardot
Located in PARIS, FR
These armchairs made of tinted wood are to be linked to another pair of armchairs executed by Gabriel Viardot, and now exhibited at the Decorative Arts Museum in Paris (Inv. 2006.105...
Fabric, Wood
$16,549 / set
H 44.69 in W 27.17 in D 23.63 in
Pair of Armchairs Attributed to H.A. Fourdinois, France, c1870
Located in PARIS, FR
Important pair of armchairs attributed to H.A. Fourdinois, with a flat back in “chapeau de gendarme” centered with a carved and foliated cartouche, joining padded scroll armrests car...
Wood
$3,981 / set
H 40.16 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Pair (2) Antique plank chairs with grotesque decorations, Germany 19th century
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of Antique Plank Chairs with Grotesque Decorations, Germany, 19th Century Two antique Italian chairs made of carved solid wood with carved backs. Unusually attractively shaped ...
Oak
Sold|$1,100
H 9.85 in W 36.23 in D 13.19 in
Japanese antique wooden wabi-sabi low table / 1850-1912 / "Fu-zukue"
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
This wooden writing desk, known as a "Fu-zukue", dates back to the late Edo to Meiji period. Tatami culture has long been an integral part of Japanese life, where people sat on the ...
Cedar
French Art Deco Pendant Chandelier by Genet et Michon
By Genet & Michon
Located in Long Island City, NY
A French Art Deco chandelier by the French artist " Gent et Michon " is in great condition. Both shades are in clear frosted glass with overflowing intricate flowers motif details su...
Bronze
Shaped Post-Medieval Stained Glass Panel
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A late 19th century flower-shaped stained glass panel with a medieval style design dating from circa 1880. It’s unusual shape and vibrant colours will make an instant feature in any ...
Lead
Swedish Rococo Black Painted Fall Front Bureau, Circa 1770
Located in Kastrup, DK
Swedish Rococo fall front bureau crafted in the distinctive Scandinavian Rococo style, featuring elegantly curved sides and balanced proportions. The fall front opens to reveal a bea...
Brass
$10,800
H 26.78 in W 82.68 in D 44.49 in
Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena 'Toro' Sofa in Dark Forest Green Upholstery
By Azucena, Luigi Caccia Dominioni
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena, 'Toro' sofa, model ‘P20B', fabric, metal, Italy, 1979 This sofa model 'P20B Toro' is designed by Luigi Caccio Dominioni in Milan and produced by ...
Metal
$22,256
H 27.56 in Dm 15.36 in L 27.56 in
1921 René Lalique Ceiling Fixture Light Chandelier Deux Sirenes Mermaids Glass
By René Lalique
Located in Boulogne Billancourt, FR
Ceiling fixture light chandelier "Deux Sirenes" (Mermaids) made in glass created by René Lalique in 1921. Molded signature. New rops. New wiring. Original ceiling cap. Perfect con...
Blown Glass
$2,000
H 59.06 in W 94.49 in D 0.2 in
F20 Japanese Antiques, Ink painting Noren (traditional Japanese curtain)
Located in Niiza, JP
unfolded size: Width *About 240cm Height *About 150cm 1-2kg Estimated packing size: 37 × 30 × 18cm 6kg A charming, off-white noren (traditional Japanese curtain). The fabric, w...
Linen
1940s Guillotine Cigar Cutter in Wood and Brass
Located in Madrid, ES
Unusual and highly decorative cigar cutter designed in the form of a traditional guillotine, dating from the 1940s. Crafted from a combination of wood and brass, this charming object...
Fruitwood
$37,751
H 103.15 in W 28.35 in D 19.3 in
Antique Exhibition Quality Carved Mahogany Nine Tube Chiming Longcase Clock
Located in Suffolk, GB
An exceptional exhibition quality carved mahogany longcase clock of impressive scale and presence, richly decorated throughout with bold scrolling foliage, latticework panels and fin...
Mahogany
Rustic Black Forest Settee, Carved Walnut with Bear Supports, Germany
Located in Queens, NY
Rustic Black Forest style (20th Cent) carved walnut settee with bear sides suppports and center hat tree
Wood, Mirror
André Arbus, Conference Table, France, 1956
By André Arbus
Located in New York, NY
Unique piece (special commission). Signed. Made for the Palais des Consuls de Rouen in 1955, this piece is not merely remarkable for its size, but for its blend of contemporary and ...
Bronze
$51,361
H 11.42 in W 4.73 in D 7.88 in
6th Century BC Greek Bull's Head Sculpture in Hand-Carved Marble
Located in BARCELONA, ES
33.2 cm with the stand. Provenance - Private collection, France. A sculpture in the shape of a bull's head carved in the round (protome), probably originally an architectural eleme...
Marble
$360
H 1.97 in Dm 10.63 in L 1.97 in
Michael Andersen. Stoneware bowl with mermaid and fish motif, 1960s/70s
Located in København, Copenhagen
Michael Andersen, Bornholm Decorative bowl with a mermaid and fish motif, 1960s/70s. Round stoneware bowl with relief-decorated center featuring a stylised fish and organic wave form...
Stoneware
18th Century Antique Nevers Faience Mermaid Pitcher
By Nevers
Located in DELFT, NL
A French faience verseuse from Nevers, decorated in cobalt blue with touches of ochre, featuring Amphitrite riding a dolphin. Executed in a bold, rustic style typical of Nevers’ popu...
Earthenware, Faience, Maiolica
$1,495
H 3.75 in W 7.5 in D 3.75 in
Apollo Studios New York Arts & Crafts Grapevine Bronze Inkwell With Pen Holder
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful Arts & Crafts or Art Nouveau period "Grapevine" pattern bronze and slag glass inkwell with pen holder with verdigris green patina In the manner of Tiffany Studios By Ap...
Bronze
$995
H 1.5 in W 3.25 in D 2.75 in
Apollo Studios New York Arts & Crafts Grapevine Pattern Bronze Stamp Box
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful Arts & Crafts or Art Nouveau period "Grapevine" pattern bronze and slag glass stamp box, desk box, decorative box, or jewelry box with verdigris green patina In the mann...
Bronze
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.
Modern icons are showing up in gracefully layered dining nooks, living rooms and lounges — proof that great design only gets better with context.
Andrianna Shamaris has filled her epic new home with pieces of her own design.
Top interior designers show — and tell — us how to create delectable spaces for hosting dinner parties.
With its plush cushions, cane details and dazzlingly colorful back, it’s inviting from every angle.
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.