Antique Armchairs
A Superb Pair of English Antique Gainsboro Armchairs
A Superb Pair of English Antique Gainsboro Armchairs, upholstery is worn out, chairs are incredibly ... Find out more
A Fine Pair of 19thc Carved Oak Armchairs
A Fine Pair of 19thc Carved Oak Armchairs, wonderful ... Find out more
A Superb Pair of well carved Engish Library Armchairs
A Superb Pair of well carved Engish Library Armchairs in magnificent English Oak, these chairs are certainly museum quality, but priced very reasonably. ... Find out more
A Very Attractive Pair of Caned French Armchairs
A Very Attractive Pair of 19thc. Caned French Armchairs, finest quality being fitted with double ... Find out more
A Magnificent Mid 19th Century English Mahogany Arm Chair
A Magnificent Over-sized Mid 19th Century English Mahogany Arm / Library Chair, would also be excellent as a desk ... Find out more
A Fine Pair of English Wingback Chairs in Mahogany
A Fine Pair of English Wingback Chairs in Mahogany. The chairs have recently been reupholstered in a full hide ... Find out more
An English George IV armchair or desk chair with cane seat and sides.
An English George IV armchair with cane seat and sides. The chair is a very good example of this classic English ... Find out more
An Early Victorian English Antique Leather Reading / Library or Desk Chair, circa 1850.
An Early Victorian English Antique Leather Reading / Library or Desk Chair, circa ... Find out more
A very decorative antique Portuguese armchair in Rosewood.
A very decorative antique Portuguese armchair in Rosewood. The chair is well detailed with barley twist carvings and a bobbin carved stretcher. The top rail is carved with naturalistic designs on either side of the carving are two flower bud shaped finials each a different size, both appear to be original, a most interesting chair. $ ... Find out more
A 19th century English antique desk chair.
A 19th century English antique desk chair. The chair is in a very mellow color of mahogany standing on cabriole legs with ball and claw feet. The chair cushion has been hand embroidered, but does show signs of wear and ... Find out more
A very impressive English antique William IV desk or library chair in mahogany.
A very impressive English antique William IV desk or library chair in mahogany, finished in a full hide leather, with minor signs of ... Find out more
A pair of antique armchairs in mahogany
A pair of English antique armchairs in mahogany, a design of chair often referred to as a Gainsboro ... Find out more
An Important set of 4 19th C Rosewood Chairs, by Gillows.
An Important Set of 4 English Regency Period Arm Chairs in Rosewood attributed to Gillows.
This fine set of chairs was originally made by Gillows for Nidd Hall in Yorkshire, England. Circa 1820.
The shaped back of the chairs flows into the arm of ... Find out more
An overview of antique chairs and sofas
Antique seating can be split into several areas the first would be chairs. Chairs are probably the most common of all antiques, it would be rare to visit a home that has no chairs. Chairs come in many styles, a pair of wing back chairs, a library chair, a set of dining chairs, a desk or office chair, and piano chairs. All of which were made in a great variety of woods, but more often than not all were made in hardwoods be it oak, mahogany, rosewood, or walnut. The main reason of course for using a hardwood was that the chair was more durable when made in a hardwood, a pine chair would be easy to carve, but would not last very long- especially where the joints in the wood occured.
The majority of these type of chairs were all also made in the more popular design periods of Georgian, Regency, William IV, and Victorian periods. It is interesting to follow the design variations of antique chairs through the 18th and 19th centuries, from elaborately carved Chippendale dining chairs with pierced splat backs and magnificently carved knees terminating in ball and claw feet to a very simple Queen Anne chair with a scroll at the top rail, a solid but shaped back splat and elegant cabriole legs terminating in a simple pad foot. Chair designs mostly show variation through the shape and curve of the arms, legs and back, the shape of the foot (ball and claw, scroll, pad, square, etc.), and the carving on the knees of the legs and the front and top rails.
When you add arms to any of the above you end up of course with an arm chair, stretch it out and you have an antique bench or antique sofa.
The modern day home would certainly be a bare place without its chairs. How could one eat at the antique dining table without a set of antique dining chairs? How would the fireplace look without a pair of antique chairs to relax on? And how could I write this without a desk chair to sit on?
The simple chair covers a wide variety of shapes and sizes and vice versa!!!