Antique Armchairs
Set of 4 19th century antique rosewood chairs, by Gillows.
A Very Important Set of English Rosewood Armchairs by Gillows. Provenance formerly from Nidd Hall, Wetherley, West Yorkshire, ... Find out more
A Pair of Late 19th C Continental Occasional Arm Chairs
A pair of antique 19th C arm chairs with low backs, the chairs upholstered in a lattice design of ... Find out more
An English antique Walnut Library Chair .
An English antique Walnut Library Chair with Shepherd Crook Arms. ... Find out more
An English 19th Century antique Desk Chair
An English 19th Century antique Desk Chair. The chair has a horseshoe shaped back fitted, as is the seat, with an olive green button down leather. The base of the chair comprises of 4 legs on plain scroll feet; the chair is fitted with modern castors, so making for very ... 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
A pair of antique Colonial armchairs in ebony.
A pair of antique 19th century Colonial armchairs in ebony. Heavily carved with naturalistic ... Find out more
A pair of Swiss antique "fantasy" armchairs.
A pair of Swiss antique "fantasy" armchairs.
In the form of a male and female ... 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 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 fine pair of English antique Regency wingback chairs.
A fine pair of English antique Regency wingback chairs. The chairs are very generous in size and are very comfortable. They have only been upholstered in a muslin fabric as a temporary measure.
The chair arms are decorated with carved leopard heads and gilded for ... Find out more
A 19th century English Regency giltwood armchair.
A 19th century English Regency giltwood armchair or library chair.
The chair is very generous in size and is very sturdy. The chair is carved on the arms and front rails with Regency ... 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 ... Find out more
An English Antique single wingback armchair.
An English Antique single wingback armchair.
The chair is of good size and is fitted with an "H" shaped stretcher which makes the chair very solid. the legs are of a country Chippendale ... 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 good pair of antique English carved library chairs
A very good pair of antique English carved library ... 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!!!