Antique Seating
From stately Georgian wingback armchairs to deep-buttoned Victorian Chesterfields, antique seating offers comfort, craftsmanship and style in equal measure. Our dealers stock armchairs, side chairs, sofas, settees, chaise longues, stools, window seats and benches spanning three centuries of upholstered and non-upholstered designs.
Oak, mahogany, walnut and beech frames, sprung and stuffed seats, hand-stitched leather and needlepoint upholstery: these are pieces built to be sat in and enjoyed for generations.
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Featured
A Late 19th Century Inlaid Mahogany Salon Sofa
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Unusual 18th Century Antique Oak Ladder Back Rocking Chair
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Antique Quality Edwardian Mahogany Bergère Style Wing Armchair
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Good Quality 19thC Rosewood High Backed Library Armchair
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Quality Antique Victorian Mahogany Armchair
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A Large George III Mahogany Wing Chair
Pair Of Victorian Mahogany & Leather Desk Chairs
Pair Of Art Deco Walnut & Leather Armchairs
19th Century Carolean Style Walnut Settee
Mid Century Modern MCM Dinning Chairs x 4
Fine Georgian Caned Library Bergère Chair
Pair of Upholstered Wing Armchairs
George III Period Mahogany Elbow Desk Hall Side Bedroom Chair
Matching Pair of Victorian Spoon Back Hall Salon bedroom Chairs
Late Victorian Early Edwardian Office Captains Desk Chair
An Unusual Regency Mahogany Bergere Chair
Set of Eight Rosewood Dining Chairs
Antique 17th Century English Oak Correction Chair
Hand Dyed Buttoned Leather Footstool
Large Superb Wing Armchair
Regency Duet Window Stool
Regency Duet Window Stool
Antique Victorian Pair of Carved Walnut Side Chairs
Large Red Buttoned Leather Footstool
Moroccan Embossed Metal & Leather Sofa
Very Nice Regency Rosewood Llibrary Armchair
Finding the Right Antique Chair
Comfort is entirely personal, so sit in a chair before you buy if you possibly can. A Georgian wing armchair that looks magnificent may not suit someone who is six foot four, while a low Victorian nursing chair might be exactly what a smaller person needs. Seat height, depth and back angle all matter, and antique chairs cover the full range.
Construction is the critical factor in longevity. Check that the frame is solid by lifting the chair slightly and feeling for movement. Loose joints should be professionally re-glued; this is a routine repair and not a reason to avoid a piece. Beech frames are common and perfectly serviceable, though mahogany and walnut are more desirable.
Upholstery Choices
Many antique chairs benefit from re-upholstering. Traditional upholstery using horsehair, calico and webbing gives the most authentic result and lasts longest. Modern foam is quicker and cheaper but doesn't breathe as well and has a different feel. Leather, if original and in good condition, is worth preserving; new leather develops its own patina over time.
The fabric you choose for re-covering transforms the character of a piece. A Georgian camelback sofa looks formal in silk damask and relaxed in linen. A Victorian button-back chair suits both rich velvet and contemporary plain fabrics. Don't feel constrained by period conventions; mix old frames with modern textiles for a look that feels fresh and personal.
Sofas and Larger Pieces
Chesterfield sofas, with their distinctive deep-buttoned leather upholstery, are the most recognised form of antique seating. Genuine Victorian and Edwardian examples have a depth of character that modern reproductions cannot replicate. Drop-arm Knole sofas, Howard-style armchairs and Regency scroll-end sofas are all worth exploring if you're furnishing a sitting room with antiques.