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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Good-Sized Pair Of French Fauteuil Open Armchairs
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Antique Victorian Quality Carved Walnut Armchair
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Good Quality 19thC X-Framed Rosewood Stool
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Unusual 18th Century Antique Oak Ladder Back Rocking Chair
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19th Century Mahogany Armchair
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Pair of Antique Victorian Quality Mahogany Side Chairs
Large Antique Victorian Quality Carved Oak Throne Armchair
Quality Antique Victorian Walnut Carved Side Chair
Antique Pair of Quality Victorian Ebonised Side Chairs
Quality Antique Victorian Mahogany Armchair
Antique Victorian Carved Mahogany Hall/Side Chair
Antique Edwardian Freestanding Quality Mahogany Inlaid Piano Seat
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English Art Deco Sycamore Dressing Table Stool
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Superb Quality And Very Attractive Victorian Stool Walnut Dressing Table Stool
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English Victorian Dressing Table Stool In Rosewood
Elm Windsor Chair
Antique Elegant Victorian Carved Walnut Window Seat Stool
Authentic Thonet Sofa Aesthetic Movement Settee
A mid 19th Century adjustable campaign chair
Gillows Victorian Carved Golden Oak Desk Chair attributed to Bruce James Talbert
English Victorian Walnut Window Seat Duet Stool
Pair of Antique Victorian Walnut Balloon Back Chairs
Antique Victorian Pair Of Ladies And Gentlemen’s Red Gothic Revival Oak Chairs
Antique Victorian Satin Burch Red Button Back Armchair with Turned Legs
Late 20th Century Oak Wainscot Armchair in the 17th Century William & Mary Style
Antique 19th Century Elm Country Farmhouse Single Chair with Rush Seat
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.