1920s Easy Chairs
These 1920s easy chairs combine deep comfort with period character, offering tactile leather and warm wood to anchor a room.
1920s Easy Chairs
When you search for 1920s easy chairs, you encounter substantial seating designed for relaxation, predominantly taking the form of armchairs, club chairs, and wing armchairs. These pieces bridge late historic revivals and modernist forms, emerging from periods including the 1920s, 1930s, and the 19th century.
The most common formats you meet on this page are matched pairs and single armchairs upholstered in leather, fabric, or tapestry fabric. Structural frames frequently utilise hardwood, walnut, and cane, reflecting both English country house traditions and Art Deco styling.
Makers drew on diverse aesthetic currents, resulting in 1920s French Revival, Edwardian, and Georgian Revival pieces alongside geometric Art Deco designs. Such variety means you find low tub fauteuils alongside high-backed wing armchairs.
How they were made
Makers constructed the structural frames of these armchairs using sturdy timbers like hardwood and walnut, often integrating split cane panels into the sides and backs. These wooden skeletons provided the necessary rigidity to support deep springing and heavy upholstery.
Upholstery techniques relied on traditional stuffing methods finished with cigar brown leather, woven fabric, or tapestry fabric. Metal components occasionally reinforced the internal springing or provided decorative accents on Art Deco club chairs.
1920s Easy Chairs Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for 1920s easy chairs among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
A good cigar brown leather club chair practically insists you sit down with a heavy book and ignore the modern world.
What varies in quality
The calibre of an armchair depends heavily on the integrity of its wooden frame and the precision of its joinery. Walnut and hardwood structures that remain tight and uncompromised dictate the upper tier of construction.
Quality also rests on the execution of the covering materials, whether hand-stitched cigar brown leather or tightly woven split cane. Superior examples maintain balance between the supportive springs and the exterior silhouette without sagging.
The 1920s Easy Chairs Glossary
- Bergere
- An enclosed upholstered armchair with a wooden frame, frequently featuring cane panels on the back and sides. This French-derived form gained significant popularity in walnut during the early twentieth century.
- Club chair
- A deep, comfortable armchair heavily upholstered in leather or fabric, designed for low slung relaxation. Art Deco interpretations often feature rounded profiles and cigar brown leather.
- Wing armchair
- A high-backed seating form featuring projecting side pieces designed to shield the occupant from drafts. Versions from this era appear in walnut frames and traditional fabric upholstery.
- Fauteuil
- An open-armed French upholstered armchair with exposed wooden armrests. These pieces combine formal elegance with accessible proportions.
- Tapestry fabric
- A heavy, decorative woven textile often utilised for upholstery on period seating. It introduces intricate patterns and varied colour palettes to traditional frames.
1920s Easy Chairs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I identify a 1920s easy chair?
Look for stylistic markers that blend historic revival shapes with emerging modernist lines, such as Art Deco curves or walnut wing frames. Construction methods and materials like split cane and cigar brown leather also point directly to this era.
Examine the proportions and upholstery techniques employed on the piece. Edwardian survivals reupholstered around this decade often retain transitional design cues bridging the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Are these chairs suitable for daily use?
These armchairs were built for deep comfort and substantial daily lounging, utilising robust hardwood and walnut skeletons. Their generous proportions make them practical focal points for living rooms and libraries.
Ensure the internal springing and upholstery support match your comfort preferences. Many pieces handle regular sitting well when the underlying frame remains structurally sound.
What is the difference between club and wing chairs?
Club chairs offer low, rounded profiles upholstered densely in materials like leather, prioritising relaxed lounging. Wing chairs feature high backs with protective side panels designed originally to block room drafts.
Club chairs lean towards Art Deco informality, whereas wing chairs often reflect earlier Georgian or Edwardian revival aesthetics.
How do I care for leather club chairs?
Maintain leather upholstery by keeping it away from direct heat sources and sunlight to prevent drying and cracking. Regular dusting and occasional conditioning keep cigar brown hides supple.
Treat the wooden elements of the frame with care, using appropriate polishes for walnut and hardwood surfaces to preserve the finish.