1930s Style Armchairs
These 1930s style armchairs combine period comfort with enduring design, offering seating that anchors a room with character.
1930s Style Armchairs
When you search for 1930s style armchairs, you encounter a varied selection of seating options shaped by multiple historical revivals and modernist movements. The listings on this page span robust club chairs, refined dining chairs, lounge suites, and even miniature apprentice pieces.
The dominant aesthetic draws heavily from Art Deco influence alongside revivals of earlier periods such as George III, Hepplewhite, Neo-Rococo, and Victorian styles. Buyers will frequently find club chairs upholstered in leather as well as formal open armchairs reflecting earlier centuries.
How they were made
Construction relies upon traditional timber framing utilising hardwoods, walnut, mahogany, and bentwood. These foundational structures are often paired with supportive secondary materials like brass details and hessian webbing beneath the upholstery.
Surface finishes range from polished wood grains to painted treatments, while upholstery encompasses both supple leather and woven fabric. Bentwood techniques allow for curved structural forms particularly associated with modernist seating.
1930s Style Armchairs Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for 1930s style armchairs 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.
Listings feature periods from 1920 to 1930, showcasing leather, wood, walnut, mahogany, brass, hardwood, and hessian.
What varies in quality
Quality in these pieces is defined by the integrity of the underlying woodwork and the fidelity of the chosen style, whether modernist or revivalist. Superior examples demonstrate careful selection of feature timbers such as burr birch or walnut.
The standard of upholstery work and the condition of materials like leather or rattan significantly differentiate standard items from exceptional ones. Proportion and decorative detailing also play a critical role in establishing the overall refinement of each chair.
Epstein·Heals
The 1930s Style Armchairs Glossary
- Art Deco
- A design style characterised by sleek geometric shapes, streamlined forms, and modern materials popular during the interwar period. It influences many club chairs and lounge suites from this era.
- Wing armchair
- A high-backed seating form featuring protective side panels designed to shield the sitter from drafts. These versions often incorporate leather upholstery and George III or George I stylistic traits.
- Bentwood
- A technique where wood is moistened and heated to bend it into curved structural shapes. This method appears in modernist seating such as armchairs produced by makers like Heals.
- Hessian
- A coarse woven fabric typically utilised as a traditional foundation layer beneath upholstery stuffing. It provides structural support within the seat construction.
- Club chair
- A deep, comfortable upholstered seat traditionally covered in leather and designed for relaxed lounging. Pairs of these chairs frequently define Art Deco interiors.
1930s Style Armchairs: Frequently Asked Questions
Are these chairs genuine 1930s pieces?
The pieces listed originate from the 1920 and 1930 periods, capturing the authentic design movements of the interwar years.
They represent both contemporary modernism of the decade and revivals of earlier historical styles.
What materials are commonly used?
Frames are constructed from woods including walnut, mahogany, hardwood, and bentwood, sometimes complemented by brass elements.
Upholstery materials predominantly feature leather, fabric, rattan, and hessian support layers.
How do I identify Art Deco chairs?
Art Deco designs typically display streamlined silhouettes, geometric proportions, and club chair forms upholstered in leather or burr birch.
They contrast sharply with the ornate carved wood and fabric of the Neo-Rococo or Victorian revival examples.
Can I find matching seating sets?
The selection includes pairs of armchairs, larger lounge suites, and dining chair sets suitable for coordinated interior schemes.
Miniature apprentice pieces also appear alongside full-sized seating.