Burgundy Velvet Armchair
A burgundy velvet armchair brings rich texture and deep colour to a room.
Burgundy Velvet Armchair
A burgundy velvet armchair is a substantial seat upholstered in soft pile fabric, appearing across nineteenth-century and twentieth-century periods. These chairs range from button-backed Victorian designs to French carved walnut models and large oak bergere fireside seats.
Most examples found here date from the Victorian and Edwardian eras, encompassing both formal French revival styles and sturdy British country house seating. Buyers encounter everything from carved open armchairs to low fireside chairs with cane panels.
How they were made
Frames rely upon traditional timbers including mahogany, walnut, oak, beech, and birch, often shaped with hand carving or painted finishes. Iron framing appears in specific Victorian upholstery forms to provide internal rigidity beneath the padding.
Upholstery combines deep buttoning and fabric covering with brass detailing, while select twentieth-century variants incorporate woven cane panels into wooden arm frames.
Burgundy Velvet Armchair Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for burgundy velvet armchair 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 four primary timber types: mahogany, walnut, oak, and beech.
What varies in quality
Quality rests in the precision of the timber frame carving, the weight of the mahogany or walnut structure, and the integrity of the joinery. French carved fauteuils and walnut armchairs demonstrate finer decorative detail than utilitarian seating.
The sophistication of the silhouette and the harmony between the wood frame and the velvet upholstery distinguish superior workshop production from standard commercial manufacturing.
The Burgundy Velvet Armchair Glossary
- Fauteuil
- An open-framed upholstered armchair originating in France, typically featuring exposed carved wood armrests. These pieces often reflect Louis XVI taste.
- Bergere
- A closed-frame upholstered armchair with solid wooden sides and back panels filled with cane or wicker work. These frequently appear in oak or walnut.
- Button back
- An upholstery technique where depressions are formed in the padding by pulling thread through to the frame in a tight grid. This method secures the internal stuffing and creates a distinct quilted texture.
- Jacobean Revival
- A nineteenth-century design style emulating seventeenth-century British furniture through heavy turned woodwork and dark timber. Pieces in this taste display robust proportions.
Burgundy Velvet Armchair: Frequently Asked Questions
What periods do these armchairs come from?
The pieces span the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, covering Victorian and Edwardian decades. Specific dates in the records point to the eighteen-eighties, nineteen-hundreds, nineteen-tens, and nineteen-twenties.
Most items align with Victorian manufacturing traditions, alongside French revival pieces from the same broader timeframe.
Which woods are used for the frames?
Makers utilised hardwoods including mahogany, walnut, oak, and beech for structural support and decorative framing. Some examples feature painted wood surfaces or iron inner frames.
Timber choice often reflects the stylistic origin, with French designs favouring walnut and paint, and British chairs utilising oak and mahogany.
What is a bergere fireside armchair?
A bergere fireside armchair is a wide, low seat designed for drawing close to a hearth. These frames incorporate woven cane panels along the sides and back.
They appear in oak frames dating towards the early twentieth century, offering sturdy construction alongside lighter side panels.
How do French and Victorian styles differ?
French styles draw on Louis XVI aesthetics, featuring painted finishes, carved walnut, and open arms known as fauteuils. Victorian designs lean towards heavy mahogany frames and deep buttoned upholstery.
Both traditions utilise velvet upholstery, yet the French models emphasise decorative woodwork while Victorian versions prioritise padded comfort.