Button Backed Wing Chair
These button backed wing chair examples offer deep comfort and period presence, bringing traditional library seating directly into a modern home.
Button Backed Wing Chair
A button backed wing chair combines tall upholstered wings designed to shield from draughts with a deep buttoned back that provides structured support. You will most frequently encounter nineteenth century and early twentieth century brown or tan leather examples, alongside occasional eighteenth century and revival pieces.
The form spans distinct eras, appearing in substantial Georgian proportions, carved Victorian iterations, and Edwardian or later twentieth century interpretations. Alongside single armchairs, the inventory includes matching pairs and occasional leather sofas sharing the characteristic high wings.
Construction and Materials
Makers built the foundational frames of these chairs using solid timbers such as mahogany and assorted hardwoods, ensuring structural stability beneath the upholstery. Exposed woodwork appears on legs and stretchers, frequently shaped in period styles.
Upholstery relies on traditional textiles, predominantly leather and fabric, secured with brass detailing where appropriate. Deep buttoning involves pulling the hide or fabric into the internal stuffing to create tensioned dimples.
Button Backed Wing Chair Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for button backed wing chair 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.
Some Victorian iterations feature carved wooden lions roaring from the arm terminals, keeping a silent vigil over the library.
Assessing Quality
Quality rests in the integrity of the timber frame, the depth and execution of the buttoning, and the natural character of the leather hide. Finer pieces demonstrate careful proportion in the sweeping wings and solid craftsmanship in the frame construction.
Revival pieces and later twentieth century interpretations vary in how closely they replicate earlier Georgian or Victorian proportions and material selection. Original period pieces hold distinction through the natural patina accumulated on the leather over generations of use.
Sopwith
The Button Backed Wing Chair Glossary
- Wingback
- An armchair featuring projecting side panels designed originally to deflect cold draughts. These wings frame the user's head.
- Deep buttoned
- An upholstery technique where buttons are pulled tight through the padding to form a geometric pattern of indentations. This secures the internal filling.
- Mahogany
- A durable hardwood commonly utilised for the frames and legs of eighteenth and nineteenth century seating. It takes a dark polish.
- Georgian Revival
- A style period where makers recreated or reinterpreted eighteenth century furniture designs. These pieces date typically to the late nineteenth or early twentieth centuries.
Button Backed Wing Chair: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I date a wing chair?
Dating involves examining the timber species, the style of the legs, and the construction methods used inside the frame. Eighteenth century pieces often feature hand-carved mahogany woodwork, while Victorian and Edwardian examples show different turning styles and upholstery techniques.
Comparing the specific proportions and decorative details against known period styles helps narrow down the decade of manufacture.
Where should I place this chair?
These armchairs suit spaces with traditional decor, serving as reading chairs beside a bookshelf or fireside seating. Their imposing scale makes them ideal as focal points in large rooms.
Ensure there is adequate surrounding space to appreciate the profile of the wings and the finish of the leather or fabric.
Are pairs common to find?
Matching pairs do appear alongside single armchairs, often originating from gentleman's clubs, libraries, or large drawing rooms. These sets can include matching armchairs or associated sofas sharing similar leather finishes.
Finding a matched pair from the same period requires patience as single chairs are more frequently encountered.