Vintage Button Back Settee
A vintage button back settee offers deep buttoned comfort and grand proportion, bringing period character to a room.
Vintage Button Back Settee
A vintage button back settee is a deep-seated upholstered seat designed for formal drawing rooms and country house libraries alike. These pieces typically take the form of Chesterfield sofas, canapes, and salon suites originating from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The most common examples encountered on this page are nineteenth century Victorian and Edwardian Chesterfields upholstered in leather or velvet. Variations range from mahogany and walnut framed parlor settees to French Napoleon III and Regency style pieces.
How they were made
Makers constructed the internal frames of these settees using solid hardwoods such as mahogany, walnut, rosewood, and general timber. These sturdy timber skeletons supported heavy sprung interiors and dense stuffing layers designed to endure generations of use.
Upholstery methods relied on hand-tufting and deep buttoning secured through fabric, velvet, or raw leather hides. Decorative detailing often included brass tacking, hand carving, and painted or gilt finishes on exposed wood frames.
Vintage Button Back Settee Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for vintage button back settee 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.
What varies in quality
The distinction between ordinary and exceptional pieces lies in the integrity of the frame construction and the quality of the upholstery materials. Maker attribution, such as work by Howard and Sons or Gillows, elevates a piece through superior joinery and refined proportions.
Condition and originality dictate value, with untouched original leathers and period fabrics holding distinct appeal over later replacements. Hand-dyed leather finishes and retained maker stamps separate standard workshop output from premier London craftsmanship.
Howard and Sons·Hampton and Sons of Pall Mall·Gillows
The Vintage Button Back Settee Glossary
- Chesterfield
- A large upholstered sofa with deep buttoning and arms of the same height as the back.
- Canape
- An ornamental French-style sofa featuring an exposed wooden frame and upholstered seat and back.
- Buttoning
- A traditional upholstery technique where tufts are pulled tight and secured with buttons to create a padded, geometric diamond pattern.
- Salon suite
- A matching set of upholstered seating comprising a settee and matching armchairs designed for a formal reception room.
Vintage Button Back Settee: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a vintage button back settee?
A vintage button back settee is a traditional upholstered seating form characterised by tufted buttoning across the backrest and often the seat. These pieces span the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, encompassing Victorian Chester効果 fields and French-influenced salon seating.
They were built for formal reception rooms, libraries, and country houses, combining robust timber frames with deep sprung padding for formal sitting.
How do I identify a Victorian Chesterfield?
Victorian Chesterfields are identified by their deep buttoned upholstery, low backs, and rolled arms set at the same height as the backrest. They frequently feature heavy wooden feet, brass castors, and robust hardwood frames beneath leather or velvet coverings.
Maker stamps on the wooden frame or brass castors often confirm nineteenth-century origin and workshop attribution.
Are these settees comfortable for daily use?
Many nineteenth and early twentieth-century settees offer deep seating and sturdy sprung interiors well suited to daily lounging. Their generous proportions provide substantial support, though comfort levels depend on the original padding and current condition of the springs.
Restored leather and upholstered examples balance historic character with functional seating for modern living spaces.
How should I care for leather upholstery?
Leather upholstery on antique settees requires gentle cleaning and occasional conditioning to maintain the hide's suppleness. Keeping the leather away from direct heat sources and strong sunlight prevents drying and cracking over time.
Original un-restored leathers particularly benefit from specialist wax treatments that preserve their historic patina without altering the surface.