Captains Directors Chairs
20th Century British Swivel Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Swivel Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
20th Century English Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Beech
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Swivel Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
20th Century English Regency Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
20th Century English Regency Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
20th Century English Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
Vintage 1930s English Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather, Wood
20th Century American Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Brass
Recent Sales
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Victorian Armchairs
Leather, Beech
Antique Early 1900s English Late Victorian Swivel Chairs
Leather
20th Century British Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1930s English Chesterfield Wingback Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Swivel Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Swivel Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Swivel Chairs
Leather, Oak
Early 20th Century English Chesterfield Wingback Chairs
Leather
20th Century British Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Brass
20th Century English Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century British Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century British Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century British Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Beech
Vintage 1930s English Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1930s English Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
Vintage 1960s British Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
Vintage 1920s English Georgian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century British Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Yew
20th Century English Regency Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1960s English Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1960s English Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century British Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
20th Century British Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century British Regency Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
Vintage 1950s British Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
20th Century English Chesterfield Wingback Chairs
Leather
20th Century British Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Hardwood, Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Mahogany, Leather
20th Century English Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Oak
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Wingback Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
People Also Browsed
Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Taxidermy
Other
Antique Late 19th Century Hungarian Baroque Armchairs
Velvet, Wood
2010s English Modern Sofas
Upholstery
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
Antique 19th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Vintage 1930s Dutch Art Deco Sofas
Walnut, Burl
Antique 1860s English High Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Bookcases
Walnut
20th Century English Chippendale Bookcases
Glass, Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and...
Leather
20th Century American Edwardian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Faux Leather, Satinwood, Walnut
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Bookcases
Wood
Antique 1870s French Provincial Bedroom Sets
Marble
Antique Mid-19th Century English Victorian Chaise Longues
Leather, Walnut
Captains Directors Chairs For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Captains Directors Chairs?
Finding the Right Office-chairs-desk-chairs for You
An essential part of every office or home workstation, office chairs and desk chairs are critically important to your comfort and getting the job done.
Desk chairs have evolved over time. While writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson pined for a wider range of motion and introduced some improvements to his English-style Windsor chair, inventing the swivel chair along the way. So the next time you roll, recline or swivel at your vintage desk, remember: The third president of the United States had a lot to do with that functionality.
Changes in the availability of resources have also led to innovations in desk chair design. After World War II, for example, optimistic American designers made use of wartime materials in their efforts to create practical domestic goods.
Mid-century modernism is the name given to the broad postwar time period that prioritized thoughtful design. Journalist Cara Greenberg, who coined the term “mid-century modernism,” cites “ergonomic wisdom” as part of the reason for the longevity of the era’s furnishings, and when it comes to sitting in a desk chair for hours at a time, what could be more important than ergonomic support?
As mid-century modernism was marked by resourcefulness and boundless creativity — and produced designers who, in most cases, prioritized comfort and support — it follows that all mid-century chairs are not the same. Nowhere is this perhaps more evident than at Herman Miller. The legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer got its start in the office, with design director George Nelson enlisting the likes of Charles and Ray Eames to produce desk chairs and lounge chairs that are still celebrated today. Elsewhere at the time, the numerous pieces Florence Knoll created for Knoll’s office furniture line were envisioned as design solutions for the changing needs of residential and office spaces.
If you’re working remotely and streamlined seating isn’t your thing, don’t be afraid of making a statement with your office chair. Introduce a touch of drama to your video calls by way of 19th-century desk accessories and the alluring forms we typically associate with antique desk chairs designed in the Empire and Regency styles. For a minimalist touch, a spare, utilitarian Industrial-style office chair can work in any space but will fit in particularly well amid the exposed brick and steel architecture that characterizes a loft apartment.
An inspiring home office cleverly mixes materials and styles to create a welcoming place of productivity and comfort, and if you’re gathering with colleagues at your company HQ, an array of wood, leather and metal office chairs can help integrate disparate textures in a conference room or any other collaborative space. On 1stDibs, explore a diverse collection of office and desk chairs today.
- What is a captain's chair?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021A captain's chair is an armchair with a saddle seat and low curved back, usually upholstered in leather or cloth. It has vertical spindles that create the appearance of extra height for more formal settings. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage chairs.
- What is a captain’s chair for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Today, a captain's chair is typically used for providing seating at a kitchen or dining table. The name of the chair comes from the fact that furniture of this type once provided seating for a ship's officers in lounge areas. Shop a large collection of captain's chairs on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A director’s chair is stereotypically associated with movie directors. The lightweight chair has scissored legs, can often be folded for ease of transport or storage and is a popular silhouette for camping chairs. Shop an assortment of director chair styles on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Captain’s chairs are called that because early versions of the armchairs were used aboard boats to provide seating for high-ranking officers. These chairs date back to the 19th century and usually featured all-wood construction. Find a selection of antique and vintage captain's chairs on 1stDibs.
Read More
20 Inviting Dining Rooms Perfectly Arranged for Entertaining
Top interior designers show — and tell — us how to create delectable spaces for hosting dinner parties.
Nobody Puts This Sunny Sofa in a Corner
With its plush cushions, cane details and dazzlingly colorful back, it’s inviting from every angle.
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
Rock Your Cares Away on This Sunny Hand-Crocheted Swing
The boho-chic Enchanted Forest Swing, handmade by marginalized women from Turkey and Syria, is uplifting in every way.
Learn Why Designer Maarten Baas Set This Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair on Fire
What happens when you do something to a piece of furniture that you shouldn’t? It becomes an entirely new object.