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Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Biedermeier Style

The authentic Biedermeier furniture on 1stDibs is representative of the first modern European decorative style not dictated by the tastes of the aristocracy. Following the Napoleonic wars, a growing, wealthy urban middle class in the German-speaking states of Central Europe began to demand rights and privileges once granted only to nobles. To avoid trouble, the upwardly striving confined their political discussions to one another’s homes. And so the salon was born.

Cabinetmakers in cities such as Vienna, Berlin and Mainz began to offer goods that reflected the tastes and needs of the new class. The makers of Biedermeier chairs, tables and other furniture used little or no gilding, silver hardware or other lavish ornament. Ebonized trims are common on Biedermeier cabinetry, and neoclassical elements — lyre-shaped chair splats, carved scrollwork, table supports shaped like Greek columns. But the strongest aesthetic statement came from the wood — richly-grained, honey-colored, often book-matched veneers of walnut and fruitwood.

There are two iconic Biedermeier furniture forms, both made to outfit rooms designed for conversation. One is the sofa, deeply upholstered with a strong, architectural wooden frame. The second is the circular pedestal table, which stood at the center of the room, offering a surface on which to place coffee and cake services; or to roll out a map, or sketch out ideas on paper.

“Biedermeier” was originally a derogatory term — it derives from the pen names of two German magazine writers who mocked bourgeois manners. Looking at the elegant and refined antique, new and vintage Biedermeier furniture offered on 1stDibs, that is now an amusing irony.

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Style: Biedermeier
Set of 8 Partially Early 19th German Biedermeier Saxe-Coburg Provenance Chairs
Located in Berlin, DE
Set of 8 partially Early 19th German Biedermeier Saxe-Coburg provenance chairs: 3 chairs with inventory stamp of Ehrenburg Palace in Coburg (soth Germany)/House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 5 chairs hand-crafted after their model in the late 20th century: a trapezoidal seat on four slender saber-shaped legs; curved, shovel-shaped back with carved and ebonized central motif depicting a lyre. All chairs upholstered with black horsehair fabric. 3 chairs of the set of 8 show the inventory stamp of the famous Ehrenburg Palace in Coburg / South Germany and are documented in the Ehrenburg inventory register. According to a letter from the Bayerische Verwaltung der Staatlichen Schlösser, Gärten und Seen, Munich from 1991, the chairs were sold or disposed of in the 1920s at the latest (see photo). In order to be able to use the chairs in a dining room, the former owner had added five more chairs in the late 20th century, which had been elaborately hand-crafted after the model of the three Ehrenburg Palace chairs by a German furniture maker. Ehrenburg Palace was built and used by the Dukes of Saxe-Coburg (and Gotha from 1826 on) as a representative town residence. Duke Ernst I (reigned 1806–1844) began to remodel Ehrenburg Palace only a few years after he came to power. It was then that the building acquired its impressive neo-Gothic façade, designed by the architect Karl Friedrich von Schinkel. For the furnishing of the rooms, Duke Ernst I commissioned the French architect André-Marie Renié-Grétry. Between 1816 and 1840 the apartments were renovated in the French Empire style on the basis of his designs and filled with magnificent furniture...
Category

Early 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Cherry

Set Of Eight Continental 19th c. Biedermeier St. White Ash Burl Dining Chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A beautiful set of eight Continental 19th century Biedermeier st. White Ash Burl and ebonized Fruitwood dining chairs. This set of dining chairs with six side chairs and two arm chai...
Category

19th Century Unknown Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fruitwood, Burl

Set of 4 Austrian Scrolled Back Side Chairs with Ebony Inlaid Silhouettes
Located in Charleston, SC
This elegant set of four Viennese side chairs have cherry veneer and ebony in classic silhouettes surrounded by foliate reefs and framed in diamond...
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Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Cherry, Ebony

Set of Five Biedermeier Chairs, Cherry Wood, Germany circa 1830
Located in Regensburg, DE
Set of five original Biedermeier shovel chairs from Thuringia, Germany around 1830. Cherry wood book-matched veneered on the shovel and apron. Cherry solid wood frame and legs. Top ...
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Mid-19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Cherry, Softwood, Fabric, Velvet

Four Biedermeier Chairs, 1820, Walnut
Located in Belmont, MA
This original set of four Biedermeier chairs stands out for its beautiful walnut veneer. The backrest has beautiful open work decoration. The c...
Category

1820s German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Set of Three Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs, Germany, circa 1820
Located in Greding, DE
Set of three Biedermeier chairs in walnut with white upholstered seats and backs with three struts. The chairs stand on flared legs and have been newly upholstered and hand polished.
Category

1820s German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Set of Six Biedermeier Chairs, Solid Cherry, Gold-Leaf, South Germany circa 1820
Located in Regensburg, DE
Wonderful Set of Six early Biedermeier, late Empire Dining Room Chairs from Southern Germany around 1820. Made of cherry solid wood and elaborately hand-polished with shellac (French...
Category

Early 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Gold Plate

Set of Six Northern Italian Fruitwood Dining Chairs, Great Scale For Comfort.
Located in Buchanan, MI
Set of Six Northern Italian Fruitwood Dining Chairs, Great Scale For Comfort. Fully Restored but would need to be reupholstered as a few of the springs have come loose. Could possib...
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19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fruitwood

6 Original Biedermeier Chairs Caféhaus Seat Weave circa 1850-1860 Solid Mahogany
Located in Berlin, DE
A rare set of 6 antique Biedermeier chairs / café house chairs / bistro chairs made of solid mahogany wood. The seats of the chairs are made...
Category

19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Mahogany

Set Of 4 Biedermeier Style Dining Chairs for Restoration
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Set of four mahogany dining chairs with spring and coil construction, blue upholstered seats with multi-colored trim. The chairs with a pierced back splat and the whole resting upon ...
Category

Late 19th Century Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Mahogany

Set of Six Biedermeier Ash Dining Chairs, Central Germany, c. 1830/35
Located in Southampton, NY
Set of Six Biedermeier Ash & Ebony Inlaid Dining Chairs, Central Germany, c. 1830-35. A rare set of six dining chairs, ash wood, ebony inlay banding, Biedermeier, Central Germany, c....
Category

Early 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Ash, Ebony

19th Century Fine Set of Four Biedermeier Chairs. Vienna, c. 1825.
Located in Vienna, AT
Hello, These fine set of four Viennese Biedermeier cherry chairs from c, 1825 is the best example of an early Viennese Biedermeier which reflect innovative design and highest quality...
Category

Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Cherry

Swedish Biedermeier Dining Chairs Mixed Set of 16 Flame Qulit Golden Birch 1800s
Located in Lewes, England
Biedermeier dining chairs in rare mixed set of 18 antique Swedish with flame + quilt golden birch veneers with the distinctive curved seat back, differing carved central motifs and g...
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Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Birch

19th Century Biedermeier Set of Four Walnut Armchairs
Located in Darmstadt, DE
The rare set consists of four solid walnut armchairs from the Biedermeier period. The armchairs are newly upholstered and very well restored. The seat height is relatively high, so y...
Category

Early 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Five antique chairs, Northern Europe, around 1890. After renovation.
Located in Chorzów, PL
A set of antique chairs from the late 19th century, Northern Europe. Furniture in very good condition, after professional renovation. Chair seats covered with new fabric. Dimension...
Category

1890s Norwegian Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Biedermeier Squared Walnut and Geometric Green Velvet Austrian Chairs, 1850
Located in Rome, IT
Four beautiful Biedermeier chairs with an unmistakable design, Walnut wood for the structure and a beautiful geometric green velvet for the seat, note the particular design of the ba...
Category

1850s Austrian Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Velvet, Cherry

Birch Hand-Carved and Ebonized Biedermeier Dining Chairs
Located in New York, NY
A pair of armchairs crafted of solid birch, the classically curved back crest adorned with a carved, ebonized fan motif and sabre legs. The armchairs boast a pair of whimsical, eboni...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Birch

Antique chairs, Northern Europe, circa 1880.
Located in Chorzów, PL
Antique chairs from the end of the 19th century. The furniture is in very good condition, after professional renovation, the seats have been covered with a new fabric. Dimensions: h...
Category

1880s Unknown Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Beech

Set of Mid-19th Century Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant set of eight Continental 19th century Biedermeier st. Cherrywood and ebonized Fruitwood dining chairs. The set consists of two arm chairs and six side chairs each raised b...
Category

19th Century Unknown Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Cherry, Fruitwood

4 Original antique Biedermeier Chairs Solid Mahogany, circa 1840
Located in Berlin, DE
4 original Biedermeier chairs solid mahogany with leather seats. the front legs are turned.
Category

20th Century German Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Mahogany

Early 19th Century Biedermeier Cherry-Tree Austrian Side Chair, 1820s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Biedermeier restored side chair Period: 1820-1829 Source: Austria Material: Cherry tree.
Category

Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Cherry, Lacquer

Set of six Neoclassical Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs, 1810-20
Located in Leimen, DE
Neoclassical Walnut Chairs, Germany 1810 Discover a stunning collection of Neoclassical Walnut Chairs originating from Southern Germany, dating back to approximately 1810-1820. These...
Category

1810s German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Walnut

19th Century antique 4 Biedermeier Saber Legs Chairs Solid Mahogany
Located in Berlin, DE
4 chairs of the German Biedermeier. Solid mahogany. The striking shape with the wide-legged saber legs and the encircling backrest board was rediscovered in classicism, circa 1800. I...
Category

19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Mahogany

Biedermeier dining room chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Biedermeier dining room chairs for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage dining room chairs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, walnut and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Biedermeier dining room chairs made in a specific country, there are Europe, Germany, and Austria pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original dining room chairs, popular names associated with this style include Biedermeier, Mastercraft, Morelato, and Baker Furniture Company. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for dining room chairs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,100 and tops out at $24,000 while the average work can sell for $4,436.

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