Windsor Chairs
Early 19th Century English Folk Art Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm, Yew
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Windsor Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Maple, Paint
Late 20th Century Slovenian Arts and Crafts Windsor Chairs
Maple
Mid-19th Century British Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm, Fruitwood, Yew
1780s English Antique Windsor Chairs
Yew
1790s American Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
18th Century British Primitive Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
20th Century American Country Windsor Chairs
Wood
19th Century American Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Oak
20th Century American American Colonial Windsor Chairs
Wood
1790s English Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
Early 19th Century British Georgian Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm, Yew
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Brass
1880s American Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Brass, Steel
18th Century English Primitive Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
Mid-19th Century English Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
Early 20th Century American American Classical Windsor Chairs
Hardwood
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
Early 19th Century English Rustic Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash
18th Century English Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Walnut, Burl
18th Century Antique Windsor Chairs
Yew
Mid-19th Century European Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
Mid-19th Century English Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
Late 18th Century American American Colonial Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
19th Century Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash
Early 2000s American Hollywood Regency Windsor Chairs
Upholstery, Wood, Down
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Cherry, Oak
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Windsor Chairs
Mahogany
19th Century English Primitive Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Walnut
18th Century American Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
Early 19th Century Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
19th Century English Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Chestnut
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Rush, Walnut
Late 19th Century English Antique Windsor Chairs
Oak
1920s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Windsor Chairs
Beech
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Windsor Chairs
Yew
Late 18th Century American American Classical Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
19th Century English Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Maple
1930s English Country Vintage Windsor Chairs
Wood
Early 19th Century American Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Rustic Windsor Chairs
Hardwood
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Windsor Chairs
Hardwood, Ash
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Windsor Chairs
Ash, Teak
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Windsor Chairs
Wood
19th Century English Other Antique Windsor Chairs
Oak
1830s English Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm, Yew
Early 19th Century Primitive Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century English Country Windsor Chairs
Wood
19th Century Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
1950s Slovenian International Style Vintage Windsor Chairs
Beech
Early 19th Century English Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash
Mid-19th Century British Early Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm, Oak
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Walnut
Vintage, New and Antique Windsor Chairs
Today, antique and vintage Windsor chairs serve as timeless, elegant seating no matter what your interior design preferences might be. Given their long history and versatility, they’re definitely among the chairs you should know when furnishing your new house or apartment.
The Windsor chair originated in the early 1700s in the English town of Windsor. Their bentwood back frames are assembled with slender wooden spindles that are plugged into drill holes in the sculpted seat, which was usually made of elm and slightly sunken or dish-shaped for the sitter’s comfort. The chairs have wooden legs that splay outward to provide stability, and unlike other chair designs, the back legs have no connection to the chair back. According to legend, the Windsor gained popularity after King George III took shelter in a cottage and was invited to sit on one. He was so charmed by the humble design that he had copies made for Windsor Castle.
With the arrival of the 1730s, Windsor chairs made their way to the American colonies. A handful of Windsor chairs are said to have appeared in Philadelphia by the late 1720s, owing to Pennsylvania lieutenant governor Patrick Gordon’s fondness for the seat. Colonial furniture makers sometimes painted their Windsor chairs, which were crafted from a variety of woods such as thick pine, ash or birch. The types of Windsor chairs made in America included chairs with the bentwood bow backs that characterized the English originals as well as other types of chair backs, such as rounded sack backs, backs with tall extensions and more.
Windsor style seating, which includes side chairs, rocking chairs and more, is synonymous with lightness, durability and comfort. These chairs were attractive for their portability and gracefully simple form, which rendered the furnishings versatile. Windsor chairs were frequently used in the gardens of 18th-century country homes, where tea would be served or musical entertainment took place for a modest-sized party. Today, Windsor chairs complement various furniture styles and are a practical seating choice whether you’re outfitting your entertainment room or seeking patio furniture for meals in the great outdoors.
Not all of us have the space for a sumptuous Chesterfield armchair or wingback chair — the adaptable, admirable Windsor chair, alternatively, makes for an ideal accent chair in your living room, while a Windsor bench is a surefire finishing touch to elevate any entryway or foyer. And whether you’re mixing and matching seats for the dining table or in the market for a more streamlined look, consider the Windsor chair for either plan. Find a collection of antique and vintage Windsor chairs on 1stDibs today.