Windsor Chairs
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Walnut
1790s English Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Maple
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Walnut
19th Century American Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Oak
Late 18th Century American American Colonial Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
Early 19th Century American Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood, Paint
1860s English Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood, Ash
1880s English Late Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Leather, Ash, Elm
19th Century American Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
1840s English Early Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
2010s American Windsor Chairs
Maple
Early 19th Century English Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash
19th Century British Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Chestnut
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Windsor Chairs
Ash, Teak
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
Early 2000s American Hollywood Regency Windsor Chairs
Upholstery, Wood, Down
Mid-18th Century Irish Rustic Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Sycamore
Early 19th Century Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
Early 1900s English Arts and Crafts Antique Windsor Chairs
Oak
Mid-19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Windsor Chairs
Birch, Fruitwood
Late 19th Century Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
Mid-19th Century English Folk Art Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm, Ash
1890s English Arts and Crafts Antique Windsor Chairs
Brass
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Windsor Chairs
Hardwood, Ash
19th Century American Adirondack Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
1940s Danish Art Deco Vintage Windsor Chairs
Oak
1820s English Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash
Early 19th Century Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
Late 19th Century English Antique Windsor Chairs
Yew
Early 20th Century American Colonial Windsor Chairs
Pine
1890s Country Antique Windsor Chairs
Beech
20th Century American Country Windsor Chairs
Fabric, Beech, Cherry
19th Century Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Windsor Chairs
Oak
1930s British Victorian Vintage Windsor Chairs
Ash
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood, Ash, Elm
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Windsor Chairs
Yew
19th Century English George IV Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood, Ash, Elm, Yew
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Windsor Chairs
Bouclé, Ash
19th Century Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
19th Century English George III Antique Windsor Chairs
Yew, Elm
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Windsor Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
Late 19th Century English Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm, Oak, Yew
19th Century Unknown Rustic Antique Windsor Chairs
Hardwood
18th Century British George II Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm, Walnut
Late 20th Century British Country Windsor Chairs
Beech
19th Century English Antique Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
Early 20th Century American Other Windsor Chairs
Maple, Paint
18th Century Georgian Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
18th Century English George III Antique Windsor Chairs
Yew
20th Century Windsor Chairs
Metal
19th Century American Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm
Early 19th Century Primitive Antique Windsor Chairs
Wood
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Windsor Chairs
Hardwood, Paint
1850s Early Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century English Queen Anne Windsor Chairs
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
Beech
Early 2000s Slovenian Country Windsor Chairs
Hardwood, Oak, Bentwood
1830s English Victorian Antique Windsor Chairs
Elm, Yew
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.