Willow Adirondack Chairs
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Patio and Garden Furniture
Cotton, Linen, Wicker, Rattan, Wood
People Also Browsed
Mid-20th Century Philippine Chippendale Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Rattan
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Rocking Chairs
Leather, Oak
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Rattan
Mid-20th Century Regency Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Rocking Chairs
Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century American Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Rocking Chairs
Cane, Wood
20th Century American Organic Modern Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Fabric, Rattan
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Fabric, Bamboo, Rattan
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass, Steel
Antique 19th Century Victorian Rocking Chairs
Wicker, Rattan, Wood
20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Rattan
Antique 19th Century English Rocking Chairs
Wood
1910s Post-Impressionist Landscape Prints
Lithograph
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Willow
Recent Sales
Vintage 1940s American Adirondack Dining Room Chairs
Antique Early 1900s American Adirondack Rocking Chairs
Willow
Antique Late 19th Century American American Craftsman Armchairs
Wood
Vintage 1920s American Primitive Armchairs
Willow
Vintage 1910s American Adirondack Armchairs
Willow
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Patio and Garden Furniture
Cotton, Linen, Wicker, Reed, Wood, Willow
Vintage 1940s American Adirondack Side Chairs
Reed
Vintage 1940s American Adirondack Tables
Oak
Vintage 1930s American Adirondack Lounge Chairs
Bentwood
Vintage 1930s American Adirondack Patio and Garden Furniture
Metal
A Close Look at adirondack Furniture
Evoking rusticity and relaxation through simple and elegant designs, vintage Adirondack furniture originated in the Adirondack Mountains of northeastern New York. The most famous piece is the Adirondack chair, which dates to 1903.
With its ample armrests and sturdy but comfortable slanted seat, the reclined Adirondack chair was designed by Thomas Lee for his own country home. The postwar golden age of modern patio and garden furniture production — led by the likes of Brown Jordan, Knoll, Salterini and Woodard — was decades away at the time, and there were few pieces of furniture specifically created for outdoor use.
Lee, a Massachusetts-born Harvard graduate raised in a wealthy family, was no furniture designer. He merely needed a durable, rugged chair for afternoons in the sun while he was vacationing on Lake Champlain in Westport, New York, in the summer. The amateur woodworker used just one wooden plank cut into 11 segments that were jointed together for his now-legendary seat, which is said to have been made of hemlock, hickory or basswood.
The story of the Adirondack chair continues with Lee’s friend, carpenter Harry Bunnell, covertly patenting the chair and going on to produce it as the Westport Plank chair for a growing audience over the next two decades. Over a century later, the Adirondack chair has gone through several design evolutions while maintaining its popularity and basic form with slats of wood such as pine offering comfort both indoors and out.
The widespread demand for rustic Adirondack outdoor furniture was bolstered by the turn-of-the-century establishment of rural escapes to treat diseases such as tuberculosis. The low-slung Adirondack chair became common in these places of convalescence, allowing patients to recline and breathe in the country air. It also complemented the camp-style architecture that was prevalent in the Adirondacks for recreation as well as restoration, where rugged furniture with exposed wood and minimal carving filled interiors and wide porches.
Today, Adirondack chairs are made in a range of materials and can be found around the world, from ski resorts to lakeside piers, their durability and classic form making them an enduring favorite for spending time in nature.
Find vintage Adirondack chairs, benches, lounge chairs, decorative objects, folk art and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021The difference between an Adirondack chair and a Muskoka chair can be easily explained in that garden armchairs are called Adirondack in the USA and Muskoka in Canada. While they both have short legs, bent reclining seats, wide armrests and high backs, the Adirondack chair is 2 inches higher from the floor and 2 inches wider. The Adirondack chair uses a flat yoke at the back while Muskoka might use curved yokes. Shop for an Adirondack chair or Muskoka chair on 1stDibs.