, second half of fourteenth century BC) , bronze, seventh-ninth century. Paris, France , Italy Folding chairs or stools were used as seating in the Mediterranean area in the fifteenth–thirteenth century BC. Folding chairs also were used as grave goods in the richest graves. A folding chair of ebony and ivory with gold fittings was found in
Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt. Folding chairs were used in
Ancient Egypt,
Minoan Greece, and
Ancient Rome, as well as during the
Nordic Bronze Age and the Medieval Period. The frame was mostly made of wood, and seldom made of metal. The wood was inlaid with artistic carvings, gilded, and decorated with
ivory. In
Northern Europe, the remains of more than 18 folding chairs are known dating back to the
Nordic Bronze Age. The Guldhøj chair, was found near
Vamdrup, Denmark. The ancient
Daensen folding chair and another one dated to Medieval times in Endsee were found in graves in southeastern Germany. In China, folding stools date to at least the 2nd century with full folding chairs (Jiaoyi) being first seen in the
Song dynasty from the 10th century onwards. The folding chair became widespread during the
Middle Ages. Folding chairs called
faldstools were treasured as
liturgical furniture pieces, used by
bishops when not residing at their own
cathedral. In the United States, an early patent for a folding chair was by John Cram in 1855. On July 7, 1911, Nathaniel Alexander patented a folding chair whose main innovation was including a book rest. In 1947, Fredric Arnold created the first aluminum folding chair with fabric strapping for the seat and back. By 1957, the Fredric Arnold Company of Brooklyn, New York, was manufacturing more than 14,000 chairs per day. In 2024, folding chairs often are made of hard plastic, metal, or wood. ==Modern designs==