The History of Folding Chairs

Early versions of the folding chair date back thousands of years, all the way to ancient times. During the Middle Ages, churches often used them, but the modern folding chair didn’t begin to take shape until 1855, when an American inventor named John Cram patented his folding chair design. Additional inventors then improved upon Cram’s design. In 1931, Philip E.G. Harrison patented the first modern folding chair. It featured a metal frame with a fabric seat and back. However, it was difficult to mass produce. In 1956, Fredric Arnold filed a patent for a simple folding chair that could be easily mass produced – and the rest is history!