Chairs are often seen as simple, functional pieces of furniture. But for some, they are valuable pieces of art, history, and design, commanding prices that reach into the millions. Below is a countdown of the world's most expensive chairs, and the fascinating stories behind them.

Please be aware that these prices are in US dollars and have been taken from multiple sources, so true value may be higher in today's market. 

1. The Wegner Chair - $15,000 - $20,000
   The Wegner chair, a masterpiece of Danish design, initially appears minimalistic, but its value lies in the high-quality materials and craftsmanship that go into its making. This chair, made from leather, wood and chrome piping, blends luxurious comfort with sleek aesthetics to suit modern and minimalist homes. 
   
2. The "Panda Banquete" Chair - Over $100,000
   With only 25 copies of the Campana brothers designed Panda chair, the highest selling copy of it has been sold for slightly upwards of $100,000. The Campana brothers are famed Brazilian furniture designers, most celebrated fo their design of the "Vermelha chair". The "Panda Banquete" has a structure of 100% steel, but is made from stuffed Panda's, sewn directly onto the structure, which gives the user a sensation of being engulfed by fluffy toys.
   
3. Kennedy Cabinet Chairs - $146,500
   Two Cabinet room chairs from the Kennedy Administration (with an autographed letter presentation signed by Jacqueline Kennedy), sold for $146,500 at auction in 2012. The chairs were gifted from The First Lady to Robert McNamara. Her former husband, JFK used to sit on them with his secretary. 
   
4. PlumeBlanche Diamond Encrusted - $226,000
   Ok ok ok, so it's not technically a chair... The PlumeBlanche Diamond Encrusted sofa is comfortable, but has copious amounts of diamonds. It's an odd choice for comfort, considering it's the hardest substance in the world! Leather, mahogany and latex for the sofa's main structure, but the diamond studded buttions are what makes the price tag for this item. There's also only 50 copies of it available in the world. 
   
   
5. Z-Chair By Zaha Hadid - $245,000
   Currently for sale online at just over $600,000 if you're interested in purchasing one, the Z-Chair was designed by Zaha Hadid, an Iraqi-British architect. The chair is made completely from polished stainless steel, which gives it a futuristic look. Only 25 pieces were created, which increases the price tag.
   
6. Harry Potter's Chair - $394,000
   JK Rowling’s Harry Potter Chair is definitely not here because of it's aesthetics. People are clearly willing to pay more due to it's association with the Harry Potter franchise. For many fans of JK Rowling's work, this chair will have a special meaning. It's the chair that she sat in while she wrote The Philosopher's Stone, and she's engraved the chair personally, which is why it sold in 2016 at Auction for almost $400,000! 
   
   
   
7. The Skull Chair - $500,000
   An armchair fit for a Bond villian, the Skull Chair is created from a 24 carat gold structure with black velvet seat cover. Designed by French design company Harow, it's entirely hand made. The back represents an oversized skull, with the seating aspect at the front.
   
8. Pininfarina’s Aresline Xten - $1.5 Million
   The chair for a billionaire CEO, this chair was created by the Italian house Pininfarina, responsible for the Lamborghini and Ferrari, and is worth a staggering $1.5 million each. The world's most expensive office chair on the market has been created for the uber-rich CEO's of the Middle East luxury market. The price is due to the expensive material used for cushioning called "Technogel" which conforms to the body's contour and reduces seating pressure and fatigue by 60%. 
   
9. The Marc Newson Lockheed Lounge Chair - $3.7 Million
   Australian-born designer Mark Newson's Lockhead Lounge set a record when it sold in 2015 at auction. It was originally designed in 1990 and featured in Madonna's 1993 music video for "Rain". The lounge chair is formed from thin plates of aluminium, welded together, which curve around a body made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic. It's one of 10 identical pieces.
   
10. The Dragon’s Armchair - $30+ Million
    The Dragon's Armchair is a piece of furniture designed by Irish architect and designer Eileen Gray between 1917 and 1919. It sold in 2009 at auction establishing a new record for a piece of 20th century decorative art for just over $30 million, beating the old record by $22 million. The chair's first owner was Gray's patron, Suzanne Talbot. It was acquired by Parisian art dealer Cheska Vallois in 1971 for $2,700 and then sold by Vallois to the French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent in 1973. The buyer in 2009 was once again Cheska Vallios, who must have really wanted it back?!
    

While these chairs may be out of reach for most, their stories remind us that furniture can be much more than just a functional object—it can be a piece of history, art, and culture.