With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the French provincial antique dining set you’re looking for. Frequently made of
wood,
natural fiber and
ceramic, every French provincial antique dining set was constructed with great care. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer French provincial antique dining set, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. A French provincial antique dining set made by
Louis XV designers — as well as those associated with
Victorian — is very popular. Many designers have produced at least one well-made French provincial antique dining set over the years, but those crafted by
Saint Clément,
Lebeuf Milliet & Cie Creil Montereau and
Sarreguemines are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
A French provincial antique dining set can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $1,851, while the lowest priced sells for $109 and the highest can go for as much as $25,500.
Removed from the fashions of the court, French Provincial style developed in the provinces of the country, such as Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, French Provincial furniture was not as ostentatious as the designs being produced for the royal palaces, but elegant S-shape cabriole legs and ornate carvings elevated the sturdy chairs, sofas, tables and bedroom furniture intended for everyday use.
Although it varies by region, antique French Provincial furniture is unified by solid construction and an artisanal attention to design. While this furniture often followed the metropolitan trends — including the Rococo or neoclassical aesthetics of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — since it was produced in the French countryside it was more subdued with nods to its rustic settings.
Local materials like fruitwoods, oak, beech and walnut were used to construct large French Provincial armoires for storage and comfortable armchairs with rush-woven seats. Wrought-iron elements and carvings like floral details and scallop patterns were common as ornamentation. Furniture was frequently painted white or other muted colors that coordinated with gilt and would acquire a patina of age over time. Other wood was just stained with vibrant fabric such as toile de Jouy, which sometimes depicted pastoral scenes, adding color as upholstery.
The style arrived in the United States after World War I, with soldiers returning home wanting furniture like what they had seen in the rural homes and castles of France. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, designer John Widdicomb split from his family business, the Widdicomb Furniture Company, and had been focusing on Louis XV– and French Provincial–style furnishings since the early 1900s. Other American manufacturers such as Baker, Drexel, Henredon and Thomasville also responded to demand. Today antique French Provincial pieces and reproductions continue to be popular.
Find a collection of antique French Provincial dining tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.