$14,400
H 72.25 in W 33.5 in D 17 in
Linke Style Louis XV Curio / Vitrine Cabinet 19th-20th Century, Bombe Inlaid
By François Linke
Located in Manhasset, NY
F. Linke style Louis XV Curio / Vitrine cabinet, 19th-20th century. This bombe shaped parquetry and
Bronze
French Louis XV Style Hand-Painted Curio Vitrine Cabinet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Accents, Original Skeleton Key Style: French Louis XV This elegant curio vitrine cabinet exemplifies
Brass
$2,625Sale Price|30% Off
H 83 in W 59 in D 20.5 in
Louis XV Style French Provincial Fruitwood China Display Cabinet Bookcase Curio
Located in Dayton, OH
Large and impressive Louis XV / French Provincial style display cabinet, circa 1990. Features a
Glass, Mirror, Fruitwood
$2,000
H 78 in W 48 in D 20 in
French Louis XV Style Reproduction Bombe Curio China Cabinet Vitrine with Bronze
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Louis XV Style Reproduction Bombe Curio China Cabinet Vitrine with Bronze Ormolu
Glass, Wood
$2,200
H 70.5 in W 30.5 in D 17 in
Antique French Louis XV Style Green Distress Painted Curved Glass Curio Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Louis XV Style Green Distress Painted Curved Glass Curio Cabinet. Item features a
Glass, Wood
$7,500
H 74.5 in W 39 in D 17.5 in
French Louis XV Mahogany Hand Painted Curved Glass Vernis Martin Curio Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Louis XV Style Carved Mahogany Hand Painted Curved Glass Vernis Martin Curio Cabinet
Glass, Mahogany
$2,500
H 63.5 in W 26.5 in D 16 in
Antique French Louis XV Style Bronze Mount Hand Painted Curio Display Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
. Antique French Louis XV Style Bronze Mount Hand Painted Curio Display Cabinet. Item features a hand
Glass, Mahogany
$4,800
H 66.5 in W 29.5 in D 17 in
French Louis XV Small Walnut Floral Inlay Style Corner Curio China Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Louis XV Style Small Walnut Satinwood Inlay Corner Curio China Cabinet. Item
Satinwood, Walnut
$2,000
H 52 in W 26 in D 13 in
Vintage French Louis XV Style Small Bowed Glass Inlaid Curio Display Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
. Vintage French Louis XV Style Small Bowed Glass Inlaid Curio Display Cabinet. Item features curved bowed
Bronze
$3,900
H 66 in W 27 in D 14 in
Louis XV Style Bronze Mounted Hand Painted / Decorated Curio Vitrine Cabinet
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Elevate your living space with this Antique Louis XV Style Bronze-Mounted Curio Vitrine Cabinet, a
Upholstery, Glass, Wood, Paint
$1,240Sale Price|20% Off
H 55 in Dm 13 in
Antique French Louis XV Gilt Bow Front Curio "Vitrine" Cabinet - W7763 SALE 20%
Located in Shamokin Dam, PA
Antique French Louis XV Gilt Bow Front Curio "Vitrine" Cabinet design - W7763 This is an
Glass, Oak
$9,200Sale Price|20% Off
H 31 in W 35 in D 23.5 in
19th Century Louis XV Style Curio Display Table, Mahogany with Bronze Mounts
Located in Vero Beach, FL
19th century Louis XV style curio display table, mahogany with bronze mounts French Louis XV
Bronze
$26,000
H 66.75 in W 61 in D 22 in
French Renaissance Louis XV Style Figural Carved Walnut Curio Display Buffet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Renaissance Louis XV Style Figural Carved Walnut Curio Display Buffet. Item features
Glass, Walnut
$1,800
H 51 in W 25 in D 14.5 in
Antique French Louis XV Style Petite Curio Etagere with Satinwood Inlay & Mirror
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Louis XV Style Petite Curio Etagere with Satinwood Inlay & Mirror. Item features a
Mirror, Satinwood
$555
H 53.5 in W 26 in D 14 in
Vernis Martin French Curio Cabinet Bronze Mounts and Hand Painted Panels
By Vernis Martin
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Distressed paint but structurally sound and tight, Vernis Martin vitrine with hand painted panels, bronze mounts and curved glass. Has working lockset & key. Three glass shelves all ...
Bronze
$4,140
H 62 in W 40 in D 14 in
Double Glass Doors French Inlayed Marble Top Curio Cabinet Book Case MINT
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Double Glass Doors French Inlayed Marble Top Curio Cabinet Book Case MINT
Marble
Vintage Carved French Louis XV-Style Cherry Curio
Located in Livingston, NJ
be well displayed in this Louis XV-style curio. This piece features rich carvings and all brass
Cherry
Unavailable
H 74.5 in W 48.5 in D 19 in
1930s French Louis XV Style Inlaid and Lacquered Curio Cabinet
Located in Richmond, VA
Offered is an exquisite, Louis XV style inlaid lacquered cabinet, circa 1930s, France. This elegant
Bronze
Unavailable
H 41 in W 28 in D 7 in
19th Century Louis XV Giltwood & Glass Curio & Display Cabinet 3 Shelves
Located in Lakewood, NJ
A french Louis XV style curio cabinet of expert craftsmanship. Very light but sutrdy, brass
Glass, Fruitwood, Giltwood
Unavailable
H 54.5 in W 42 in D 17 in
French Provincial Louis XV Inlaid Kingwood Bronze Ormolu Vitrine Curio Cabinet
Located in Charlotte, NC
An exquisite reproduction of a French Provincial Louis XV style vitrine, unbranded. Walnut with
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Unavailable
H 110 in W 43 in D 20 in
19th Century French Carved Oak and Vernis Martin Painted Corner Curio
Located in Miami, FL
Large French carved oak and Vernis Martin painted corner curio cabinet with concave glass door
Oak
Fine 19th Century French Louis XV Curio Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
Magnificent French Louis XV gilt bronze mounted curio cabinet. Having shaped front, detailed and
Wood
Antique Pair of Glass French Louis XV Curio Vitrine Cabinets
Located in North York, ON
These stunning curio cabinets were made in America around the 1930s. Gorgeous rosewood and walnut
Rosewood, Walnut
Antique French Louis XV Carved Vitrine ~ Curio Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique French Louis XV Carved Vitrine ~ Curio Cabinet will make a splendid display case for your
Brass
Louis XV Style Circular Giltwood Lighted Curio Vitrine Showcase
Located in Manhasset, NY
A wonderful Louis XV style clover circular giltwood lighted curio vitrine showcase. This simply
Wood
Louis XV Style Circular Giltwood Lighted Curio Vitrine Showcase
Located in Manhasset, NY
A wonderful Louis XV style clover circular giltwood lighted curio vitrine showcase. This simply
Wood
Matching Vintage French Louis XV Style Lighted Vitrine Curio Cabinets
Located in Big Flats, NY
Pair of matching vintage French Louis XV style vitrine curio cabinets feature glass sides and front
Glass, Wood
Sold
H 68.25 in W 20.5 in D 15 in
Vintage French Louis XV Style Narrow Walnut Glass Display Cabinet Curio
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Louis XV Style Narrow Walnut Display Cabinet Curio. Item features hand painted
Glass, Walnut
Pair of Vintage French Louis XV Style Lighted Vitrine Curio Cabinets
Located in Big Flats, NY
Pair of vintage French Louis XV style vitrine curio cabinets feature glass sides and front door
Glass, Wood
Sold
H 48 in W 38 in D 17 in
19th Century Giltwood Louis XV Carved Lighted Curio Vitrine Showcase Cabinet
Located in Manhasset, NY
A 19th century giltwood Louis XV carved Curio vitrine showcase cabinet. This is simply the finest
Wood
Sold
H 36 in W 22.5 in D 9 in
Small Antique French Louis XV Style Gilt Wood Hanging Curio Cabinet C1900
Located in Big Flats, NY
Small Antique French Louis XV Style Gilt Wood Hanging Curio Cabinet C1900 Measures - 36"H x 22.5"W
Giltwood
19th Century Louis XV Style Painted French Curio Display Armoire
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
This gorgeous display armoire has been painted in a soft oyster white finish, with time worn patina. The walnut armoire has three working doors, that open and close with ease. The in...
Fruitwood, Glass
Sold
H 70 in W 40 in D 17.5 in
French Louis XV Style Inlaid Curio Cabinet, Display Cabinet, Display Case
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a beautiful example of Louis XV style furniture. This curio cabinet is made exceptionally
Bronze
Sold
H 68 in W 30 in D 15 in
Vintage French Louis XV Style Half Round Demilune Lighted Curio Display Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Louis XV Style Half Round Demilune Lighted Curio Display Cabinet. Item features
Plexiglass, Wood
20th Century Louis XV Style Curio Music Antique Cabinet Cupboard
Located in Shippensburg, PA
An inordinately rich piece intended for concealing a music player during the period, this Fine cabinet was crafted during the second quarter of the 20th century using brilliant exoti...
Brass, Bronze
French Louis XV Style Giltwood Shield Shaped Curio Side Table, Early 1900
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique French Louis XV style curio occasional table features giltwood triangular napkin fold
Glass, Giltwood
Sold
H 54 in W 25 in D 15 in
Antique French Louis XV Style Small Bowed Glass Painted Curio Display Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Louis XV style small bowed glass painted curio display cabinet. Item features (3
Glass, Wood, Paint
Sold
H 101 in W 56 in D 20 in
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Style Painted Rosewood Armoire Curio Cabinet
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
Early 20th century French Louis XV style painted rosewood armoire curio cabinet painted in a soft
Rosewood
Sold
H 67 in W 36 in D 14 in
French Louis XV Vernis Martin Curved Glass Double Vitrine Curio Display Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Stunning antique Louis XV style Vernis Martin display cabinet. The French cabinet features four
Bronze
Sold
H 42 in W 25 in D 19 in
Antique French Louis XV Vernis Martin Mahogany & Ormolu Petite Curio, c 1900
Located in Big Flats, NY
French Louis XV style petite curio features mahogany frame with Vernis Martin floral decoration and
Ormolu
Antique Tulipwood Louis XV Marble Top Vitrine Curio Cabinets
Located in North York, ON
many of them for plenty of storage space. Timeless Louis XV styling and simply to die for tulipwood
Sold
H 58.5 in W 44.25 in D 16 in
Louis XV Style, Curio Cabinet, Mahogany, Bronze, Glass, France, 1910s
By François Linke
Located in Manhasset, NY
Louis XV Style, Curio Cabinet, Mahogany, Bronze, Glass, France, 1910s A stunning bow front curio
Marble, Bronze
Sold
H 69.5 in W 33 in D 17 in
Fine French Louis XV Bronze Ormolu Mounted Vitrine Curio Marquetry Cabinet
By François Linke
Located in Roslyn, NY
A very fine French Louis XV style Belle Époque mahogany and tulip wood ormolu-mounted vitrine curio
Ormolu, Bronze
Sold
H 74 in W 37 in D 16 in
Mt Airy Crotch Walnut French Provincial Louis XV China Hutch Curio Cabinet
By Mount Airy Furniture Company
Located in Dayton, OH
Mount Airy china cabinet, circa 1940s. Made from walnut with a serpentine front and crotch veneered drawers. Features carved accents, scalloped brass hardware and cabriole legs. M...
Walnut
1920s French Curio Cabinet
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Elegant French mahogany curio cabinet having a rounded front door and 2 glass side panels for
Glass, Mahogany
Sold
H 30.32 in W 20.48 in D 18.12 in
19th Century Mahogany Heart Shaped Display Curio Bijouterie Table
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful antique Edwardian inlaid mahogany and heart shaped display table in the Louis
Mahogany
19th Century French Bronze Mounted Inlaid Vitrines Curio Cabinets, Pair
Located in Manhasset, NY
Pair of compatible 19th or early 20th century French Louis XV style bronze mounted inlaid vitrines
Kingwood
Antique Distress Paint Decorated Lighted Display Curio Cabinet Vitrine
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a beautiful paint decorated display cabinet with a mesh grill insert for a light and airy feel. The cabinet dates to the 1940s and is Italian. Measures: 76 tall x 41 wide x 1...
Walnut
Sold
H 38.25 in W 18 in L 38.25 in
French 19th-20th Century Curio Vitrine Cabinet Curved Glass All Round
Located in Manhasset, NY
Vitrine or Curio that can sit center room and is serpentine shaped on all sides. The Louis XV style
Glass, Wood
Sold
H 32.5 in W 19 in D 7 in
19th Century French Louis XV Carved Walnut Two-Door Wall Vitrine Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
interior adjustable shelving including an inside bottom drawer. The narrow Louis XV style curio cabinet is
Walnut
French Louis XV Style Curio Cabinet
Located in BENSENVILLE, IL
Vintage French Louis XV style curio cabinet that we imported many years ago and just repurchased
French Louis XV Style Curio Cabinets
Located in Rochester, NY
Pair antique Louis XV style curio cabinets. Carved fruitwood. Mirrored back, two glass shelves and
Glass, Mirror, Fruitwood
Sold
H 75 in W 32 in D 19 in
Reproduction Bombe Louis XV Vitrine / Curio Cabinet, Vernis Martin Painted Scene
By François Linke
Located in Manhasset, NY
Reproduction Bombe Louis XV Vitrine / Curio Cabinet, Vernis Martin Painted Scene A decorative
Plexiglass, Wood
Sold
H 54 in W 25.5 in D 14 in
Antique French Louis XV Victorian Mahogany Bowed Glass Curio Vitrine Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Louis XV Victorian Mahogany Bowed Glass Curio Vitrine Display Cabinet. Item features
Glass, Mahogany
Sold
H 79 in W 40 in D 17 in
Antique Batesville French Provincial Louis XV Carpathian Elm China Curio Cabinet
By Batesville
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Batesville Cabinet Co French Provincial Louis XV china curio cabinet / cupboard. Made of
Glass, Elm
Sold
H 64 in W 30 in D 15 in
French Louis XV Gold Gilt Wood Vernis Martin Curved Glass Vitrine Curio Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Remarkable Late 19th century French Louis XV style gold giltwood vernis Martin curved glass curio
Giltwood, Glass, Mirror
Sold
H 60 in W 27 in D 14 in
Small French Louis XV Style Curio Vitrine Display Case Curved Glass and Inlaid
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Louis XV style demilune Curio cabinet. Item features a carved mahogany case with
Glass, Satinwood, Walnut
Sold
H 52.63 in W 27.75 in D 17 in
French Louis XV Style Mahogany Kidney Vitrine Curio Cabinet, circa 1890-1910
Located in Shippensburg, PA
perfect form, quality and size for a curio cabinet of this taste - this is a piece any collector of fine
Bronze
Jansen Mahogany Desk and Curio Cabinet
By Maison Jansen
Located in Manhasset, NY
Stamped Jansen Mahogany Desk, Curio Cabinet, Bookcase or Vitrine, Louis XVI A finely constructed
Mahogany
R.J. Horner French Style Clover Leaf Shaped Curio Cabinet
By R.J. Horner & Co.
Located in Guaynabo, PR
Louis XV style hand painted curio cabinet that its wood and glass top is shaped as a clover leaf
Wood
19th Century Country French Regence Vitrine ~ Curio Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
uncommon in those produced in the provinces, and in this case a blending of Louis XV Rococo styling at the
Brass
Sold
H 70 in W 26 in D 15 in
19th Century Curved Glass Ornate Gold-Gilded Vitrine or Curio Cabinet, France
Located in Bedford Hills, NY
Beautiful late 19th century gold-gilded vitrine or curio cabinet with curved glass, France.
Wood
Antique Louis XV Style Gilt Curved Glass Curio
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Antique Louis XV style gilt curio vitrine with crown glass on all sides. Includes key however lock
Glass, Giltwood
19th c. French Louis XV Mahogany bronze-mounted Round Curio Cabinet (K206)
Located in Miami, FL
19th c. French Louis XV Mahogany bronze-mounted Round Curio Cabinet.
Bronze
Sold
H 54.5 in W 42 in D 17 in
French Provincial Louis XV Inlaid Kingwood Bronze Ormolu Vitrine Curio Cabinet
Located in Charlotte, NC
Here is an exquisite vitrine in the French Provincial, Louis XV style. Age unknown. Made from
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Louis XV Style Gilt Curved Glass Curio
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Antique Louis XV style large gilt vitrine or curio with curved glass and bronze mounts. The top is
Glass, Giltwood
$48,260
H 36 in W 17 in D 12.25 in
Monumental Antique French Louis XVI Style Ormolu Mantel Clock by Maison Marquis
By Maison Marquis, Languereau
Located in New York, NY
A very unusual and quite monumental antique French Louis XVI style Napoleon III ormolu mantel clock by Maison Marquis, the Movement by Languereau, Paris, 1860: surmounted by an urn i...
Enamel, Bronze
$187,500
H 102 in W 84.5 in D 22.5 in
Exceptional 19th Century English Chinoiserie Pagoda Display Cabinet
Located in Houston, TX
Large-scale 19th century English display cabinet executed in the Chinoiserie tradition. Constructed in carved mahogany and conceived as a tripartite architectural façade, each glazed...
Glass, Mahogany
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
H 72.5 in W 29.75 in D 18.5 in
Carved Giltwood Bombay Serpentine Vitrine With Verdis Martin Panels c1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
Carved Giltwood Bombay Serpentine Vitrine With Verdis Martin Panels C1890 Measures - 72 1/2" x 29 3/4" x 18 1/2" This carved giltwood vitrine, dating back to circa 1890, features a...
Giltwood
French 19th Century Mahogany Louis XVI Style Bibliotheque
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A sprawling, 19th century French bibliothèque, handcrafted of mahogany with four glass-front doors to display treasured books, trophies, and other collections in an office or library...
Glass, Mahogany
Empire Display Cabinet Mahogany Bijouterie, 1880
Located in Potters Bar, GB
French Empire Style mahogany display cabinet. circa 1880 This Excellent Quality Cabinet Stands Upon Fluted Tapered Legs With a Fluted Frieze. The Single Glazed Door Featuring Ormo...
Mahogany
19th Century French Ormolu and Crystal Drinks Set
Located in London, GB
A drinks set of the Napoleon III Period The ormolu rectangular frame, rising from swept feet, with a running arcaded gallery, fitted with a mirror plate base houses a suite of fou...
Crystal, Ormolu
Antique Meissen 68-Piece Floral Dinner Service
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in London, GB
Antique Meissen 68-piece floral dinner service German, c. 1900 Largest serving dish: Height 6cm, width 52.5cm, depth 37.5cm Square salad bowl: Height 9.5cm, width 22cm, depth 22cm...
Porcelain
$13,729 / set
H 87.01 in W 41.34 in D 88.59 in
Louis XVI Style Bunk Beds/Matching Pair of Single Beds Made by La Maison London
By La Maison London
Located in London, Park Royal
Louis XVI style bunk beds, exclusive to La Maison London: Hand carved featuring a band of intricate laurel leaves along the side bars and hand finished to order (picture shows a pale...
Wood
$5,500 / set
H 2 in W 7.25 in D 10 in
English Minton Porcelain Tableware Dinner Service / Twelve People
By Minton
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Minton hand painted and decorated porcelain dinner service for twelve people. Made in England between 1948 -1970 "with impressed marks "Minton / china / 2-65" and pattern numbers in...
Gold
$60,870
H 88.98 in W 70.87 in D 94.89 in
Renaissance Style Oak Tester 4 Poster Bed Armorial Tapestry Bedspread King Size
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
A vintage king size oak tester or four poster bed in the Renaissance style. Hand carved with Adam & Eve carvings in the headboard, figurative sculptures in the bedposts, three carve...
Oak
$2,920Sale Price|20% Off
H 54.73 in W 26.38 in D 13 in
19th Century Louis XV Vitrine with Marble Top and Ormolu Mounts
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A stunning French Louis XV-style vitrine dating from the late 19th century, combining elegance, functionality, and fine craftsmanship. This display cabinet features a graceful serpen...
Bronze, Ormolu
$1,800
H 63.5 in W 44.5 in D 17.5 in
Antique American Empire Victorian Oak Wood Bowed Glass China Cabinet Curio
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique American Empire Victorian Oak Wood Bowed Glass China Cabinet Curio. Item features three curved glass panels, mirrored back, four shaped glass shelves, beautiful wood grain, w...
Glass, Oak
20th Century, Louis XV Style French Vitrine
Located in Berlin, DE
Satin wood veneer on solid pinewood. (O-Sam-193).
Wood, Satinwood, Pine
$35,000
H 30 in W 24.5 in D 18.5 in
Early 20th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Parquetry Vitrine Table by François Linke
By François Linke
Located in Long Island City, NY
A Lovely Early 20th Century Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Parquetry Vitrine Table By François Linke François Linke The oval shaped table with a beveled glass top encircled by ...
Bronze, Ormolu
$21,895Sale Price|54% Off
H 65.25 in W 29 in D 15.5 in
French Louis XV Style Belle Époque Mahogany & Ormolu-Mounted Vitrine Attr. Linke
By François Linke
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French Louis XV style Belle Époque mahogany and tulipwood ormolu-mounted vitrine cabinet with a Brêche violette marble top, attributed to François Linke (1855-1946). The ...
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century Louis XV Style French Salon Vitrine
Located in Berlin, DE
Petite French cabinet in the style of Louis XV Rococo. Bois-Satiné veneer, all-round surface-covering mirror veneer on solid conifers. High-rise, one-armed, cambered body, three-sid...
Marble
The style of 18th-century French furniture was guided by the court. When Louis XV, who reigned from 1715–74, focused royal life on the smaller salons of Versailles rather than its grand chambers, it transformed the aesthetics away from the imposing and angular furniture that characterized the style of Louis XIV. A broader focus on comfort and more delicate forms define antique Louis XV furniture, with nature-inspired carvings, wood inlays, curved cabriole legs, asymmetrical shapes and rounded oval seat backs. The furnishings changed throughout the king’s life, as he ascended to the throne as a child and then grew to establish his own tastes.
Pieces like the bergère, an upholstered armchair with a wide cushion that fit the flowing dresses in fashion at the time, reflected this more informal court. Introduced at the start of Louis XV’s reign, bergère chairs in this style were deeper and broader than other chairs of the period.
Louis XV tapestries and carpets tended to be floral and colorful, and design elements were borrowed from Asia. Dutch-born cabinetmaker Bernard van Risenburgh brought lacquer techniques influenced by Japan and China into his luxuriously made furniture. Along with its fine details, the furniture of the era also featured new innovations including mechanical devices. Jean François Oeben, a royal cabinetmaker, created such intricate pieces as a mechanical table for Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress. It involved a sliding top and a writing surface that extended from its marquetry panels.
During the later years of Louis XV’s reign, there was a shift from the ostentatious rocaille style, part of the exuberantly decorative Rococo movement in Europe for which designers such as Nicolas Pineau and Juste-Aurèle Meissonier are known. The style under Louis XVI would return to boxier forms, but with a neoclassical touch inspired by the ancient world.
Find antique Louis XV bedroom furniture, seating, tables and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items.
In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior.
Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time.
Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room.
In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.
A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.
Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.