Louis Xvi Highboy

Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.

Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.

Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.

The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.

Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Antique, new and vintage dressers are a staple in any household. Whether it’s a 19th-century solid pine or oak Welsh kitchen dresser you’re using to store tableware or a Broyhill Brasilia highboy in your bedroom, these furniture fixtures are essential for making the most of your space.

The first step in finding the perfect dresser is considering your particular needs. Most tall dressers offer anywhere from five to seven drawers, essentially allowing for the organization of an entire wardrobe, while shorter, waist-height dresser varieties can be equipped with a convenient vanity mirror.

A highboy dresser is usually around six feet tall, with some versions standing even taller at seven feet or so. Highboys, which began to appear with frequency during the early 17th century in England, are essentially very tall dressers with lots of drawers, whereas a lowboy is a different type of storage furniture in that it's a dressing table with one or two rows of drawers. 

When shopping for your antique or vintage dresser, consider those that bear the hallmarks of solid construction. Good furniture means making an investment, and solid hardwood pieces of maple, walnut or cherry will prove far more durable than a bedroom dresser made of particleboard.

If you’re looking for a mid-century modern case piece that boasts a subdued pairing of wood grains and uncomplicated drawer pulls, browse elegant dressers designed by Florence Knoll, Harvey Probber, Paul McCobb and other furniture makers associated with the celebrated style on 1stDibs. 

Dressers characterized by bolder designs are also popular: Not only will your new piece of furniture be a storage solution, but it'll also make a statement.

Art Deco furniture makers preferred to work with dark woods and typically incorporated decorative embellishments. An ornately carved French or Italian Art Deco dresser complete with vanity mirror and cabriole scrolled feet might better complement the other pieces in your home. Alternatively, if you favor sumptuous antique furniture with curving lines and floral flourishes, the collection on 1stDibs also includes sophisticated 1800s-era Victorian walnut dressers and washstands with marble tops.

After all, a good case piece isn’t merely for minimizing clutter in your space. The style of your chosen dresser and its specific attributes should add something to your decor and your home. Modern creations include one-of-a-kind shapes, like the venturesome chests of drawers in leather, marble and wood crafted by the likes of Roberto Cavalli.

Explore a broad array of antique and vintage dressers today on 1stDibs.