$18,867
H 10.24 in W 15.75 in D 8.67 in
Early 17th Century Medieval Handcrafted Black Iron Coffer or Box
Located in Brescia, IT
The iron coffer, fully original in every part of it, was forged and handcrafted in German in the
Iron
$13,200Sale Price|20% Off
H 28 in W 47 in D 19.5 in
Very Rare 15th C. Medieval English Carved Solid Oak Dowry Coffer with Drawer
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Exquisitely carved and well preserved Medieval England dowry coffer. Remarkable decorative "palm
Oak
$2,159
H 31.89 in W 53.55 in D 20.48 in
Very large English antique solid oak mule chest coffer with drawers from 1790
Located in Leicester, GB
An unusually large antique mule chest / coffer with handsome panelling all around. This 18th
Iron
Unavailable
H 8 in W 12 in D 7 in
A Large Impressive 19th Century Bronze Jewelry Casket Box. Circa 1860
Located in London, GB
in the form of a medieval coffer. It is superbly detailed with flowers Leaves Cherubs and decorative
Bronze
Unavailable
H 4.34 in W 7.49 in D 3.94 in
French Cast Bronze Jewelry Box Made in the Form of a Medieval Domed Top Coffer
Located in GB
form of a medieval domed topped coffer. It is superbly detailed with flowers and decorative strapwork
Bronze
Early 16th Century Gothic Coffer Strongbox
Located in Vosselaar, BE
A fantastic medieval coffer. Made from 6 wide dovetailed planks from the same chestnut tree this
Chestnut
16th Century Late Medieval Oak Linen Fold Coffer
Located in Hoddesdon, GB
A late medieval oak coffer , circa 1500 original planked lid , four panel early linen fold carved
Oak
Gothic Oak Chest – Northern France, Circa 1320–1360
Located in Bilzen, BE
Rare medieval oak coffer carved with Gothic tracery, featuring lancets and quatrefoils
Iron
Medieval 16th Century Solid Walnut Gothic Carved Coffer c. 1580
Located in Heathfield, GB
An extremely rare, large and beautiful 16th century medieval solid walnut coffer with superbly
Walnut
16th Century Belgian Coffer - B
Located in Charlotte, NC
A coffer originating in Belgium in the 16th Century. This trunk was recovered from the ruins of a
Metal
Antique Oak Coffer, 18th Century
Located in Redruth, GB
Antique oak coffer. 18th century carved oak coffer with hinged lid, plant hinged lid with three
Oak
Antique 16th Century Belgian Coffer - A
Located in Charlotte, NC
A coffer originating in Belgium in the 16th century. This trunk was recovered from the ruins of a
Metal
A rare 17th c. Fir and Chestnut Coffer
Located in New York, NY
The rectangular plank top mounted with three iron strap hinges over the case centered by three recessed square panels set within a cross motif diaper work. Provenance: Huntington An...
$34,197
H 6.3 in W 15.75 in D 5.91 in
Fossilised Skull of Prehistoric Marine Reptile the Mosasaur, 70Million Years Ago
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Upper Cretaceous, about 70-65 million years ago (Maastrichtian) Morocco The skull is reconstructed in good proportions with fossil pieces found in a phosphate mine in Morocco. I att...
Bone
$38,913
H 8.67 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Italian Sterling Silver Chess Board, Chess Game, Sodalite Marble
By Arval Argenti Valenza
Located in VALENZA, IT
Impressive sterling silver chess board medieval style chess set. The chess board, made by ARVAL ARGENTI VALENZA, was made in white marble and sodalite is supported by a STERLING SIL...
Marble, Sterling Silver
Certified Maison Bagues Ship Chandelier - iron and crystal
By Maison Baguès
Located in Paris, FR
Certified Maison Baguès Chandelier - iron and crystal Finish: Gold or Silver gilding Re-edition of its old model "Le Bateau". UL listing available for an additional charge.
Crystal, Iron
Arched Gothic Oak Cathedral Door
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
Sourced from a cathedral in the south west of England, this arched gothic front door dates from the mid 1800s. On the front, it features vertical oak plank batten construction detail...
Iron, Wrought Iron
$851
H 7.29 in W 5.52 in D 0.99 in
Antique Book, Days of King Arthur, Mythology, English, Fiction, Late Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique mythology book, Days of King Arthur by Charles Henry Hanson. An English language, hard bound fictional work with illustrations by Gustave Doré, dating to the late ...
Paper
$201,961
H 17.72 in W 18.71 in D 9.06 in
FINE CIRCA 1895 FRENCH AUTOMATON INDUSTRIAL LOCOMOTIVE MOVING GiLT BRONZE CLOCK
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this very fine and highly collectable Antique circa 1895 French Automaton Industrial Locomotive moving gilt ...
Brass
$125,000
H 42.52 in W 27.56 in D 22.84 in
Purple Museum Quality Amethyst Centerpiece Mineral Masterpiece Decorative Object
Located in London, GB
A very large, one of a kind epimorph amethyst. This piece is a visual spectacle with the natural sculptural formations of amethyst in a different variety of purple tones. Also disp...
Agate, Amethyst, Quartz
$438,688
H 70.87 in W 125.99 in D 2.17 in
Giant Crocodile Fossil Wall Plate, Germany. 180 Million Years Old.
Located in London, GB
This outstanding fossilised skeleton is that of the ancestral crocodile species Steneosaurus bollensis that lived during the early Jurassic period. The skeleton, complete with armour...
Other
Wood Low-Relief Depicting a Werewolf and Saint George
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Exceptional polychrome wood low-relief depicting a werewolf and saint george after a woodcut by lucas cranach (“DER WERWOLF” 1512) Provenance : collection Brimo de Laroussihle colle...
Wood
$290,000
H 136 in Dm 108 in
Exquisite Rotunda Structure Kiosk Copper & Carved Stone Bench Seating Columns
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Exquisite Rotunda Structure Kiosk Copper & Carved Stone Bench Seating Columns . Monumental Exquisite refined work King Charles X Period Rotunda rotundus building structure with a...
Stone, Copper
$2,298,000
H 25 in W 23.5 in D 9.25 in
Exquisite Baccarat "Elephant" 'Cave A Liquor' - Exposition Universelle 1878
By Cristalleries De Baccarat
Located in Long Island City, NY, NY
The Magnificent Baccarat Elephant Cave A Liquor: A Majestic Exploration of a Timeless Masterpiece from the Exposition Universelle of 1878. The Baccarat Elephant Cave A Liquor, (Tant...
Crystal, Bronze, Ormolu
20th Jade Sculpture with Nine Dragon Boat **** 16 Foots Large***
Located in Miami, FL
Chinese Scrib, but handcrafted in Thailand. Sixteen feet long. Rosewood base. The sculptors of this enormous boat made of jade. You will admire the details of this vessel. The dragon...
Jade
$161,569
H 90.95 in W 61.03 in D 77.56 in
IMPORTANT BISHOP JAMES STANLEY 1508 KING HENRY VII ENGLiSH OAK TUDOR TESTER BED
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this very rare and highly important, Museum quality, English Tudor King Henry VII Oak tester bed made for an...
Oak
$10,377
H 34 in Dm 29.5 in
Rare Antique Gothic Revival Bronze 12 Candle Chandelier with Gargoyle Sculptures
Located in Lisse, NL
Unique and stunning 19th century copy of a 16th century Gothic art chandelier. With another year of selling rare and beautiful antiques almost over, we are proud to offer you one of...
Bronze
$8,500
H 45 in W 52 in D 19 in
16th/17th Century Elizabethan Carved Oak Three-tier Court Cupboard Server
Located in Forney, TX
A scarce period late 16th / early 17th century with later elements Elizabethan carved oak three-tier court cupboard - sideboard server. English / Northern European; circa 1600 Ha...
Oak
$107,984
H 95.08 in W 69.89 in D 95.28 in
LARGE & IMPORTANT ANTiQUE CIRCA 1600 CHARLES I DOCUMENTED ENGLISH OAK TESTER BED
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this very rare and highly important, Museum quality, extra large framed, Documented English oak Tester bed c...
Oak
The Middle Ages in Europe followed the end of the Roman Empire, and in this time of change, which preceded the Renaissance, furniture was simple and utilitarian, with most homes having only the necessities like chests and benches. Much of medieval furniture, which was often made in oak or walnut, was built for the elite, particularly the emerging merchant class who owned multiple homes.
Life for many in the medieval era was unstable, and furniture was designed to be functional and portable. Peasants worked the fields for affluent landowners and didn’t have access to literature in the way that nobles and people of the church did (women less so than men). The furniture in their modest dwellings was typically limited to cookware and a handful of stools. Foldable chairs, while uncommon in homes of the early Middle Ages and emblematic of wealth, like all other furnishings of the time, allowed for easy transportation of a household. Trestle tables with detachable legs and collapsible beds were designed to be simply moved from place to place.
Medieval blanket chests were among the most important furniture objects and could further serve as tables or even beds. Some ancient traditions were carried forward to build this sturdy furniture, such as turnery. Although the furniture was minimally designed, embellishments like carvings added elegance to the heavy wood pieces. These details sometimes reflected trends in religious art like rose windows.
By the later Middle Ages, storage pieces like chests of drawers were often adorned with high relief carvings, such as geometric and floral motifs. By the 14th and 15th centuries, design had developed to include more involved pieces like cupboards and desks, while benches frequently doubled as chests with hinged seats. Beds also changed in this era from basic boards to four-post designs with large drapes to keep the sleeper warm. These beds and other medieval bedroom furniture were significant status symbols, passed down through families and used as places to conduct business and receive visitors.
Surviving examples of medieval furniture are very rare, yet its distinctive aesthetics influenced later styles like William and Mary and Arts and Crafts.
Find a collection of medieval seating, garden elements, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.