Medieval Architectural Elements
MEDIEVAL STYLE
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.
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Item Ships From: USA
Style: Medieval
Gothic Architectural Church Spire or Steeple Pivoting Shrine Distressed Finish
Located in Topeka, KS
Marvelous antique Gothic Architectural Ecclesiastic church spire or steeple with pivoting shrine & distressed finish. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that this is vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear even if it has been refinished or restored. Specifically, there are pieces of wood missing throughout the structure and it has an all-over distressed patinated finish. A lower back support was added and a slatted back piece for stability by our professional craftsmen. It has also been reglued and re nailed for stability. Please see photos, zoom in for details, and see long description as they are part of the condition report. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Circa, 18th to 19th Century.
WOW!!! What have we HERE??? Is it a Spire? YES! Is it a Steeple? YES! Well, isn’t it kind of a Tower? Also, YES!!! And it is MAGNIFICENT!!! We have a GORGEOUS mid to late 19th Century Gothic Architectural Ecclesiastic church spire or steeple with a pivoting center shrine bearing a “perfectly imperfect” distressed finish. The use of spires, steeples, and towers on Christian church buildings became common around the eighth century! Spires were (and still are) most commonly used in Gothic architecture… particularly in cathedrals and churches symbolizing heavenly aspirations as well as offering a visual spectacle of extreme height exhibiting tall steeples symbolically pointed to heaven. It serves to remind all who worship Him that God should be held above all else as He sits at the highest point. Isn’t that interesting?? Honestly, we think this whole spectacle is nothing short of incredible!! It has four extra tall hand carved, sculpted spires and two lower ones in front just below the beautifully sculpted cross in the center. It is covered in hand carved Gothic details and features a pivoting center shrine which was most likely used to hold a chalice or the communion offering during church service. It is comprised of patinated wood and bears an all-over distressed finish and throughout the entire frame pieces of wood are missing here and there… it is absolutely beautiful in its rustic-ness! It already had the dark wood box behind the rotating shrine so we added a lighter wood support below and a slatted back piece and front stretcher to give the structure stability. When we obtained it we were told a fun story from a man that claimed it came from an old church in New Orleans… oooooooh!!! Not sure if it’s factual but it’s a cool story! We think it would make an awesome PET PALACE!! That’s right!!! The open bottom would be a great space to place a dog bed or a litter pan for you cat lovers and then set your furry friends’ food & water bowls above. Talk about the ultimate Cat Castle or Royal Residence for Rover!!!! OR… if you are into gaming and love yourself some Minecraft… talk about bringing your Sanctum build to life!! It would be an AWESOME shrine to display or store your gaming components and collectibles!! It’s a wonderful way to exhibit a lovely sculpture...
Category
Late 18th Century American Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Wood, Paint
Rare Antique French Carved Limestone Gargoyle Scupper, Pre-1700
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved from French limestone, this rare gargoyle architectural has a wonderful cream finish with white accents and centuries’ worth of accumulation, resulting in areas of gold a...
Category
17th Century French Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Stone, Limestone
European Religious Bronze Sculpture Fragment on 19th Century Marble Pedestal
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Religious Bronze Fragment Sculpture on a 19th Century Column Marble Pedestal. These two object have been "married" later, meaning they were two separate items put together at a later...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Pair of Polychrome Terra Cotta Architecturals or Wall Consoles, France, C. 1850
Located in Dallas, TX
Recently discovered in a secluded private chapel nestled within the enchanting Loire Valley in central France, this remarkable pair of mid-19th century polychrome terra cotta archite...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Terracotta
Pair of Antique Oak Corbels / Wall Brackets
Located in Pomona, CA
An old and interesting pair of Oak Corbels featuring nicely carved figureheads. The figureheads of bearded men are draped in a headscarf made up of O...
Category
1880s English Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Oak
Rare Monumental Italian Carved Carrara Marble Model of a Cathedral
Located in New York, NY
A Rare and Monumental Italian Carved Carrara Marble Model of a Cathedral, Rome, 19th century, circa 1840.
Possibly a representation of Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence Italy.
The Italian Renaissance is renowned for its magnificent works of art and architecture, which are admired to this day for their grandeur and intricate details. Among the most impressive examples of this era are the rare and monumental carved Carrara marble models of cathedrals...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Carrara Marble
Solid Brass French Architectural Element or Planter Jardinières
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Acquired in Paris France, an architectural element that is solid brass. The piece is very detailed and architectural. A wonderful paperweight or decorative object standing alone... also could hold office supplies...
Category
20th Century French Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Brass
Large Size Gothic Bronze Calvary Baptist Church Directory West 57th St NYC
Located in New York, NY
Original bronze Calvary Baptist Church directory retrieved from a Gothic style church At 123 West 57th St in NYC. Needs restoration. Please note, thi...
Category
Early 20th Century American Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Bronze
Rare 16th Century Architectural Stone Capital from France
Located in Dallas, TX
This rare fragment was salvaged from an entryway on a building in Fontvieille, near the city ancient Arles, France. There is a worn and carved center cartouche depicting a very small...
Category
16th Century French Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Stone
NYC Architectural Element circa Turn of the Century Plaster Face
Located in Wallkill, NY
NYC Architectural Element Circa Turn of the Century. A stunning example of the beauty of NYC Architectural design. Depicted is a Plaster Face of a person ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Plaster
16th Century Late Gothic Limestone Gargoyle
Located in Richmond, VA
A late Gothic limestone gargoyle water spout. Original iron bracket in central gutter. Stunning hairline cracking in stone due to old age. Perfect o...
Category
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Limestone
Period Gothic Oak Trunk or Chest Façade from Picardie France, circa 1550
Located in Dallas, TX
Often when centuries-old trunks did not survive the passage of time, 19th-century menuisiers (French woodworkers) would salvage the surviving wood and carve new furniture such as desks and similar trunks. The facade was typically the most ornate section of these antique trunks, making intact frontages highly valued antiques. Hand-carved from oak in Picardie, France, circa 1550, this period Gothic architectural is a beautiful example of an antique trunk facade that was not incorporated into a more recent furnishing. Picardie is a former administrative region in northern France that is home to many Gothic cathedrals. The Amiens Cathedral (mid-13th century) is the largest standing cathedral in Europe and is truly a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.
Our trunk frontage has five vertically oriented inset panels embellished with various forms of Gothic tracery, including high-arching niches...
Category
16th Century French Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Metal, Iron
15th C Gothic Tabernacle 4 ft.+ Rare Architectural Religious Art, Museum Quality
Located in Vero Beach, FL
15th century period Gothic Tabernacle, extremely rare (Medieval) architectural religious art, museum quality ecclesiastical altar piece.
This is an ...
Category
15th Century and Earlier German Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Wood, Paint
Monumental Limestone Cathedral Spires
Located in Baltimore, MD
We are offering two late 19th century monumental limestone finials, rescued from a Baltimore cathedral. Each spire is made up of fifteen individual carved stone blocks. The stones can be dry-stacked or permanently mortared together.
Stonework on this scale is only rarely available for sale in the United States. This is a unique opportunity to own a grand garden folly...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Limestone
English Renaissance Carved Oak Paneled Room
Located in New York, NY
English Renaissance (Tudor-16th Century) oak carved linen fold design paneled room with a mantle, overmantle carving and a Pair of spindle design open doo...
Category
16th Century British Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Oak
Dutch Gothic Oak and Giltwood Steeple
Located in New York, NY
Dutch Gothic style (19th Century) oak and gilt filigree carved 4 section steeple (Provenance: a Dutch church 108 Utrechtsestraat St., Amsterdam).
Category
19th Century Dutch Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Oak
Bronze Woman Sculpture Bookend
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wonderful sculptural figure of a lady, intricate in detail and wearing women's medieval attire and hat.
A good weight at 18 lbs - use as a heavy duty bookend, decor or door sto...
Category
Early 20th Century French Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Bronze
Antique Stone surround Architectural Element wall fountain back Sculpture LA CA
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Circa 1400's A beautiful and rare Gothic 15th century carved stone window surround architectural element. We had this item priced at our cost for a...
Category
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Stone
Mid-19th Century English Cast Iron Commodities Scale, Marked Birmingham
Located in Charleston, SC
A large 19th century English cast iron scale, circa 1840, marked Birmingham, England and features scrolling decorative and organic elements. It was purchased in the U.S. and would ha...
Category
19th Century British Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Iron
1890s Pair of Gothic Cast Iron Building Cornice Details
Located in New York, NY
Pair of cast iron ornaments from a 1890s Gothic building cornice. These make great bookends or other mantel piece décor. Priced as a pair. Please note...
Category
1890s American Antique Medieval Architectural Elements
Materials
Iron
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Vintage Italian Carrara Marble Sculpture of David
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Antique Entrance Door, in Carved Brown Chestnut, to Restored, 1700, Italy
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Antique Limestone Fireplace Mantel from France
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Pair of Large Architectural Iron Wall Hanging
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Heavily Carved Antique Ebonized Hall Tree
Located in Bridgeport, CT
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Medieval architectural elements for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Medieval architectural elements for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage architectural elements created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include building and garden elements, decorative objects, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with stone, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Medieval architectural elements made in a specific country, there are Europe, United Kingdom, and France pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for architectural elements differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $183 and tops out at $275,000 while the average work can sell for $8,417.
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