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Baroque Decorative Boxes

BAROQUE STYLE

The decadence of the Baroque style, in which ornate furnishings were layered against paneled walls, painted ceilings, stately chandeliers and, above all, gilding, expressed the power of the church and monarchy through design that celebrated excess. And its influence was omnipresent — antique Baroque furniture was created in the first design style that truly had a global impact.

Theatrical and lavish, Baroque was prevalent across Europe from the 17th to mid-18th century and spread around the world through colonialism, including in Asia, Africa and the Americas. While Baroque originated in Italy and achieved some of its most fantastic forms in the late-period Roman Baroque, it was adapted to meet the tastes and materials in each region. French Baroque furniture informed Louis XIV style and added drama to Versailles. In Spain, the Baroque movement influenced the elaborate Churrigueresque style in which architecture was dripping with ornamental details. In South German Baroque, furniture was made with bold geometric patterns.

Compared to Renaissance furniture, which was more subdued in its proportions, Baroque furniture was extravagant in all aspects, from its shape to its materials.

Allegorical and mythical figures were often sculpted in the wood, along with motifs like scrolling floral forms and acanthus leaves that gave the impression of tangles of dense foliage. Novel techniques and materials such as marquetry, gesso and lacquer — which were used with exotic woods and were employed by cabinetmakers such as André-Charles Boulle, Gerrit Jensen and James Moore — reflected the growth of international trade. Baroque furniture characteristics include a range of decorative elements — a single furnishing could feature everything from carved gilded wood to gilt bronze, lending chairs, mirrors, console tables and other pieces a sense of motion.

Find a collection of authentic antique Baroque tables, lighting, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Baroque
Snuff Box Monocrome Miniature Hand Painted Sterling Silver Enamel Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Round snuff box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with fired enamel on the enameled edge with vertical stripes and fine monochrome miniature hand painted by the painter Renato Dainelli. Diameter cm. 6.2 cm high. 3.4. Weight gr. 222. Designed by Franco Salimbeni in 1967 and produced in Florence in the Salimbeni company headquarters with manual workmanship by skilled artisan artists with thick slab and large reinforcements suitable for withstanding numerous high-fire enamelled firings at approximately 750 < 800° C. Miniature is a very ancient technique which consists of painting works in small proportions. It was born for the decoration of the first letter of the paragraph of the books. Over the years, however, this technique is refined and enriched, then moving on to precious personal items. Hand-painted miniatures can be done with multiple different techniques. The most important that we use on our articles are of three kinds: 1) Fire enamel. 2) Water tempera on an ivory plate. 3) Painted on mother-of-pearl. Fire enameled miniatures: On a first layer of enamel generally white or very clear or even transparent suitably liquefied at a temperature of about 750 ° C, the chosen subject is painted using miniature colors which are as many colored crystals, ground and reduced to a very fine, almost impalpable powder washed and purified in distilled water with the addition of small quantities of deoxidizing acids which, diluted with essential oils (usually essential oil of solder), can be mixed to form a palette of colors. With very fine sable hair brushes you draw the subject starting from the perimeter and then gradually adding various layers of color. It is necessary to carry out various firings very often so that the colors harden and are not absorbed by the underlying glaze as, during the subsequent firings at 750 ° C, during liquefaction, it would spread irremediably. Hence the need to form the painting a little at a time, cooking it numerous times. Therefore it is necessary to proceed with numerous retouching, often overlapping different colors that only the painter's experience knows. A beautiful miniature needs from 20 to over 50 firings and is finished when the painter deems he does not have to further intervene. Some colors must have darker tones than others because then, by superimposing the transparent enamel placed at the end of the miniature, they fade. This transparent layer, called “fondant” in jargon, must be smoothed and polished like all other translucent enamel colors. The miniatures with water tempera colors are painted on real ivory...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Sterling Silver, Enamel

Arts and Craft Mid-18th Century Engraved Sterling Silver Box
Located in Brescia, IT
This fine sterling silver box is a piece of high craftmenship. All the surfaces are finely engraved with rich Baroque decor. It is a little jewel of handmade work. It was a jewel bo...
Category

Mid-18th Century German Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Sterling Silver

Table Box table box with finely embossed and hand-chiseled Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular shaped table box with finely embossed and hand-chiseled lid in Baroque style. Velvet interior. Dimensions cm. 11.7 x 21 x 4.5. Weight gr. 1000. Designed by Giorgio Salimb...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Sterling Silver

Rare and Beautiful Miniature Chest of Drawers from the Early 18th Century
Located in Knivsta, SE
Rather large and rare miniature chest of drawers in late baroque from the early 18th century. Made in Walnut with key-plate in brass. All the drawers in the dresser with original loc...
Category

Early 18th Century European Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Walnut

Snuff Box Round Guilloche Enamel Box Gold Paillons Stars of Sky Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Round table snuffbox in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent blue fired enamel on guillochè and with the insertion of pure gold “paillons” in the shape of stars to create a starry sky effect. With turquoise enamel circle with hand-engraved motif. Late 1600s Baroque style. Diameter cm. 7.7 cm high. 2.3. Weight gr. 226. Designed by Franco Salimbeni in 1967 and produced in Florence in several specimens in the Salimbeni company headquarters with manual workmanship by skilled artisan artists with thick slab and large reinforcements suitable for withstanding numerous enamelled firings at high heat at about 800° C - The Paillons processing, now almost disappeared, and a rare technique recognized as a craft. Several layers of enamel are applied to the object, baked one by one in the oven. Afterwards, the designs cut out of thin gold leaves, the paillons foils, are applied one by one by hand to form the desired figure. These sheets are then in turn coated...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Gold, Sterling Silver, Enamel

Box shaped enamel hand painted, engraved and miniature Sterling Silver Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Box shaped enamel is in 925/1000 sterling. Box shaped enamel has handpainted fired enamels miniature. Box shaped enamel is engraved and fire-enamelled ornaments. Box shaped enamel is...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel

Snuffbox Vessel Miniature Hand-Painted Sterling Silver Enamel Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Shaped snuffbox in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with fired enamel inserted in a fine hand engraving and with round miniature diameter cm. 3.3 hand painted always with fire enamels depicting a sailing ship. Early 19th century Viennese Baroque style. Fine hand engraving on all sides and bottom. Measurements cm. 7.5 x 7.5 x 2. Weight gr. 151. Designed by Franco Salimbeni in 1976 on inspiration of ancient original artifacts and manufactured in Florence at the Salimbeni company headquarters in several specimens, also with different colors and miniatures, with completely manual execution by artisan artists with thick slabs and large reinforcements suitable for supporting numerous high-fire enamelled firings at approximately 750 < 800° C. Miniature is a very ancient technique which consists of painting works in small proportions. It was born for the decoration of the first letter of the paragraph of the books. Over the years, however, this technique is refined and enriched, then moving on to precious personal items. Hand-painted miniatures can be done with multiple different techniques. The most important that we use on our articles are of three kinds: 1) Fire enamel. 2) Water tempera on an ivory plate. 3) Painted on mother-of-pearl. Fire enameled miniatures: On a first layer of enamel generally white or very clear or even transparent suitably liquefied at a temperature of about 750 ° C, the chosen subject is painted using miniature colors which are as many colored crystals, ground and reduced to a very fine, almost impalpable powder washed and purified in distilled water with the addition of small quantities of deoxidizing acids which, diluted with essential oils (usually essential oil of solder), can be mixed to form a palette of colors. With very fine sable hair brushes you draw the subject starting from the perimeter and then gradually adding various layers of color. It is necessary to carry out various firings very often so that the colors harden and are not absorbed by the underlying glaze as, during the subsequent firings at 750 ° C, during liquefaction, it would spread irremediably. Hence the need to form the painting a little at a time, cooking it numerous times. Therefore it is necessary to proceed with numerous retouching, often overlapping different colors that only the painter's experience knows. A beautiful miniature needs from 20 to over 50 firings and is finished when the painter deems he does not have to further intervene. Some colors must have darker tones than others because then, by superimposing the transparent enamel placed at the end of the miniature, they fade. This transparent layer, called “fondant” in jargon, must be smoothed and polished like all other translucent enamel colors. The miniatures with water tempera colors are painted on real ivory...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Sterling Silver, Enamel

Baroque Style Green Table Box with Miniature Sterling Silver Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Baroque style shaped table box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with fine hand engraving interspersed with spaces with translucent fired enamels on guillochè and a beautiful h...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel

Table Box Fired Enamel Guillochè and Hand Engravings Sterling Silver Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular table box in sterling silver 925/1000 gold plated with very fine hand-engraving Baroque style on the lid, fire-enamelled in 2 colours. In the center an ancient oval plate...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel

Italian Baroque Walnut Box
Located in Essex, MA
Hinged top, decorated overall with incised carving, lock plate and side handles.
Category

1670s Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Walnut

Norwegian Baroque Box, Carved Mythical Creatures + Figurative Scenes, Circa 1740
Located in New York, NY
Very special Baroque box with carved decorations of mythical creatures and figurative scenes Carved monogrammed initials "HPP" + Family Crest, origin: Gudbrandsdal, Norway, circa 174...
Category

18th Century Norwegian Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Softwood

France Late 18th Century Baroque Silver Box
Located in Brescia, IT
France Late 18th century silver carriage shape box in Regency Style This magnificent piece of art of silver jewelery. It is an example of h...
Category

Late 18th Century French Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Silver

Rare baroque 18th Century Hatbox Lid: Authentic Wall Decoration for Rustic Homes
Located in Hamburg, DE
Step back in time with this exquisite find: the lid of a rare hatbox dating back to the early 18th century, circa 1740. Crafted from solid wood and ado...
Category

1740s German Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Spanish Renaissance Casket of the 16th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Spanish Renaissance casket, 16th century In carved, polychrome and gilded wood decorated with a vase with horns of plenty, heads of cherubs and fruits. In the lock a shield with two ...
Category

16th Century Dutch Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Early 17th Century Italian Red Silk Casket or Box on Stand
Located in Milford, NH
A fine example of an early 17th century Italian wooden casket or box, possibly pine, with slightly vaulted lid covered with red silk and adorned with appliqued foliate velvet with em...
Category

Early 17th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wrought Iron

Baroque Guild Chest, Mid-18th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Baroque guild drawer with side brass handles and domed lid. The body stands on pressed ball feet, has rounded corners and is veneered on all sides in walnut with strapwork marquetry.
Category

Mid-18th Century Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Fine 18th Century Baroque Chinoiserie Chest
Located in Allerum, SE
Fine 18th century baroque chinoiserie chest, circa 1750, Sweden. The chest is wrapped in canvas that's been beautifully painted upon, this canvas can be seen in some places where...
Category

Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Canvas, Pine

17th Century Venetian Lacquered and Gilded Collectible Box
Located in Pistoia, IT
Rare and precious Venetian domed case made of richly lacquered and gilded wood, early 17th century, depicting "The Conquests of Venice." Caskets like this one are more unique than ...
Category

Early 17th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Antique Portuguese Baroque Rosewood Chest, Circa 1830
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Portuguese Rosewood Baroque Chest, Circa 1830 Suited for Jewelry, Occasional Storage, or Decorative Use Sourced by Martyn Lawrence Bullard from Lisbon, Portugal
Category

18th Century Portuguese Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Rosewood

17th Century Figured Walnut and Seaweed Marquetry Lace Box
Located in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
A fine and extremely rare figured walnut and seaweed marquetry 'lace box', circa.... let’s break it down - Seaweed marquetry first appeared in Englis...
Category

17th Century English Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Walnut

Sterling Silver and Onyx Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An elegant, molded sterling silver, hinged top box. The top features an onyx panel.
Category

Early 1900s Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Onyx, Silver

French Chinoiserie Wig Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand-carved and painted, arched-top, Chinoiserie decorated hinged wig box with original bronze hardware. The top featuring a trio of figures in a lush landscap...
Category

18th Century Antique Baroque Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood, Paint

Baroque decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Baroque decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative boxes created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, more furniture and collectibles, case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Baroque decorative boxes made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and France pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative boxes, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, Franco Salimbeni, Reuge Ste-Croix, and Casa Di Sorrento. 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 decorative boxes differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $61 and tops out at $18,599 while the average work can sell for $2,386.

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