Skip to main content

French Provincial Decorative Boxes

FRENCH PROVINCIAL STYLE

Removed from the fashions of the court, French Provincial style developed in the provinces of the country, such as Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, French Provincial furniture was not as ostentatious as the designs being produced for the royal palaces, but elegant S-shape cabriole legs and ornate carvings elevated the sturdy chairs, sofas, tables and bedroom furniture intended for everyday use.

Although it varies by region, antique French Provincial furniture is unified by solid construction and an artisanal attention to design. While this furniture often followed the metropolitan trends — including the Rococo or neoclassical aesthetics of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — since it was produced in the French countryside it was more subdued with nods to its rustic settings.

Local materials like fruitwoods, oak, beech and walnut were used to construct large French Provincial armoires for storage and comfortable armchairs with rush-woven seats. Wrought-iron elements and carvings like floral details and scallop patterns were common as ornamentation. Furniture was frequently painted white or other muted colors that coordinated with gilt and would acquire a patina of age over time. Other wood was just stained with vibrant fabric such as toile de Jouy, which sometimes depicted pastoral scenes, adding color as upholstery.

The style arrived in the United States after World War I, with soldiers returning home wanting furniture like what they had seen in the rural homes and castles of France. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, designer John Widdicomb split from his family business, the Widdicomb Furniture Company, and had been focusing on Louis XV– and French Provincial–style furnishings since the early 1900s. Other American manufacturers such as Baker, Drexel, Henredon and Thomasville also responded to demand. Today antique French Provincial pieces and reproductions continue to be popular.

Find a collection of antique French Provincial dining tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

to
4
69
2
19
48
10
19
14
5
3
4
4
3
1
875
590
539
480
174
170
146
108
93
90
85
84
83
71
65
40
22
21
37
23
21
20
9
51
18
65
58
4
4
1
Height
to
Width
to
69
69
69
13
2
2
2
1
Style: French Provincial
Limoges France Hand Painted Porcelain Victorian Style Boot Shoe Trinket Box
By Limoges
Located in Tustin, CA
Very pretty Limoges porcelain old fashion Victorian style lace up boot shoe shaped trinket box is handmade in France and features a white background with skillfully hand painted clusters of deep pink roses, vining green...
Category

Late 20th Century French French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Porcelain

Limoges France Hand Painted Porcelain Victorian Style Boot Shoe Trinket Box
Limoges France Hand Painted Porcelain Victorian Style Boot Shoe Trinket Box

Limoges France Hand Painted Porcelain Victorian Style Boot Shoe Trinket Box

19th Century French Provençal Walnut Fariniere, or Flour Box
Located in Winter Park, FL
An early 19th century French Provençal fariniere, or decorative flour box made of walnut with simple linear decoration of wheat and a flower urn. Waxed patina. This beautifully craft...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Walnut

19th Century French Provençal Walnut Fariniere, or Flour Box
19th Century French Provençal Walnut Fariniere, or Flour Box

19th Century French Provençal Walnut Fariniere, or Flour Box

Antique Leather Embossed Box, France, 1880
Located in Den Haag, NL
Very nice Leather embossed Antique box or small chest Great patine Cognac Color. Deposited with Brass Head Nails.
Category

1880s French Antique French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Leather

Antique Leather Embossed Box, France, 1880
Antique Leather Embossed Box, France, 1880

Antique Leather Embossed Box, France, 1880

Fine Quality Late 19th Century “Dome“ Shaped Box
Located in Middleburg, VA
Fine Quality Late 19th Century “Dome“ Shaped Box . Beautifully Crafted, Constructed of “Burled Amboyna Wood” with Ebony edging. Nice small proportions with a deep patination and reta...
Category

Early 20th Century Spanish French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Ebony, Amboyna

Fine Quality Late 19th Century “Dome“ Shaped Box
Fine Quality Late 19th Century “Dome“ Shaped Box

Fine Quality Late 19th Century “Dome“ Shaped Box

19th Century French Boite à Sel or Salt Box
Located in Winter Park, FL
An early 19th century French boite à sel, or salt box, made of walnut with hinged lid and small drawer with turned knob. Bold hand-carved decoration. Waxed...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Walnut

19th Century French Boite à Sel or Salt Box
19th Century French Boite à Sel or Salt Box

19th Century French Boite à Sel or Salt Box

18th Century French Fariniere or Decorative Box
Located in Winter Park, FL
An exquisitely carved Fariniere or flour box from Provence. Decorated with carved fish and flower swags, this fariniere features a lower inset panel w...
Category

1780s French Antique French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Fruitwood

18th Century French Fariniere or Decorative Box
18th Century French Fariniere or Decorative Box

18th Century French Fariniere or Decorative Box

French Boite à Sel or Salt Box
Located in Winter Park, FL
An early 20th century French boite à sel, or salt box, made of solid walnut with hinged lid and small drawer. A rustic hand-crafted box with dark waxed finish. This box was used to s...
Category

Early 20th Century French French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Walnut

French Boite à Sel or Salt Box
French Boite à Sel or Salt Box

French Boite à Sel or Salt Box

Antique French Metal Book-Shaped Box
Located in High Point, NC
This unique treasure was created in 19th Century France. Whimsical and unique, this metal box shaped like a leather-bound book, painted with a faux-wood trompe-l'œil finish that meti...
Category

19th Century French Antique French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal

Antique French Metal Book-Shaped Box
Antique French Metal Book-Shaped Box

Antique French Metal Book-Shaped Box

18th Century French Decorative Hand Carved Box
Located in Winter Park, FL
An 18th century French Provencal fariniere beautifully carved and constructed. A sliding front panel features two carved fish. The box is dovetailed with a false bottom drawer. Lovel...
Category

Late 18th Century French Antique French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Fruitwood

18th Century French Decorative Hand Carved Box
18th Century French Decorative Hand Carved Box

18th Century French Decorative Hand Carved Box

Late 19th Century Wooden Salt Box
Located in Vista, CA
Late 19th century salt box, with an intricate carved flower motif on the sliding door, resting on scroll feet with a top flower finial. 1880, 16.5" X4" X7".
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Walnut

Late 19th Century Wooden Salt Box
Late 19th Century Wooden Salt Box

Late 19th Century Wooden Salt Box

Antique 19th Century French Provincial Salt Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique 19th century French provincial salt box.
Category

19th Century French Antique French Provincial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Antique 19th Century French Provincial Salt Box
Antique 19th Century French Provincial Salt Box

Antique 19th Century French Provincial Salt Box

French Provincial decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique French Provincial decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, 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, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, ceramic and other materials. If you’re shopping for used French Provincial decorative boxes made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and England pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative boxes, popular names associated with this style include Limoges, Sarreguemines, Biot, and Charles Pillivuyt & Cie. 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 $51 and tops out at $12,943 while the average work can sell for $440.

Recently Viewed

View All