As opposed to the styles that would follow from the other 18th-century French kings, Louis XV and Louis XVI, antique Louis XIV furniture is rigid and imposing. It expresses opulence — even its armchairs, with their upright backs, straight legs and lavish ornamentation, look like thrones. Authentic Louis XIV sofas, a then newly emerging iteration of seating, are fully upholstered and often feature decoratively carved frames of walnut, chestnut or oak.
When French King Louis XIV established his royal court at Versailles in 1682, he transformed what was once a hunting lodge into a palace that declared his wealth and power through its design. Until his death in 1715, he reigned with a spirit of excess and absolute political dominance. The “Sun King,” as he called himself, believed that France revolved around him as planets do the sun. Louis XIV adopted the sun as his emblem, decorating the grounds with symbols of the sun and Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. As he stated, “There is nothing that indicates more clearly the magnificence of great princes than their superb palaces and their precious furniture.” He was a child when he became king in 1643, only shaping his style after he became absolute monarch in 1661.
Reflecting trends in French Baroque art, Louis XIV furniture characteristics included exuberant decoration. There were gilded bronze details including shells, suns, grotesques, lions and classical references like acanthus leaves. The years of growth in the country’s manufacturing, such as the tapestries and cabinets made at Gobelins, led to design innovations. The commode replaced the chest as a storage device, with drawers and a surface that could double as a desk.
The materials were luxurious, such as the popular tortoiseshell veneer technique that leading cabinetmaker Pierre Golle used in his designs. André-Charles Boulle, who became royal cabinetmaker in 1672, was a masterful artist of marquetry, using inlays of ebony, exotic woods and mother-of-pearl.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIV bedroom furniture, chairs, tables and other pieces on 1stDibs.
Antique Victorian Tortoiseshell & Gold Pique Calling Card Case
Located in Reading, Berkshire
A beautiful example of an antique Victorian calling card case crafted with premium gold piqué work. The case was most probably made in Paris France, due to the gold work. The foca...
Gold
Pill Box shaped Louis XVI hand painted miniature Sterling Silver Salimbeni
By Franco Salimbeni, Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Elegant Pill Box in 925/1000 Sterling Silver Description:Elevate your collection with this exquisite shaped pill box, beautifully crafted from 925/1000 sterling silver and elegantly ...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
French 19th Century Louis XIV St. Boulle Boîte À Bijouax, Signed Tahan
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A spectacular and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XIV st. Boulle Boîte à Bijoux, signed "Tahan - Fournisseur du Roi" (Royal cabinetmake...
Brass
Limoges Porcelain Romantic Scene Box, Sevres Style, William Guerin & Co., France
By ULIM Limoges
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Limoges Porcelain Romantic Scene Box, Sevres Style, William Guerin & Co., France An elegant and highly decorative Limoges porcelain lidded box, crafted by William Guerin & Co...
Porcelain
$886Sale Price|20% Off
French Louis XIV Messenger Box - Leather Wrapped Wood - France - 17th 18th
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Magnificent Louis XIV period messenger box, late 17th and early 18th centuries. This pretty box is made of leather-covered wood decorated with copper nails forming diamonds on the to...
Leather, Wood
$886Sale Price|20% Off
French Louis XIV Messenger Box in Leather Wrapped Wood - France - 17th 18th
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Wonderful messenger box from the Louis XIV period, late 17th early 18th century. This pretty box is made of leather-wrapped wood decorated with copper nails forming scrolls and flowe...
Leather, Wood
$886Sale Price|20% Off
French Louis XIV Messenger Box Leather Wrapped Wood - France - 17th 18th
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Rare Louis XIV period messenger box, Late 17th Early 18th century, in wood sheathed in black-tinted leather with a radiant sun motif. This solar decoration is certainly a reference t...
Leather, Wood
$793Sale Price|20% Off
French Louis XIV Messenger Box - Leather Wrapped Wood - France - 17th 18th
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Magnificent Louis XIV period messenger box, late 17th early 18th century. This pretty box is made of leather-covered wood decorated with copper nails on the front and top of the box....
Leather, Wood
Russian Hand Painted Lacquerware Palekh Miniature Table Box
Located in Forney, TX
A rare and exceptional finely painted vintage Imperial Russian lacquerware box. Exquisitely hand-crafted in the Palekhsky District (Палех) of wes...
Lacquer
$495
H 1.5 in W 2 in D 4.25 in
Romantic French 19th Century Bellows Shaped Porcelain Box with Courtship Scene
Located in Tustin, CA
Exquisite antique French box, from the 1890s, is a handmade and hand painted miniature porcelain box with hinged lid and is shaped like a fire bellows. Th...
Porcelain
Antique French Sèvres Style Painted Porcelain and Gilt Brass Box
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique French Sèvres Style Painted Porcelain and Gilt Brass Box Antique Jewelry box crafted in the style of Sevres, France circa 1870s. Porcelain bombe casket with cobalt blue and ...
Porcelain
$793Sale Price|20% Off
H 4.73 in W 7.68 in D 5.71 in
French Louis XIV Messenger Box - Leather Wrapped Wood - France - 17th 18th
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Magnificent Louis XIV period messenger box, late 17th early 18th century. This pretty box is made of leather-covered wood decorated with copper nails on the front and top of the box....
Leather, Wood
Sterling Silver Continental Pill or Patch Box
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a wonderful late 19th century sterling patch or pill box in the 17th/18th century style. The box is designed as an oval with a repousse lid depicting a farm yard vignette detailed with farm buildings, chickens and family life. The reverse is a simple polished sterling oval that has been hallmarked and bears the export mark "Germany". The box is in overall very good condition; the clasp is tight and no heavy wear is present. This silver piece would make an outstanding ring presentation box...
Sterling Silver
Sevres Porcelain Box
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sevres porcelain box Origin France Circa 1900 Interior decoration (flowers) bronze mount hand painted box.
Bronze
$1,600
H 3.75 in W 2.75 in D 0.33 in
Stunning English Regency Sterling Silver & Tortoiseshell Card Case, Circa 1815
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Stunning English Regency Sterling Silver & Tortoiseshell Card Case, circa 1815 This exceptional English Regency card case, dating to the early 19th century (circa 1810–1825), exempl...
Metal, Sterling Silver
Japanese Lacquered Box Signed, Late 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Pretty Japanese lacquered box decorated with birds and foliage. signed Lacquered inside and outside Late 19th century Without key Nice lock Ideal for storing jewelry.
Wood
Dutch silver pill box, 1869
Located in Delft, NL
Dutch silver pill box, 1869 A Dutch silver small cartouche-shaped pill box with engraved floral decor on the lid. The silver box has a hinged lid. The box is Dutch silver hallmarked...
Silver
$2,036
H 7.49 in W 11.82 in D 7.09 in
19th century French oak and brass mounted tea caddy by Tahan of Paris C1880
Located in Central England, GB
A most impressive and highly decorative French large size double tea caddy made in tightly grained rich oak. The rectangular box stands on circular shaped brass feet with brass bea...
Brass
$429Sale Price / item|25% Off
H 3.35 in W 5.32 in D 1.97 in
Hand-Painted Mughal Miniature Lacquer Box, Persian-Indian Art, Signed Black Box
Located in Wembley, GB
A superbly hand-painted Mughal miniature lacquer box, created in the refined Indo-Persian artistic tradition and signed “Nangua”. This exquisite octagonal decorative box features a f...
Bronze
17th Century Italian Leather Box
Located in Chicago, IL
A stunning 17th century Italian leather covered wood trunk covered in brass nail heads, some spelling out a word on top, and with iron strap hinges a...
Leather, Wood
19th Century French Boulle Box
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
This beautiful inlaid brass and shell Boulle-work lidded box is in very good condition. It retains its original velvet lining and key.
Brass
Vintage Limoges French Porcelain Table Box
By Limoges
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
This exquisite vintage French Limoges porcelain box, meticulously handmade and hand painted, showcases a charming floral design. Inspired by the Queen Marie Antoinette de Sevres styl...
Porcelain
Sold
H 4.25 in W 9 in D 5.875 in
Vintage Maitland Smith Tessellated Stone, Brass, Malachite & Amethyst Box
Located in Atlanta, GA
A vintage light brown tessellated stone box mounted with brass banding. The front hinge is adorned by a rectangular piece of carved malachite, and a finial with a deep amethyst color...
Stone, Malachite
Tiffany & Co. Limoges France American Garden Round Porcelain Collectible Box
By Tiffany & Co., Limoges
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Tiffany & Co. Limoges France American Garden Round Porcelain Pill Box. TIFFANY & CO. “American Garden” Round Collectible Porcelain Box made in Limoges, France. Vintage Tiffany & Co. ...
Porcelain
Embossed Leather and Brass Letter Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A hand tooled, embossed leather letter box with brass handle, corners and lock surround.
Brass
Sold
H 5.91 in W 14.18 in D 9.85 in
Louis XIV Style Jewelry Boulle Marquetry Box, France, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Gorgeous and big dimension gorgeous Louis XIV style model rectangular jewelry box, blackened wood veneer with Boulle style Marquetry in all sides , brass inlays on blackened wood wit...
Brass, Bronze
Louis XIV Jewelry Decorative Marquetry Box, France, 1860
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful jewelry decorative box Louis XIV style Boulle Marquetry in all facades, this large box, in doucine. Marquetry all faces in brass on blackened wood background, many ingot mo...
Brass, Bronze
Tyrolean Shaped and Painted 4-Drawer Box, 18th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
The box with original painted and decoration having brass finials and a larger wooden finial that is the locking mechanism for all of the drawers, the ochre colored paint further decorated with scrolls, foliage, and shells, raised on small brass feet, likely from far Northern Italy (Provincia autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige).
Sold
H 7.5 in W 12 in D 7.5 in
Wonderful French Casket With Bronze Ormulo Mounts & Handpainted Sevres Plaque
Located in Roslyn, NY
This French Casket with Ormulo Mounts and a beautiful hand painted Sevres Plaque on top is in wonderful condition. The Sevres plaque has a blue frame, wi...
Bronze
Boulle Decorated Satinwood and Ebony Bookstand
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine mid-19th century bookstand, the top a plank of satinwood bordered by ebony framing having pewter line inlay, on ratcheted stand, the sides with ormo...
Bronze, Pewter