The authentic Biedermeier furniture on 1stDibs is representative of the first modern European decorative style not dictated by the tastes of the aristocracy. Following the Napoleonic wars, a growing, wealthy urban middle class in the German-speaking states of Central Europe began to demand rights and privileges once granted only to nobles. To avoid trouble, the upwardly striving confined their political discussions to one another’s homes. And so the salon was born.
Cabinetmakers in cities such as Vienna, Berlin and Mainz began to offer goods that reflected the tastes and needs of the new class. The makers of Biedermeier chairs, tables and other furniture used little or no gilding, silver hardware or other lavish ornament. Ebonized trims are common on Biedermeier cabinetry, and neoclassical elements — lyre-shaped chair splats, carved scrollwork, table supports shaped like Greek columns. But the strongest aesthetic statement came from the wood — richly-grained, honey-colored, often book-matched veneers of walnut and fruitwood.
There are two iconic Biedermeier furniture forms, both made to outfit rooms designed for conversation. One is the sofa, deeply upholstered with a strong, architectural wooden frame. The second is the circular pedestal table, which stood at the center of the room, offering a surface on which to place coffee and cake services; or to roll out a map, or sketch out ideas on paper.
“Biedermeier” was originally a derogatory term — it derives from the pen names of two German magazine writers who mocked bourgeois manners. Looking at the elegant and refined antique, new and vintage Biedermeier furniture offered on 1stDibs, that is now an amusing irony.
19th Century German Hammered Copper & Brass Bread Box, Kitchen Utensil
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Antique 19th-Century German Tin-Lined Bread Box — Marked “Fr. Müller Nürnberg” A charming and well-preserved German bread box dating from the mid to end 19th century. Discovered at ...
Brass, Copper
19th Century Oak and Fruitwood Intarsia Jewelry Box
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A 19th Century Biedermeier Swedish Jewelry box in oak with an ornamental inlay decoration. The fine intarsia work, featuring a floral pattern, is...
Wood, Oak, Paper, Fruitwood
Decorative Box, Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Rectangular cherrywood box with square parquetry in various woods. The lid is fitted with a bronze key escutcheon and handle. A sliding side mechanism with a removable panel reveals ...
Bronze
Biedermeier German .800 Silver Snuff Box Domed Lid and Repoussé Pastoral Scenes
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Unusual 19th-century German . 800 Silver Snuff Box with Repoussé Rural Scenes and Fruit Basket Lid A charming and unusually shaped 19th-century German silver snuffbox, expertly craf...
Sterling Silver
Mint C. and Large Antique Display Box w. Beveled Glass Top & Silver Spoons
Located in Lisse, NL
Fine quality and condition, 1860s box with perfect working silver lock and key. This handcrafted spoon box is another one of our recent great finds. It comes with beautifully shaped...
Silver
Continental Austrian Burl and Satinwood Box
Located in Queens, NY
Continental Austrian burl walnut and satinwood banded small box with a bevelled glass inset top
Burl
Exquisite Antique Cherrywood Jewelry Casket
Located in Stahnsdorf, DE
Exquisite Antique Cherrywood Jewelry Casket – Finely Ebonized & Intricately Inlaid This distinguished antique jewelry casket is a true testamen...
Cherry
Austrian Biedermeier Jeweled Silver Gilt Casket with Cameos, 1846
Located in New York, NY
Austrian Biedermeier silver gilt casket, 1846. Bellied, lobed, and rectangular. Hinged cover same and concave with raised center and swing-mounted scroll bracket cast handle with flowers. Hardstone mounts including porphyry and lapis lazuli as well as cabochon jewels. On front two turquoise cabochon...
Silver
R & Y Augousti Style Jewelry Decorative Box Tobacco Leaves Hardwood Bronze Ibex
By R & Y Augousti, Oggetti D'Arte
Located in Miami, FL
Lovely R & Y Augousti attributed Jewelry, Watch or decorative Box in Tobacco Leaves over Hardwood with black Velvet inlay. In Clover shape with Bronze Ibex Knob in the Biedermeier Pe...
Bronze
$233Sale Price|40% Off
Biedermeier Beadwork, Pens Casket, Case, Box
Located in Hamburg, DE
Beautifully crafted Biedermeier pencil box from Germany mid - late 19th century. The casket is leather wrapped, embossed and has a push button closure. From the inside the box is lac...
Leather, Beads
$746Sale Price|20% Off
Biedermeier Box, Ice Birch, Brass, Germany, circa 1840
Located in Regensburg, DE
Biedermeier Box, Ice Birch, Germany, circa 1840 Beautiful, simple Biedermeier casket box from Germany, circa 1840. Ice birch veneer on oak and softwood painted black on the inside....
Brass
$932Sale Price|20% Off
Biedermeier Jewelry Box, Cherry Wood, Ash, Brass, Southern Germany circa 1820
Located in Regensburg, DE
Restored Biedermeier Jewelry Box from South Germany around 1820 Cherry veneered on softwood with inlays in ash veneer. Brass fittings, hinges and working lock. Restored and hand-poli...
Brass
$929Sale Price|20% Off
Biedermeier Jewelry Box, Walnut, Ebony, Maple, South Germany circa 1830
Located in Regensburg, DE
Beautiful Biedermeier Jewelry or Make-up box from South Germany circa 1830. Inside with hinged mirror. A long drawer at the bottom front. Restored and hand-polished with shellac.
Brass
18th Century German Hammered Copper & Brass Bread Box, Kitchen Utensil
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful antique 18th century German bread box. Perfect for decoration in your old country kitchen. The piece is in good used antique condition with patina and a view minor dents. S...
Brass, Copper
Antique German Biedermeier Footed Silver Sugar Chest or Box
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique German sugar box is composed of .875 silver and dates to circa 1850 in the Biedermeier style. The box sits on ornately crafted feet and features clam shell relief decora...
Silver
$536Sale Price|20% Off
Late Biedermeier Jewelry Box, Printed beech, Germany circa 1840
Located in Regensburg, DE
Late Biedermeier Jewelry Box, Printed beech wood, from Germany circa 1840. Restored and hand-polished with shellac. Dimensions: H 9 cm / 3.54 in W 27 cm / 10.63 in D 19 cm / 7.48 in
Beech, Paint
Very Fine Biedermeier Period Tea Caddy of Bombe Form in Exotic Woods, circa 1830
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very fine and visually striking Biedermeier Period tea caddy of exceptional quality, demonstrating a highly elevated form and a most complex application of exotic woods. The hinged...
Zebra Wood, Yew, Amboyna, Satinwood
$248Sale Price|20% Off
Augarten Maria Theresa Porcelain Dresser Box & Lid
By Augarten Porzellanmanufaktur
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage porcelain dresser or jewelry box features square form with sculptural lid, inspired by antique Biedermeier style boxes, with dark green floral decor with black outline and go...
Ceramic, Porcelain, Pottery
$821Sale Price|28% Off
Biedermeier Cherrywood Casket, Polished Finish, Germany, 1830
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Very beautiful small box from the time of Biedermeier, made of cherrywood. In the box is in the lid a mirror and the upper part is as an insert to take out. In very good restored con...
Cherry
$640Sale Price|22% Off
Biedermeier Box, Ash Veneer, South Germany, circa 1830
Located in Regensburg, DE
Biedermeier Box, Ash Veneer, South Germany circa 1830 Ash veneered on softwood. Original brass handle and pressed brass fitting Restored and shellac hand-polished Dimensions: H 12....
Ash
$1,779Sale Price|20% Off
Walnut Biedermeier Casket with Mirror and Removable Tray, circa 1830
Located in Darmstadt, DE
A finely crafted walnut veneered casket from the Biedermeier period, around the mid-19th century. The box is veneered in beautifully grained walnut on a spruce body, while the base i...
Mirror, Walnut, Spruce
$2,699Sale Price|20% Off
Biedermeier Miniature Blanket Chest, Walnut & Spruce, Circa 1810
Located in Darmstadt, DE
The miniature chest was made of walnut and dates back to the early Biedermeier period at the beginning of the 19th century. A very nice small rare furniture...
Spruce, Walnut
$640Sale Price|20% Off
Late Biedermeier Box, Walnut and Walnut Burl, Austria circa 1850
Located in Regensburg, DE
Large late Biedermeier box in walnut, hand-made in Austria around 1850. * Veneered in walnut and walnut burl on thick (2.2 cm / 0.87 in) stained beechwood inside. * Interior lined wi...
Brass
Switzerland Mahogany Ebonized Hinged Music Box with Three Cylinders, C. 1880
Located in Charleston, SC
Rare Switzerland mahogany & ebonized hinged music box with the original crank, three interior paper labels, and cylinders. Music box is stamped by maker and is In working condition, ...
Steel
$638Sale Price|20% Off
Late Biedermeier Box, Birch Solid Wood, Northern Germany, circa 1840
Located in Regensburg, DE
Beautiful, unadorned late Biedermeier casket box made of solid birch wood from northern Germany, circa 1840. * Ebonized diamond as key crest. * Original brass lock and hinges. * Insi...
Brass
$640Sale Price|20% Off
Biedermeier Box, Walnut on Oak, Inlays, South Germany circa 1850
Located in Regensburg, DE
Large, high-quality late Biedermeier casket box in walnut with precious wood inlay and inlaid lid motif. Walnut veneered on maple and solid with numerous inlays in precious woods, m...
Ebony, Maple, Oak, Walnut
$781Sale Price|20% Off
Cubic Biedermeier Box, Mahogany and Maple, Austria, circa 1840
By Biedermeier
Located in Regensburg, DE
Cubic Biedermeier box, mahogany and maple, Austria circa 1840 Rare cubic shaped decorative box form the Biedermeier period. Mahogany veneered with maple inlays. Oak base. Restored a...
Mahogany, Maple, Oak
$640Sale Price|20% Off
Biedermeier Box, Walnut Veneer on Maple, Austria, circa 1840
Located in Regensburg, DE
Beautiful, unadorned Biedermeier casket box in amazing walnut veneer from Austria, circa 1840. Very nicely grained walnut veneer on solid maple wood. In the lid is a mirror glass inl...
Brass, Iron
Golden 750 Biedermeier Box Painting Portrait of Little Girl Vienna Made 1828
Located in Vienna, AT
Golden biedermeier round box with lovely portrait of a little girl. Vienna / Austria, made 1828 Finest golden item of best manufacturing quality! Specifications: The lid of round golden box...
Gold
$353Sale Price|40% Off
French Brown Hat Box for Cylinders, Early 19th Century
Located in Hamburg, DE
French brown hat box for cylinders, early 19th century. Rare old leather hat box for top hats. This old hat box in the shape of a cylinder is an original fro...
Leather, Fabric
$1,694Sale Price|20% Off
Biedermeier Tea Chest, Mahogany and Brass, Germany, Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Lidded chest with a curved lid and a concave belly, standing on brass ball feet. The escutcheon is inlayed in bone. Mahogany veneered.
Brass
Swedish Biedermeier Karelian Birch Hat Box
Located in Queens, NY
Swedish Biedermeier-style (20th Century) Karelian birch round shaped hat box with leather strap.
Leather, Birch
Red Biedermeier Lidded Box in Overlay Glass
Located in Hamburg, DE
Immerse yourself in the elegance of the Biedermeier era with this exquisite lidded box made of overlay glass. This piece stands out due to its masterful ...
Brass
$2,347Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Antique Biedermeier Jewelry Box, Wood & Silver Plated
Located in Greding, DE
White lidded box standing on small spherical feet with trapezoidal body and lid with a groove. The fittings are silver plated. Key available. Interior veneered in cherry.
Wood
Restored Biedermeier Jewelry Box, Spruce, Plum-Tree, Germany, 1830s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This exquisite Biedermeier jewelry box is a fine example of master craftsmanship from the first half of the 19th century in Germany. Its design resembles a miniature version of a lar...
Lacquer, Wood, Spruce
Vintage Boho 19th Century Burl Wood Box
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Experience the breathtaking beauty of natural materials with this exquisite antique burl wood box, a superb example of 19th-century craftsmanship...
Mother-of-Pearl, Burl