There is rare surviving furniture from ancient Greece, yet this classical style has informed design for centuries. Interiors of houses in antiquity were minimal, with much of a room’s color coming from frescoes on the walls and mosaics on the floors. Classical Greek furniture was sparing but finely crafted and influenced by Egyptian furniture design through Mediterranean trade.
Furnishings of the period were usually made from local wood like cypress, cedar, oak and willow from ancient Greece’s plentiful forests, although some pieces were carved from marble, such as a 300–200 B.C. throne with lion legs and a curved back now at the Getty Villa. Comfort and clean lines characterized designs during the Classical era, the symmetry and thoughtful proportions reflecting the architecture of Greek temples.
Some pieces of ancient Greek furniture were simple, rectangular platforms like the klinē, a multipurpose ancestor of today’s couches or daybeds that held cushions stuffed with wool, dry grass or down. These structures were used for both sleeping and dining, which wealthy Greeks did while reclining. At night, oil lamps illuminated rooms that frequently surrounded a garden courtyard.
Most of what scholars have learned about Greek furniture design owes to its representations in art like vases and stelae. The portable diphros stool, with its backless design and four turned legs, was one of the more common types of seating in daily Greek life — it appears as such for the gods on the Parthenon frieze. Stools without backs have been found in early Roman tombs, while benches were also common Greek seating furniture created for use in theaters. In houses of the Hellenistic period, benches seemingly functioned as tables, too.
Some designs evolved through adaptations by the Romans, including the klismos chair. After prominent archaeological excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, the klismos chair — with its four saber legs and the elegant curves that define its back — was a source of inspiration for aesthetics in eras ranging from 18th-century neoclassicism to 20th-century Art Deco.
Find a collection of Classical Greek decorative objects, wall decorations and building and garden elements on 1stDibs.
Black with 24K Gold Porcelain Jar with Lid Made in Greece by Spyropoulos 1960s
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage I Spyropoulos Handmade in Greece black and 24K Gold Finish Porcelain Jar with Lid. Vintage handmade in Greece Black and 24k Gold Trinket Porcelain Dish with Lid. Greek Mythol...
Porcelain
$4,000Sale Price|20% Off
Greek Style Engraved and Chased Gold Tone Metal Large Pyxis
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a Greek style engraved and chased gold tone metal large Pyxis ( a cylindrical vessel/box with a lid that can be made of wood, ivory or metal). In the ancient times, it was mo...
Metal
Vintage Ceramic Baby Blue Decorative Covered Dish with Lid and White Figures
By Wedgwood
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A round ceramic bright baby blue covered dish with a lid. This piece is round and features a figurative Mediterranean scene in white on top of a bright baby blue glazed background. T...
Ceramic, Paint
Classical 19th Century Gilded Ormolu Embossed Tea Caddy
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A wonderful fine quality 19th century classical embossed tea caddy, having Bacchus like scenes of children playing, a goat and horse and much jollity. Elkington style.
Ormolu
19th Century Chinese Export Lacquer Tea Caddy
Located in Mt Kisco, NY
The burgundy / brown lacquer is decorated with gold depicting figures and buildings in a landscape. The caddy stands on four carved wooden feet in the shape of claws. The interior contains a single pewter canister...
Paper
Music Play Box, Around 1960s, Made in Switzerland
Located in Wien, AT
Music play box, around 1960s, made in Switzerland. Wood inlays. Plays " Love story " Music Hight when open: 19cm.
Wood
$1,995
H 6.25 in W 3.25 in D 0.5 in
Large Antique Komai Style Japanese Damascene Cigarillo, Cigar or Cigarette Case
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This large antique damascene styled tobacco case is unsigned, but presumed to have originated from Japan and dating to approximately 1920 and done in a Anglo-Japanese style. The case...
Metal
Post World War II South African Hebrew Inscribed Metal School Supply Box
Located in New York, NY
Metal school supply box sent by the South Africa Jewish Wars Appeal to the Wels displaced persons (DP) camp in Austria, 1947. Painted blue and white with th...
Metal
Large Gilt Bronze Feuille Box by Line Vautrin
By Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A large cast bronze powder box (poudrier) by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1945-1950. The box called "Feuille" (Leaf) features an irregular leaf form wit...
Bronze
$339Sale Price|20% Off
H 14 in W 18 in D 10 in
Decorative Box with lid, Vintage Wooden Brown Jewellery Box, Hand Carved
Located in Wembley, GB
A handmade wooden jewellery box with a lid and lock, it is perfectly designed and created in a suitable size for keeping valuables inside. The top of this box has leaf patterns and l...
Papercord, Boxwood, Driftwood
Large Folk Art Wood 4 Drawer Jewelry Box Chest of Drawers
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Folk Art Jewelry Box or Miniature Tabletop Sized Chest of Drawers. This vintage wood piece with four drawers has lots of character and patina. Each drawer features a hand painted lea...
Wood, Paint
Lidded Bronze Jar by Just Andersen, 1930s, Denmark
Located in Værløse, DK
Round lidded bronze jar with ornamental knop designed by Just Andersen in the 1930s. * Round light bronze jar with lid and decorative knop * Designer: Just Andersen * Model: LB 1541...
Bronze
$795
H 2 in W 5.25 in D 4 in
Vintage Raymor Lidded Ceramic Flower Box Turquoise And White Italian, 1960's
By Raymor
Located in North Miami, FL
This lovely vintage Italian hallmarked lidded ceramic flower box by Raymor is from the 60's. The colors are turquoise, white with outlines of gray charcoal. The hallmarks read 03529 ...
Ceramic
Antique Italian Silver Mesh Handbag, Beaux Arts Style, 1870
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
G/409 - Antique, perfect, rare Italian evening handbag in silver mesh. What's better for a beautiful present ?
Silver
Fabergé Style Bejewelled and Enamelled Gold Egg by Asprey
By Asprey International Limited, Garrard & Co. Ltd.
Located in London, GB
This exceptional, 18 carat gold Easter egg was crafted by the famous London-based royal jewellers, Asprey & Co. The piece was then retailed by Garrard & Co, who once worked in collaboration with Asprey, producing luxury jewellery and silver for an elite clientele. The egg has been crafted from gold filigree — that is, gold wires interwoven to make a delicate lace-like pattern. The gold is arranged to form the image of a peacock, with a magnificent fanned train, composed of red, dark blue and green coloured plique-à-jour enamel. The light blue body of the peacock, and its long swirling light and dark blue tail feathers, have been crafted from intricate guilloché enamel, which is often found on Fabergé style eggs...
Gold
$300
H 1.5 in W 3 in D 2 in
Hand Painted Ceramic Decorative Oval Lidded Trinket Box by Hedwig Bollhagen
Located in Troy, MI
A decorative hand painted box by Hedwig Bollhagen Oval form in black glaze with hand painted blue modernist decoration to the inset lid Signed to underside 3 inch width 2 inch dept...
Ceramic
Sold
H 4 in W 23.75 in D 12 in
Antique Oversized Hand-Carved Incolay Stone Classical Cameo Jewelry Box
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique oversized jewelry box features hand-carved incolay stone construction with four reserves with full length portrait cameos of Classical women, int...
Stone