Antique Louis XIII furniture is not as lavish as that of his son Louis XIV, who transformed his father’s modest Versailles hunting lodge into a sumptuous palace. Yet the imposing forms of its chairs, dressers, tables and other pieces express grandeur and luxury.
When Henry IV was assassinated in the streets of Paris in 1610, his young son became the king of France. With Louis XIII too young to rule, the widowed Marie de' Medici — a native of Italy and member of the prominent House of Medici — became regent, instilling an Italian influence in the decorative arts. Even after Louis XIII exiled his mother and took power in 1617, this aesthetic informed his court style. As did the consolidation of power, established with his chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, through his death in 1643.
From sturdy chests and tall cupboards to colossal four-poster beds, almost every piece of Louis XIII furniture was heavily carved or turned from dark-toned wood. Motifs of the period included scrollwork, foliage, fruits, grotesque masks and other images of abundance, often inlaid in marquetry of wood or tortoiseshell. Ornamental scenes, sometimes carved on cabinet panels and other pieces from rare ebony, oak or walnut, were borrowed from engravings by northern European masters like Peter Paul Rubens. Engravings also spread the Louis XIII style during the 17th century, particularly by printmaker Abraham Bosse, who depicted the popular Louis XIII chairs designed with upholstered seats and low, wide backs.
The lofty profiles of the French furniture complemented the architecture under the reign of Louis XIII, such as the Palais du Luxembourg by chief architect Salomon de Brosse and architect Jacques Lemercier’s chapel at the Sorbonne, which showcased the influence of Italian Baroque.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIII armchairs, storage cabinets, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
French Louis XIII/XIV Walnut and Steel Mounted Alms Box, ca. 1670-1700
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a rectangular top with a molded edge and a line carved detail the center with a coin slot, the conforming case with steel reinforcement straps and a decorative steel escutcheo...
Walnut
$812Sale 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
Early 18th Century Italian Carved and Dovetailed Walnut Alms Box
Located in San Francisco, CA
Early 18th century Italian carved and dovetailed walnut alms box, circa 1725 Large dovetails and old handwrought nails give this small scale box a hea...
Iron
19th Century French Bronze Mounted Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Walnut veneered. Footed. Silk-lined. Key is included.
Bronze
$950Sale Price|49% Off
H 3.94 in W 9.06 in D 6.3 in
Antique French Leather Coffer Box with Metal Accents, Circa 1600-1700
Located in Buisson, FR
Extremely old box that is covered with leather and metal decorations. Rare find. France, circa 1600-1700 Weathered and some losses.
Leather, Wood
$4,063
H 17.72 in W 10.24 in D 8.27 in
Spanish Church Alms Box / Wall Decoration with Carved Nun Detail, 18th Century
Located in Barcelona, ES
Carved wood hand painted donation / offering ALM BOX, Spain, 18th century. Polychromed carved wood church collection offering donation money box as wall decoration. This alms box is made of pine wood painted in terracotta hues. A nun carved ornamentation decorates the top. Wall hanging collection / donation money box. Originally used to collect donations at Christian churches/chapels. Interesting to be used as key box or key cabinet or as wall decoration Rare find. Provenance: Private collection. No key avaliable. Overall Measures: 45 cm H x 26 cm W x 21 cm D Poor box...
Wood, Pine
$5,465
H 2.8 in W 4.2 in D 3.5 in
Antique French Louis XV Ormolu Mounted Tortoiseshell Patch or Rouge Box
Located in London, GB
A lovely little antique French Louis XV casket of scarlet tortoiseshell with superb ormolu mounts. Set on ormolu paw feet and with a profusion of ormolu mounts this lovely little box...
Ormolu
19th Century French Louis XIV Style Boulle Tea Caddy
Located in Bradenton, FL
19th Century French rectangular boulle tea caddy. Tea caddy has original double tea compartments with covers. Outer portion of tea caddy features beau...
Wood
$2,925Sale Price|35% Off
H 8.75 in W 12.75 in D 10.5 in
French Jewelry Box with Sevres-Style Porcelain Mounts in a Walnut Case
Located in Houston, TX
Walnut veneered case with ebonized trim and set with Sevres-style polychrome plaques decorated With children and trophies, set into brass bezels, the interior fitted as a jewelry box.
Porcelain, Walnut
$850Sale Price|43% Off
H 5 in W 6.13 in D 4.88 in
French Art Deco Cigarette Box, Walnut Wood and Leather
Located in Miami, FL
A fine French Art Deco cigarette box, France, late 1930s. Very good quality, constructed of walnut wood and leather. Beautiful natural materia...
Leather, Walnut
French Round Bronze Mounted Cut Crystal Box
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
French Round Bronze Mounted Cut Crystal Box. Top lifts off with the aid of a bronze finial. The box sits in a bronze frame raised on round ball feet. In very good vintage condition w...
Crystal, Bronze
$4,051
H 13 in W 14.57 in D 5.52 in
Spanish Alms Box / Wall Decoration with Carved Saints Detail, 18th Century
Located in Barcelona, ES
Carved wood hand painted donation / offering ALM Box, Spain, 18th century. Polychromed carved wood church collection offering donation money box as wall decoration. This alms box is made of pine wood painted in shades of blue and gray with carved saint figures onamentations decorating the top. Wall hanging collection / donation money box. Originally used to collect donations at Christian churches/chapels. Interesting to be used as key box or key cabinet or as wall decoration Rare find. Provenance: Private collection. No key avaliable. Overall Measures: Saints Box: 33 cm H x 37 cm W x 14 cm D Poor...
Wood, Pine
Louis XV Gold-Mounted Lacquer Snuff Box
Located in Spencertown, NY
The cover and base inset with gouache miniatures of the front and back of a chateau, signed Andre inv. with tortoiseshell lined interior maker's mark JG cross between, Paris, 1762-1768.
Gold
Italian Louis XIII Period Giltwood Bottle Case, early 17th century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a dome top hinged to a square case with molded edges and its original brass escutcheon, the red painted interior with an octagonal inset previously used to secure a glass bottle
Giltwood
Italian Late Baroque Walnut Slant Top Footed Peg Lock Box, ca. 1650
Located in Atlanta, GA
of rectangular form with a slanted hinged top with a removable peg locking the top closed, raised on turned feet
Walnut
Early French Wooden Flask, France, c. 1750, Initials Carved on Side
Located in Brooklyn, NY
French 17th/18th C. Wooden flask, carved with initials.
Oak, Walnut
Sold
H 15.5 in W 20 in D 12 in
18th Century French Louis XIII Brass Iron and Wood Decorative Box Trunk Safe
Located in Dallas, TX
This antique safe trunk was crafted in Southern France, circa 1780. The brown leather box is shaped like a Classic storage trunk with an arched top and a rectangular front and back, ...
Brass, Iron
Sold
H 5.5 in W 9 in D 5.5 in
Mid-19th Century French Louis XIII Brass and Leather Decorative Box Trunk Safe
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant box was crafted in Southern France, circa 1860. Rectangular in shape, the antique wooden casket is upholstered with brown leather panels attached with brass straps and bracket mounts in each corner and embellished with decorative nail heads. The small safe...
Brass
Dutch Mixed Woods and Ebonized Tobacco Box, Early 18th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Of pagoda form, the turned top box with an ebonized upper section continuing to the rest of the top, both the upper and lower with alternating bands of medium to light walnut, opening to reveal a circular...
Walnut
18th Century Italian Marquetry Vargueno
Located in Winter Park, FL
An magnificent 18th century Italian marquetry vargueno, or chest on a stand. The chest is made of burl of walnut veneer on pine with various wood inlay and ebonized trim and has 14 drawers, 4 with small iron knobs and 10 with locks. Two small locking doors open to an inlaid interior compartment with seven small drawers. Inlaid marquetry designs on sides and on the doors depicting an architectural...
Walnut, Burl
Sold
H 6.75 in W 11 in D 6.75 in
19th Century French Louis XIII Leather Trunk Box with Decorative Brass Nails
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a shelf or a desk with this beautiful antique trunk from southern France; crafted circa 1850, the brown leather box sits on four round...
Brass
Sold
H 10.5 in W 11.75 in D 8.75 in
Late 18th Century French Louis XIII Wood and Leather Decorative Box Trunk Safe
Located in Dallas, TX
This beautifully crafted, antique trunk was crafted in Southern France, circa 1780. The brown leather box is shaped like a Classic storage trunk with an arched top and a rectangular ...
Brass, Iron
19th Century French Bombe Carved Chest on Turned Legs Base from Normandy
Located in Dallas, TX
Store your remote controls or small personal belongings in this elegant antique trunk. Crafted in Normandy, circa 1850, the bombe chest sits on a separate base with turned legs and b...
Oak, Walnut
Interesting 17th Century Polychrome Fruitwood Box
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
This box made of fruitwood, with traces of green and yellow polychromies probably belonged to a painter since it was probably used to preserve pigments for the realization of paintin...
Louis XIII Style Carved Wood Box
Located in Birmingham, AL
Handsome Louis XIII style carved wood box. Solid walnut with hinged lid. Raised diamante point decoration on front and sides. This miniature coffer i...