Although its name evokes a mountainous region in Germany, antique Black Forest–style furniture originated in Switzerland. In Brienz, during the early 19th century, wood-carver Christian Fischer recognized the market for tourist souvenirs and helped make the village into a wood-carving destination. The Brienz Woodcarving School was founded in 1884 and had its own small zoo for studying the anatomy of animals, depictions of which are a defining aspect of the style, also known as Brienzerware.
Whimsical sculptures, often depicting bears and other Alpine animals like stags, owls, deer and boars, characterize the work produced in the area. Along with folk art and decorative objects, Black Forest furniture included benches held aloft by bears, umbrella stands carved with acorns and clock cases adorned with scrolling oak leaves. While most wood-carvers adhered to a similar realism in their designs and woods like linden, maple and walnut, their aesthetics varied.
The F. Peter Trauffer family was known for their hand-carved bear sculptures that saw the furry mammals playing instruments, smoking pipes and engaging in all sorts of human activities. They were sometimes detailed with glass eyes and integrated into functional pieces of furniture, including chair backs and bench legs, which generations of cabinetmakers created from the 1880s to the 1950s. Walter Mader and his son Heinrich frequently carved Saint Bernard sculptures that they incorporated into furniture.
As the Black Forest furniture style spread around the world through exhibitions at world’s fairs in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the rusticity of these pieces resonated at a time of increasing urbanization, inspiring other artisans.
Find a collection of antique Black Forest cabinets, bedroom furniture, seating and other items on 1stDibs.
Antique Black Forest Carved Cuckoo Clock with Stag Head on Top
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Large Antique Black Forest Carved Cuckoo Clock with Stag Head A large handcarved wooden cuckoo clock, decorated with hunting accessoires, oak leaves, hare, pheasant and a stag head ...
Wood
Large Swiss Black Forest Hand Carved Wall Clock Plaque with Pheasant Sculptures
Located in Lisse, NL
This large Swiss masterpiece wall plaque with clock is in perfect condition. The realistic and detailed carving consists of a pair of pheasant, a bird's nest, fine leafs and branche...
Wood
Huge Antique Victorian Era Black Forest Wall Clock or Mirror Frame with Hare
Located in Lisse, NL
Incredible size and great quality black forest hunting plaque for wall mounting with Fruits of the Hunt. This rare size and all hand-carv...
Nutwood
$3,572Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Cabin Antler Wall Clock with Deer and Chamois Austria ca. 1900
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Antique Cabin Antler Wall Clock with Deer and Chamois Austria ca. 1900 A great rustic antler wall clock. The wooden case is richly decorated with plaster applications, a plaster deer...
Wood, Plaster, Antler
Gigantic Rare Heavy Sunburst Mirror Wall Clock from the 1970s
Located in München, DE
Gigantic very rare heavy Sunburst mirror wall clock from the 1970s. Beautiful elaborate high quality design. The clock has a body made of black lacquered wood, at the front there are...
Glass, Mirror, Wood
$4,346
H 33 in W 18 in D 8.25 in
Large Arts & Crafts Brass & Oak Gustave Serrurier-Bovy Style Wall Clock, ca 1900
Located in Lisse, NL
Beautiful and stylish clock, in good working order. If you are looking for an exceptionally designed clock from the Arts & Crafts era then this rare wall clock could be yours to o...
Brass
Large French Walnut Brass Wall Sculpture Clock
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-Century Modern French Deco style wall clock sculpture. Nice combination of solid brass and walnut details. Dated 1959, stamped: Made in France.
Brass
Carved Swiss Black Forest Chalet Clock, circa 1880
Located in Evergreen, CO
Intricate, painstaking detail is featured in this rare and magnificent, hand-carved, Black Forest chalet clock, which has professionally restored woodwork...
Walnut
Mocap 'Discodip' Illusionistic Wall Clock
Located in Maastricht, NL
Mocap 'Discodip' illusionistic wall clock design: JAN PAUL “Time is an illusion” Most wall-clocks have the same basic shape: round. Also the ...
Metal
$6,639 / set
H 18.51 in W 12.21 in D 5.91 in
Pair of 19th Century Swiss Carved Black Forest Trophy Plaques Hunting Deer Stag
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Stunning craftsmanship! This pair of 19th century Black Forest hunting Trophy plaques from Brienz Switzerland. Fully carved from solid ...
Walnut
$4,500
H 22 in W 13.75 in D 11 in
Black Forest 1900s Hand Carved Wooden Buck Head Mounted on Shield Plate
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swiss Black Forest hand carved wooden buck head wall sculpture from the turn of the century, with shield plate. Born in the early years of the 20th century...
Wood
Quality antique Black Forest cuckoo clock
Located in Ipswich, GB
Quality antique Black Forest cuckoo clock, having a quality traditional antique cuckoo clock decorated with carved leaves and a bird to the top a...
Pine
Mocap "White/Black" Illusionistic Wall Clock
Located in Maastricht, NL
Mocap (white-black) Illusionistic wall clock Design: Jan Paul “Time is an illusion” Most wall-clocks have the same basic shape: round. Also t...
Steel
Fine quality antique 19th century Black Forest cuckoo clock
Located in Ipswich, GB
Fine quality antique 19th century Black Forest cuckoo clock having a quality carved case with carved leaves and two carved birds flanking the clock...
Pine
Black Forest Carved Swiss Entry Mirror with Climbing Bears
By Black Forest
Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Large Swiss Black Forest carved entry or hall mirror with climbing bears both sides and pine boughs with pine cones at top and bottom. Carved by Swiss mas...
Other
$2,877
H 17.4 in W 12.5 in D 8.1 in
Large Antique Arts & Crafts Nutwood with Inlay Table or Mantel Clock, ca 1900.
Located in Lisse, NL
A rare and beautifully handcrafted Junghans mantel clock from the Arts & Crafts era, combining timeless design with exceptional craftsmanship. If you are looking for a truly excepti...
Brass, Bronze
Antique Hand-Carved Cuckoo Clock, Black Forest ca. 1900
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Antique Hand-Carved Cuckoo Clock, Black Forest ca. 1900 A beautiful antique Black Forest cuckoo clock with numerous detailed carvings, a chamois with fawn on the roof of the clock, ...
Wood
19th Century black forest walnut cuckoo clock
Located in Martlesham, GB
A superb quality 19th Century black forest carved walnut cuckoo clock with a 30 hour movement, the clock portraying a hunting scene consisting of a dears head at the top with antlers...
Walnut
Sold
H 23 in W 12 in D 14 in
German E. Schmeckenbecher 8 Day Regula Black Forest Hunt Cuckoo Clock 23"
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage mid to late 20th century wall hanging, 8 day, chiming cuckoo clock by E. Schmeckenbecher. Features a carved wood Black Forest hunter design...
Hardwood
Vintage Black Forest German Carved Walnut Figural Cuckoo Wall Clock 12"
Located in Dayton, OH
A quaint German walnut cuckoo clock. Features a Roman numeral face with a "K" mark towards the bottom. Includes one weight and pendulum. Dimensions: 9" x 4" x 11.5" h
Walnut
Sold
H 37.4 in W 21 in D 10.5 in
Large Masterly Carved Black Forest Nutwood Wall Clock w. Owl Sculpture & Bracket
Located in Lisse, NL
Top quality, hand carved and truly impressive antique clock. Over the years we have had the pleasure of owning and selling a number of beautiful Black Forest antiques, but never did we come accross a 19th century Black Forest wall clock of this size and with such amazing natural details and patina AND with the original and equally large and impressive wall bracket. And if that was not enough, this finest of Black Forest clocks also comes with a top quality carved owl, majestically sitting on top of his 'tree trunk domain'. Mind you, this very rare antique clock...
Brass, Iron
Antique German Hand Carved Black Forest "Cuckoo" Clock, Circa 1890.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique German Hand Carved Black Forest "Cuckoo" Clock, Circa 1890.
Walnut
Sold
H 16.5 in W 9 in D 11.5 in
Antique German Schatz & Sohne Black Forest 8 Day Stag Hunt Cuckoo Clock 17"
By Schatz
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique German Schatz & Sohne Black Forest eight day cuckoo clock. Features hunt / game / taxidermy theme with carved deer / stag , rabbit, bird and mantel with gun and tote. Cast iron acorn weights. Schatz Clock Company aka Jahresuhrenfabrik (Est. Mid 1850s) was founded by August Schatz and Anton Harder in the Black Forest region of Triburg, Germany. It was first registered in 1881 as Schatz & Wintermantel, and was re-structured in 1884 as Jahresuhrenfabrik A.G. It was registered again in1897 as Jahresuhrenfabrik GmbH, and finally in 1923 as Jahresuhrenfabrik August Schatz & Sohne. The German word, ‘Jahresuhrenfabrik’ means ‘Year Clock Factory’ and is appropriate as the founders committed to producing clocks that could accurately keep time over a long period with a minimum of winding or other maintenance. In the late 19th century, August Schatz worked with inventor Anton Harder with the goal of making an accurate clock that only needed winding once a year. They almost succeeded when they made the 400-day, or Anniversary, clock but it wasn’t as accurate as they’d hoped. Today, the company is known for two types of clocks with different ‘life spans’ for the winding: the Schatz 400-day clock and the 1000-day clock. This far exceeded the other leading clocks of the time which required winding every week or so. The 400-day clock was a sensation in part because it could be wound once yearly, often in association with a special event like a birthday or other anniversary. This made Schatz clocks ideal for gifts. Harder sold his patent is 1884 to F.A.L. deGruyter of Amsterdam and they continued the production of Jahresuhrenfabrik clocks, but they allowed the patent to expire. After it did expire in 1887, several clockmakers in Germany’s Black Forest region began manufacturing torsion clocks...
Hardwood
Sold
H 26 in W 19 in D 9 in
Vintage Black Forest German Walnut Swiss Musical Regula Cuckoo Clock Edelweiss
Located in Dayton, OH
A large vintage black forest cuckoo wall clock, made in Germany. Features Regula-72 German 8 day movement with Cuendet Swiss musical movement pl...
Walnut
Sold
H 18 in W 13.5 in D 8 in
Rare Antique George Kuehl German Black Forest Figural Walnut Cuckoo Clock
Located in Dayton, OH
George Kuehl & Co. antique Black Forest carved wood cuckoo clock in the traditional house form, decorated with leaves and birds. Includes pine cone shaped weights and additional pen...
Walnut
Sold
H 12 in W 8.5 in D 5.375 in
Antique 1930s G.M. Angem German Cuckoo Clock Black Forest Figural Birds
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique circa 1930’s German Black Forest cuckoo clock decorated with carved branches, leaves and bird with orange glass eye; includes ...
Hardwood
Sold
H 22.5 in W 14.5 in D 9 in
Vintage Black Forest Hunter Cuckoo Clock Regula German Deer Rabbit G.M. 8 Day
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage German black forest cuckoo clock with Regula works, decorated in a hunting motif featuring a game bag, forest leaves, ...
Hardwood
Black Forest Cuckoo Clock Edelweiss Fröhliche Wanderer German Swiss
Located in Dayton, OH
"Vintage 2002 German Black Forest cuckoo clock by A. Schneider Sohne with Regula works; chimes and includes Romance Swiss made music b...
Hardwood, Paint