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Black Forest Desk Sets

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BLACK FOREST STYLE

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.

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Style: Black Forest
Rare Antler Desk Standish with Elaborate Carvings, Germany ca. 1840
Rare Antler Desk Standish with Elaborate Carvings, Germany ca. 1840

Rare Antler Desk Standish with Elaborate Carvings, Germany ca. 1840

Located in Berghuelen, DE

Rare Antler Desk Standish with Elaborate Carvings, Germany ca. 1840 A rare antique writing desk set made of wood and original antlers decorated with fine carved hunting scenes depic...

Category

Mid-19th Century German Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Wood, Antler

19th Century French Black Forest Carved Walnut Smoker’s Desk Set
19th Century French Black Forest Carved Walnut Smoker’s Desk Set

19th Century French Black Forest Carved Walnut Smoker’s Desk Set

Located in Dallas, TX

Decorate a desk, study or library with this elegant antique Black Forest smoker’s companion set. Crafted in France circa 1870, the finely carved walnut stand is executed in an elonga...

Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Walnut

Black Forest Claw & Horn Desk Set and Candle Holders, 19th Century
Black Forest Claw & Horn Desk Set and Candle Holders, 19th Century

Black Forest Claw & Horn Desk Set and Candle Holders, 19th Century

Located in Savannah, GA

A Black Forest chamois horn and claw desk set with candle holders, 19th century. The desk set includes pounce pot and dish, quill holder and inkpot. Two ma...

Category

19th Century Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Horn, Ebony

Antique Anglo-Indian Vizagapatam Stag Antler Horn Slope Top Writing Desk c 1800s
Antique Anglo-Indian Vizagapatam Stag Antler Horn Slope Top Writing Desk c 1800s

Antique Anglo-Indian Vizagapatam Stag Antler Horn Slope Top Writing Desk c 1800s

Located in Highwood, IL

Stag Antler Table Top Desk Secretary or rather as described by a British expert: an Anglo-Indian Stag Antler Writing Slope Table Top Desk, late 19th century from Vizagapatam, which was the headquarters of the Vizagapatam District of Madras during the British period. Stag Antler anything is rare and unusual today, especially when it is completely covered in carved strips of Natural unpolished Antler. Finding Stag Antler Writing Desks are beyond rare and in our 30-years in the Antique business...

Category

1870s Indian Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Bone, Antler, Leather, Sandalwood

Related Items
Finely Carved 'Black Forest' Pipe Stand
Finely Carved 'Black Forest' Pipe Stand

Finely Carved 'Black Forest' Pipe Stand

$1,341

H 7.09 in W 10.63 in D 7.49 in

Finely Carved 'Black Forest' Pipe Stand

Located in Forest Row, East Sussex

A finely carved "Black Forest' pipe stand. Carved Lindenwood with a single bear standing over a naturalistic base with the pipe holders and astray to fron...

Category

Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Wood

1950s German Newspaper Advertising Tin Clips Midcentury Graphic Design Set
1950s German Newspaper Advertising Tin Clips Midcentury Graphic Design Set

1950s German Newspaper Advertising Tin Clips Midcentury Graphic Design Set

$764Sale Price / set|20% Off

H 1 in W 4 in D 1.25 in

1950s German Newspaper Advertising Tin Clips Midcentury Graphic Design Set

Located in Hyattsville, MD

Small collection of light duty metal clips, from German newspapers. Silkscreen on thin metal. All working. Kölnische Zeitung (Cologne Gazette) Frankfurter Rundschau Rheinische P...

Category

1950s German Vintage Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Tin

Ronson USA 1934 Art Deco Black Lacquered Rondette Desk Lighter in Stainless Stee
Ronson USA 1934 Art Deco Black Lacquered Rondette Desk Lighter in Stainless Stee

Ronson USA 1934 Art Deco Black Lacquered Rondette Desk Lighter in Stainless Stee

By Ronson Art Metal Works

Located in Miami, FL

A stainless steel lighter designed by Ronson. Very beautiful desk Rondette lighter, created in New Jersey United States by The Ronson Co. during the art deco period, back in the 1934. This is a very unusual lighter designed with wonderful geometric patterns and crafted in solid steel with a central round body set upon two smaller cylindrical feet. Embellished with black lacquer, creating a great contrast with the base polished steel. Extremely well made and solid construction with very nice care and attention to all details. This surely is a very decorative piece and a great conversation item in gorgeous and exceptional preserved condition. Weight: 104.9 Grams, (67.24 Dwt). Measurements: 66 mm by 21 mm by 82 mm (2.59 x 0.83 x 3.23 Inches). Marks: Stamped with the maker's mark and signed, "RONSON US PAT.RE.NO.19023 RONSON RONDETTE ART METAL WKS INC NEWARK NJ US PAT.RE.NO.19023". The Ronson lighter company started as The Art Metal Works in 1897 and was incorporated on July 20, 1898, by Max Hecht, Louis Vincent Aronson and Leopold Herzig, in Newark, New Jersey. Louis V. Aronson was a huge creative driving force for the company; and, with a few business adjustments, including the addition of Alexander...

Category

1930s American Vintage Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Steel, Stainless Steel

19th Century French Walnut and Brass Writing Boxe
19th Century French Walnut and Brass Writing Boxe

19th Century French Walnut and Brass Writing Boxe

$865Sale Price|49% Off

H 6.7 in W 17.72 in D 9.06 in

19th Century French Walnut and Brass Writing Boxe

Located in LEGNY, FR

Beautiful walnut desktop box which opens into a writing slope. Decorated on the outside with 2 decorative inlaid tunbridge ware bands. Box opens out to a beige fabric writing slo...

Category

1890s French Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

19th Century Giltwood Watch Holder
19th Century Giltwood Watch Holder

19th Century Giltwood Watch Holder

$4,200

H 14.25 in W 14.25 in D 6.5 in

19th Century Giltwood Watch Holder

Located in New Orleans, LA

Beautifully carved figural giltwood pocket watch stand.

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Desk Register from Buffalo Bill's Hotel in the Rockies
Desk Register from Buffalo Bill's Hotel in the Rockies

Desk Register from Buffalo Bill's Hotel in the Rockies

Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID

Buffalo Bill's desk register used at the Irma Hotel, including a double inkwell, hotel bell, envelope holder, pen holder, two envelopes, baggage claim tag, ...

Category

Early 20th Century American Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Wood

19th Century Victorian Writing Slope/ Travel Desk Box, Brass Bound, UK ca. 1815
19th Century Victorian Writing Slope/ Travel Desk Box, Brass Bound, UK ca. 1815

19th Century Victorian Writing Slope/ Travel Desk Box, Brass Bound, UK ca. 1815

Located in Lichtenberg, AT

Impressive Victorian writing slope or travel desk - attributed to the famous company of Thompson - from the period around 1800 - 1815 in the United Kingdom. This fantastic Captain’s campaign writing slope dates back to the Napoleonic wars. Well constructed out of solid mahogany with screwed down mount re-enforcements, brass banding, and inset carrying handles at each end, this outstanding travel desk box was designed to withstand the harsh maritime life at sea. The exterior of this Victorian travel box shows an attractive mahogany grain, beautiful colour, and a lovely pleasing patina. There are a couple of old indented scars to the lid along with the usual minor surface scratching, but these imperfections confer it an absolutely unique charme. The box has a tri-fold operation, opening to reveal a secondary smaller writing surface for quick use, then opening again to reveal the main slope fitted with a green felt writing surface which is in reasonable condition and compliments the original interior. When it is completely opened you have two storage compartments underneath. The original lock works smoothly with the original key. The original interior is nicely fitted out with a dark green leather drop-down section in the lid which features four memoire pockets. This section can additionally be lowered to reveal a document wallet...

Category

Early 19th Century British Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

Art Deco Pan-Am DC3 Wooden Airplane Desk Model, Midcentury
Art Deco Pan-Am DC3 Wooden Airplane Desk Model, Midcentury

Art Deco Pan-Am DC3 Wooden Airplane Desk Model, Midcentury

$3,749Sale Price|25% Off

H 22.45 in W 31.11 in D 20.08 in

Art Deco Pan-Am DC3 Wooden Airplane Desk Model, Midcentury

By Pan American Airways

Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos

Art Deco / midcentury large DC3 desk aviation model. Pan-Am wooden airplane model. It was in an office of the company in South America. Very good restored conditions. Slight age wear. History Pan American Airways began the first transatlantic passenger service on this day in 1939. Pan American World Airways, as it was to be known, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal United States international air carrier from the late 1920s until its collapse on December 4, 1991. Founded in 1927 as a scheduled air mail and passenger service operating between Key West, Florida, and Havana, Cuba, the airline became a major company credited with many innovations that shaped the international airline industry, including the widespread use of jet aircraft, jumbo jets, and computerized reservation systems. The history of Pan American Airways is inextricably linked to the expansive vision and singular effort of one man – Juan Trippe. An avid flying enthusiast and pilot, Trippe, only 28 years old when he founded the airline, lined up wealthy investors and powerful government officials from his personal acquaintances in the high-society of the 1920s. However, Pan Am’s first flight was an inauspicious start to its epic saga. In 1927, facing a Post Office deadline for the commencement of mail carriage, Pan Am had no working equipment for its sole airmail contract between Key West and Havana. Fortunately for Pan Am, a pilot with his Fairchild seaplane arrived at Key West and was willing to carry the mail to Cuba for the start up operation. It is fitting that Pan Am’s first flight would be over water, since the airline would Pioneer overseas routes throughout its history. Pan Am’s fortunes took a turn for the better in the fall of 1927. Through the heavy lobbying efforts of Juan Trippe, Pan Am was selected by the United States government to be its “chosen instrument” for overseas operations. Pan Am would enjoy a near monopoly on international routes. Added to Pan Am’s Cuba route were lines serving Mexico, Central America, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Puerto Rico. Most of these destinations were port cities, which could be reached only by landing on water. Therefore Pan Am made good use of its “flying boats,” the Sikorsky S-38 and S-40. Flights were eventually expanded to serve much of South America as well. EnlargePan Am’s fleet of Clippers allowed the airline to conquer the Pacific in the mid-1930s. The flying boats would later be put to military use in WWII. Just a few years later, Pan Am launched its effort to cross the world’s largest oceans. Survey flights across the Pacific were conducted with the Sikorsky S-42 in 1935, but passenger service required bigger and better aircraft. Accompanied by much fanfare, the Martin M-130 was introduced in 1936, followed by the Boeing 314...

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Wood

Antique Brass-Mounted Hardwood Writing Slope with Secret Compartments
Antique Brass-Mounted Hardwood Writing Slope with Secret Compartments

Antique Brass-Mounted Hardwood Writing Slope with Secret Compartments

Located in Reading, Berkshire

A handsome antique portable writing slope crafted in richly figured hardwood and finished with decorative brass mounts, stringing and escutcheons. The exterior has a warm, polished s...

Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

19th Century Black Forest Carved Humidor
19th Century Black Forest Carved Humidor

19th Century Black Forest Carved Humidor

$3,795

H 11 in W 8.5 in D 9 in

19th Century Black Forest Carved Humidor

Located in High Point, NC

19th century hand-carved black forest humidor with a figure of a dog and cat. The cat is atop a barrel, which has a lid which lifts to reveal a compartment for tobacco. The barrel is sitting on a base with hand-carved sticks and logs and an upside down hunting hat...

Category

Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Fruitwood

Supermarine Spitfire Wooden & Aluminum Airplane Desk Model, Asprey, ca 1940's
Supermarine Spitfire Wooden & Aluminum Airplane Desk Model, Asprey, ca 1940's

Supermarine Spitfire Wooden & Aluminum Airplane Desk Model, Asprey, ca 1940's

$3,150Sale Price|30% Off

H 10.24 in W 16.93 in D 14.18 in

Supermarine Spitfire Wooden & Aluminum Airplane Desk Model, Asprey, ca 1940's

By Asprey & Garrard Limited

Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos

Spitfire wooden & aluminum airplane desk model. Asprey London- ca 1940´s RAF Supermarine spitfire aluminum airplane desk model, mounted over a disp...

Category

Mid-20th Century British Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Aluminum

Art Deco French Caudron, Renault Desk Airplane Model, Late 1930´s
Art Deco French Caudron, Renault Desk Airplane Model, Late 1930´s

Art Deco French Caudron, Renault Desk Airplane Model, Late 1930´s

Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos

French Caudron - Renault Desk Airplane Model. Late 1930´s. Made of Lacquered Wood and Polished Aluminium The C.710 were a series of light fighter aircraft developed by Caudron-Re...

Category

Mid-20th Century French Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Aluminum

Antique Gentlemans Ladys Gadget Measuring English Bamboo Walking Stick Cane RARE
Antique Gentlemans Ladys Gadget Measuring English Bamboo Walking Stick Cane RARE

Antique Gentlemans Ladys Gadget Measuring English Bamboo Walking Stick Cane RARE

Located in Dublin, Ireland

Superb Rare Polished Victorian Bamboo Wood Ladys or Gentlemans Walking Stick of outstanding quality by Charles Cook who also worked for renowned Stick makers Brigg & Sons in Lond...

Category

19th Century English Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

1950s Bag with Embroidery and Silk
1950s Bag with Embroidery and Silk

1950s Bag with Embroidery and Silk

$1,025

H 6.3 in W 7.09 in D 1.19 in

1950s Bag with Embroidery and Silk

Located in Marbella, ES

1950s bag with embroidery and silk.

Category

Mid-20th Century European Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Fabric, Silk

Previously Available Items
Antique Brass Bronze Black Forest Figural 3 Bears Desk Pen Tray Trinket Holder
Antique Brass Bronze Black Forest Figural 3 Bears Desk Pen Tray Trinket Holder

Antique Brass Bronze Black Forest Figural 3 Bears Desk Pen Tray Trinket Holder

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Antique Brass Bronze Black Forest Figural 3 Bears Desk Pen Tray Trinket Holder. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 1.5" H x 12.25" W x 10" D.

Category

Mid-20th Century Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

Antique Black Forest Basket with Carved Horn Plaques, ca. 1860
Antique Black Forest Basket with Carved Horn Plaques, ca. 1860

Antique Black Forest Basket with Carved Horn Plaques, ca. 1860

Located in Berghuelen, DE

Antique Black Forest Basket with Carved Horn Plaques, ca. 1860 A nice antique Black Forest basket with handcarved horn plaques on each side representing hunting scenes and oak leave...

Category

Mid-19th Century German Antique Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Horn, Wood

Vintage Black Forest Bear Pen Rest, German, Bronze, Marble, Decor, Desk Stand
Vintage Black Forest Bear Pen Rest, German, Bronze, Marble, Decor, Desk Stand

Vintage Black Forest Bear Pen Rest, German, Bronze, Marble, Decor, Desk Stand

Located in Hele, Devon, GB

This is a vintage Black Forest bear pen rest. A German, bronze and marble decorative desk Stand, dating to the late 20th century, circa 1970. Highly distinctive desk Stand with charm...

Category

Late 20th Century German Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Antique Hand Carved Black Forest Inkstand with Owl on Books Sculpture & Inkwells
Antique Hand Carved Black Forest Inkstand with Owl on Books Sculpture & Inkwells

Antique Hand Carved Black Forest Inkstand with Owl on Books Sculpture & Inkwells

Located in Lisse, NL

Large size and rare antique black forest desk set, circa 1920. If you are a collector of decorative and meaningful antiques from the black forest then this handcrafted work of beaut...

Category

Early 20th Century European Black Forest Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

Black Forest desk sets for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Black Forest desk sets for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage desk sets created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with bone, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Black Forest desk sets made in a specific country, there are Europe, Germany, and Asia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for desk sets differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $595 and tops out at $4,400 while the average work can sell for $1,735.