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.
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...
Walnut
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...
Horn, Ebony
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...
Bone, Antler, Leather, Sandalwood
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...
Wood, Antler
Finely Carved 'Black Forest' Pipe Stand
By Black Forest
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...
Wood
$230
H 2.25 in W 2.75 in D 2.63 in
Dice Steel Metal Sculpture or Paper Weight Mid-Century Modern, German, 1970s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Vintage German Steel Dice Paperweight (Art Deco Style, c. Mid-20th Century) A striking minimalist sculpture and paperweight, this German steel cube features a single dice form balan...
Metal, Steel
19th Century Giltwood Watch Holder
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautifully carved figural giltwood pocket watch stand.
$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...
Tin
$4,400Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 3 in W 3 in D 3 in
Rare 1979 Donovan Leisure NYC Cia Law Firm 50th Anniversary Brass Paperweight
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Extremely rare New York City historical relic. A fiftieth anniversary brass cubic monolith commemorative desk sculpture. Issued to monogram; AWS. Approx. 45-60 members of firm a that time, only a handful were issued this paperweight in solid Brass weighing 8 lbs. 4.2 oz. Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Irvine was an American white-shoe law firm, located in New York. It was founded in 1929 by General William "Wild Bill...
Brass
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, ...
Wood
Wood Black Forest Brienz Carved Walnut Inkwell German Antique, 1890s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1890s Black Forest Brienz wood carved inkwell in form of a walnut on a leaf. Nice addition to your room or just for use it on your desk. Made of hand carved wood and gl...
Metal
$650
H 5.5 in W 16 in D 9 in
Antique Anglo-Indian Fluted Writing Box With Secret Drawers. Early 19th Century
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful writing box made from a tropical hardwood Fabulous shape and plain fluted carving. It gives it a modernist appearance Probably Sri Lankan 3 secret drawers* Replaced lea...
Wood
$350
H 4.75 in W 13 in D 9 in
Antique 19th Century Victorian Birdseye Maple Traveling Writing Slope Box
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique dark birds eye maple writing slope with brass M monogram plate on top with green felt lining and multiple interior storage compartments finishe...
Felt, Birdseye Maple, Ebony
$2,450
H 6.69 in W 17.91 in D 10.63 in
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...
Brass
$3,375Sale Price|25% Off
H 10.24 in W 16.93 in D 14.18 in
Supermarine Spitfire Wooden & Aluminum Airplane Desk Model, Asprey, ca 1940's
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...
Aluminum
Antique Regency Campaign Writing Slope Brass Mounts, 19th Century
Located in London, GB
An elegant Regency brass mounted Gonçalo Alves campaign writing slope, circa 1820 in date. The beautifully polished goncalo alves case has a ...
Wood
Sold
H 1.5 in W 12.25 in D 10 in
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.
Brass
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...
Horn, Wood
Sold
H 8.27 in W 6.89 in D 4.53 in
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...
Marble, Bronze
Sold
H 10.8 in W 14.2 in D 8.75 in
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...
Brass
Stunning 19th Century Black Forest Carved Linden Wood Cup
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
A 19th century carved black forest cup and cover of exhibition quality carved in linden wood, the cup has intricately carved animal heads, bi...