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Louis XVI Desk Sets

LOUIS XVI STYLE

Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.

Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.

Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.

The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.

Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Louis XVI
19th Century French Ormolu Mounted Rounded Globe Style Tantalus Liquor Set
Located in New York, NY
An Unusual 19th century French Ormolu Mounted Globe Style Tantalus liquor set. The round globe top which rests on an elongated ormolu base is not common to find. The crystal top is m...
Category

1890s French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Crystal, Ormolu

19th Century French Ormolu Mounted Rounded Globe Style Tantalus Liquor Set
19th Century French Ormolu Mounted Rounded Globe Style Tantalus Liquor Set

19th Century French Ormolu Mounted Rounded Globe Style Tantalus Liquor Set

$14,000 / set
Pair French Silvered Bronze Lions Mask Plinths w/ Hand-Carved Rock Crystal Orbs
Located in New York, NY
A Pair of Incredible French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Silvered Bronze Lions Mask Plinths with Hand-Carved and Hand-Polished Rock Crystal Orbs. Boasting sumptuous French Regency d...
Category

1890s French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Rock Crystal, Bronze

Pair French Silvered Bronze Lions Mask Plinths w/ Hand-Carved Rock Crystal Orbs
Pair French Silvered Bronze Lions Mask Plinths w/ Hand-Carved Rock Crystal Orbs

Pair French Silvered Bronze Lions Mask Plinths w/ Hand-Carved Rock Crystal Orbs

$9,800
19th Century French Tantalus Liquor Set
Located in Mérida, YU
Very rare French 19th Century Ormolu Tantalus-Liquor Set in the shape of a globe. The Crystal Globe is made on a extraordinary pattern. Comes with 3 hand cut Crystal bottles and 6 g...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Ormolu

19th Century French Tantalus Liquor Set
19th Century French Tantalus Liquor Set

19th Century French Tantalus Liquor Set

$15,500
A Champlevé Enamel Three Piece Desk Set, Attributed to Barbedienne
By Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Champlevé Enamel Three Piece Desk Set, Attributed to Barbedienne. Comprising a gilt-bronze pen tray and a pair of candleholders all finely decorated in Champlevé enamel. The pen...
Category

19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze, Enamel

A Champlevé Enamel Three Piece Desk Set, Attributed to Barbedienne
A Champlevé Enamel Three Piece Desk Set, Attributed to Barbedienne

A Champlevé Enamel Three Piece Desk Set, Attributed to Barbedienne

$13,089
Royal Blue Porcelain and Gilt Bronze Inkwell and Pen Tray in the Louis XVI Taste
Located in London, GB
An Ensemble de Bureau in the Louis XVI Taste Constructed using gilt bronze, and 'Sevres' style porcelain having 'Bleu de Roi' borders, and hand p...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Ormolu, Bronze

Royal Blue Porcelain and Gilt Bronze Inkwell and Pen Tray in the Louis XVI Taste
Royal Blue Porcelain and Gilt Bronze Inkwell and Pen Tray in the Louis XVI Taste

Royal Blue Porcelain and Gilt Bronze Inkwell and Pen Tray in the Louis XVI Taste

$11,711
3-Piece Sevres Porcelain and Dore Bronze Mnt. Clock and Candelabra Garniture
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in New York, NY
A gorgeous and very unusual 19th century French dore bronze mounted Sevres white porcelain three-piece clock and three-light candelabra garniture set. The Lyre shaped clock and cande...
Category

1860s French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze

3-Piece Sevres Porcelain and Dore Bronze Mnt. Clock and Candelabra Garniture
3-Piece Sevres Porcelain and Dore Bronze Mnt. Clock and Candelabra Garniture

3-Piece Sevres Porcelain and Dore Bronze Mnt. Clock and Candelabra Garniture

$19,800 / set
Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Rocker Blotter, Circa 1910
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Art Nouveau period Louis XVI style gilt bronze rocker blotter By Tiffany Studios New York, USA, early 20th century Measures: 5.38"W x 3"D x 2"H. Good original vintage ...
Category

Early 20th Century American Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze

Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Rocker Blotter, Circa 1910
Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Rocker Blotter, Circa 1910

Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Rocker Blotter, Circa 1910

$1,295
PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI Style
Located in Madrid, ES
PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI style, in gilded metal. Dim.: 29 x 13 x 5 cm good conditions
Category

19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Metal

PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI Style
PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI Style

PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI Style

$855 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Related Items
Tiffany & Co. Gilt Bronze Pen Tray
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Tiffany & Co. Gilt bronze pen tray, 20th century impressed Tiffany & Co. 22062-z Measures: Width 9.0 in. (22.86 cm.) Depth 3.5 in. (8.89 cm).
Category

20th Century Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze

Tiffany & Co. Gilt Bronze Pen Tray
Tiffany & Co. Gilt Bronze Pen Tray

Tiffany & Co. Gilt Bronze Pen Tray

$650
H 2 in W 9 in D 3.5 in
Gilt Bronze and Champleve Enamelled Inkstand
Located in Cheshire, GB
19th Century gilt bronze and champlevé enameled inkstand with single well with hinge cover and pen rest. All raised up on bun feet. Dimensions H...
Category

Late 19th Century British Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze

Gilt Bronze and Champleve Enamelled Inkstand
Gilt Bronze and Champleve Enamelled Inkstand

Gilt Bronze and Champleve Enamelled Inkstand

$964 Sale Price
40% Off
H 4.5 in W 8.5 in D 5.5 in
19th Century Victorian Style French Glass Epergne Centerpiece Vase
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Enhance your living space with this exquisite 19th Century Victorian-style French Glass Epergne Centerpiece Vase in a captivating pink hue....
Category

19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Art Glass

19th Century Victorian Style French Glass Epergne Centerpiece Vase
19th Century Victorian Style French Glass Epergne Centerpiece Vase

19th Century Victorian Style French Glass Epergne Centerpiece Vase

$2,400
H 18.5 in Dm 10.5 in
19th Century French Bronze Green Opaline Glass Inkwell Set
Located in Guaynabo, PR
French Bronze Green Opaline Double Inkwells Set. It depicts a Japonisme style bronze tray with a pair of green opaline inkwell bottles mounted in round...
Category

19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze

19th Century French Bronze Green Opaline Glass Inkwell Set
19th Century French Bronze Green Opaline Glass Inkwell Set

19th Century French Bronze Green Opaline Glass Inkwell Set

$1,225
H 7.75 in W 8 in D 5 in
Antique French Faience Quimper Inkwell Pen Tray, circa 1900
By Henriot Quimper
Located in Pearland, TX
A charming antique French faience Quimper double inkwell and pen tray desk set, circa 1900. This gorgeous inkwell is hand painted with a traditional Breton man surrounded by bagpipes...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Faience

Antique French Faience Quimper Inkwell Pen Tray, circa 1900
Antique French Faience Quimper Inkwell Pen Tray, circa 1900

Antique French Faience Quimper Inkwell Pen Tray, circa 1900

$556 Sale Price
20% Off
H 1.5 in W 7.5 in D 7 in
Antique Clock Garniture with Sèvres Style Porcelain and Ormolu
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in London, GB
This fantastic porcelain clock garniture contains three vases, one of which has been mounted with a ormolu clock dial with jewels surrounding it. The vases are decorated in the style of the Sèvres Porcelain manufacturers, with cartouches to the front and back. The panels on the front depict ladies and putti in a landscape, while the reverse sides depict riverbanks. The vases are set on ormolu bases with canted angles, and feature twin ormolu handles which take the form of masks. The central vase is surmounted by an ormolu putti...
Category

19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Clock Garniture with Sèvres Style Porcelain and Ormolu
Antique Clock Garniture with Sèvres Style Porcelain and Ormolu

Antique Clock Garniture with Sèvres Style Porcelain and Ormolu

$24,801 / set
H 23.63 in W 10.24 in D 8.67 in
PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI Style
Located in Madrid, ES
PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI style, in gilded metal. Dim.: 29 x 13 x 5 cm good conditions
Category

19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Metal

PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI Style
PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI Style

PAIR OF 19th Century French CHENETS Louis XVI Style

$855 Sale Price / set
20% Off
H 11.42 in W 5.12 in D 1.97 in
19th Century French Crystal and Bronze Inkwell
By L'Escalier de Cristal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th century French Crystal and Bronze Mounumental Inkwell. Signed. Escalier de Cristal Paris.
Category

19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

19th Century French Crystal and Bronze Inkwell
19th Century French Crystal and Bronze Inkwell

19th Century French Crystal and Bronze Inkwell

$6,500
H 6.75 in W 4.25 in D 4.25 in
19th Century French Madagascar Wood Tantalus Set
Located in Dallas, TX
Elegant 19th century French Madagascar wood Tantalus set. A beautiful set with decanters and glasses. A fine set! Note: 2 glasses are missing.
Category

19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Crystal

19th Century French Madagascar Wood Tantalus Set
19th Century French Madagascar Wood Tantalus Set

19th Century French Madagascar Wood Tantalus Set

$4,620
H 12 in W 14 in D 10 in
Early 20th-C. French Gilt Bronze And Malachite Desk Pen Inkwell / Inkstand
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is an early 20th century highly decorative French gilt bronze, malachite and faux malachite inkstand with dual inkwells. The base is a mix of faux malachite and malachite veneer...
Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Malachite, Bronze

Early 20th-C. French Gilt Bronze And Malachite Desk Pen Inkwell / Inkstand
Early 20th-C. French Gilt Bronze And Malachite Desk Pen Inkwell / Inkstand

Early 20th-C. French Gilt Bronze And Malachite Desk Pen Inkwell / Inkstand

$1,346 Sale Price
25% Off
H 6 in W 15 in D 7.5 in
Ferdinand Barbedienne, a French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870
By Louis-Constant Sevin, Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in Queens, NY
Ferdinand Barbedienne, A French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870, The Design Attributed to Louis Constant Sevin. An exceptional qualit...
Category

19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu

Ferdinand Barbedienne, a French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870
Ferdinand Barbedienne, a French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870

Ferdinand Barbedienne, a French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870

$18,000
H 5 in W 8 in D 5 in
Napoleonic Tantalus Liquor Cabinet, 19th Century
Located in North Palm Beach, FL
Presenting an exquisite antique French Tantalus liquor cabinet that transports you back to the elegance of the mid to late 1800s. This remarkab...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

Napoleonic Tantalus Liquor Cabinet, 19th Century
Napoleonic Tantalus Liquor Cabinet, 19th Century

Napoleonic Tantalus Liquor Cabinet, 19th Century

$1,400 Sale Price
78% Off
H 10.5 in W 13 in D 9.75 in
Previously Available Items
Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Desk Set, Circa 1910
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Art Nouveau period Louis XVI style gilt bronze desk set. The two-piece set includes a notepad holder and a rocker blotter. By Tiffany Studios New York, USA, early 20th c...
Category

Early 20th Century American Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze

Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Desk Set, Circa 1910
Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Desk Set, Circa 1910

Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Desk Set, Circa 1910

H 0.5 in W 4.75 in D 7.5 in
Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Notepad Holder, Circa 1910
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Art Nouveau period Louis XVI style gilt bronze notepad holder By Tiffany Studios New York, USA, early 20th century Measures: 4.75"W x 7.5"D x 0.5"H. Good original vint...
Category

Early 20th Century American Louis XVI Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze

Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Notepad Holder, Circa 1910
Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Notepad Holder, Circa 1910

Tiffany Studios New York Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Notepad Holder, Circa 1910

H 0.5 in W 4.75 in D 7.5 in

Louis Xvi desk sets for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Louis XVI desk sets for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 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, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Louis XVI desk sets made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desk sets, popular names associated with this style include Tiffany Studios, Europa Antiques, and Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres. 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 $990 and tops out at $19,800 while the average work can sell for $2,998.

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