The Gothic Revival movement (also called Victorian Gothic or Neo-Gothic) emerged in Britain in the 1740s, and reached its height in the late-19th century. Gothic Revival furniture's characteristics include such decorative flourishes as pointed arches, floral details, finials, heraldic motifs and linenfold carving.
The movement was rooted in religious and social conservatism. Gothic Revival's proponents, who included Charles Barry and A.W.N. Pugin, the architects of London’s Houses of Parliament (designed in 1840), believed that the art and architecture of the Middle Ages were authentically spiritual and inherently moral.
In the United States, the Gothic Revival movement shaped both public buildings and private houses. Numerous American schools were built in the early-19th century in a style now called Collegiate Gothic. Many builders and craftsmen were inspired by Andrew Jackson Downing’s widely read 1850 book Architecture for Country Houses, which posited that a family’s home should exemplify their values — and that the Gothic Revival style was particularly well-suited to scholars and clergymen. Furniture with detailing that mirrored that of Gothic Revival buildings appeared in the same period. Such pieces typically feature dark, intricately carved wood, and upholstery in velvet or leather.
Much like the castles or cathedrals that inspired them, Gothic Revival chairs, bookcases and beds make a bold design statement. And while you probably don’t have to cross a moat or raise a portcullis to get through your front door, a Gothic Revival piece will declare that your home is indeed your castle.
Circa 1870s English Gothic Revival Writing Slope Desk Box
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Circa 1870s English Gothic Revival writing slope desk box. A letter box is flanked by the original brass collared & hinged inkwells in brass surrounds (the hinges now a bit loose fro...
Brass
19th Century Bronze Letter Rack - Gothic Revival
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Elegant French bronze letter rack, late 19th century. The openwork design features intricate Gothic Revival motifs with stylized foliage, quatrefoils, and decorative details, complem...
Bronze
Charles X Gothic Revival Gilt and Patinated Bronze Inkwell
Located in Kittery Point, ME
Of rectangular shape, cast with gothic style arcading, the removable top depicting a fallen knight adjacent to a broken column and opening to two wells. In the early 19th century, ...
Bronze
$300Sale Price / set|33% Off
Gothic English Ink Stand, circa 1880
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Circa 1880 brass & wood ink stand, English. Gothic Revival brass strapwork. Ebonized trim accents. Burl walnut. 10 1/2" W., 7 7/16" D., 3 5/16" H. Whitehall Antiques is a family bus...
Brass
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Charles X Gothic Revival Gilt and Patinated Bronze and Siena Marble Inkwell
Located in Kittery Point, ME
Of rectangular shape, decorated with gothic cathedral arcades, with two wells and two pen holders, raised on a Siena marble base raised on scrolled feet. Between the twelfth and six...
Siena Marble, Bronze
19th Century Silver Gilt Presentation Casket Awarded to Alderman Abel Heywood
Located in London, GB
An Elkington & Company Silver Gilt Presentation Casket Hall Marked for Birmingham, 1891 and the maker; the casket, in the Victorian Gothic manner, with cluster columns at the angles...
Vermeil
Superbly Handcrafted Pair of Arts & Crafts Brass Candlesticks / Holders, 1910s
Located in Lisse, NL
Beautiful and very stylish pair of Gothic candlesticks made in the Arts & Crafts era. If you are looking for rare and good quality antiques in the Gothic style to grace your living ...
Brass
Italian Patinated Brass and Marble Architectural Model Inkwell, circa 1875
Located in Atlanta, GA
Cast in great detail in bronze in the neo-Gothic style, the top lifting to reveal three round openings, lacking glass inkwells, resting on a marble plinth base, raised on cast bronze...
Marble, Bronze
French Gothic Revival Wrought Iron Calendar
Located in Queens, NY
French Gothic Revival-style (19th Century) wrought iron calendar (Related items: 035057A, 035057B, 048571D)
Iron
Gothic Revival Gilt and Patinated Bronze Inkwell with Porcelain Plaque
Located in London, GB
A Louis-Philippe Gothic Revival gilt and patinated bronze inkwell Rising from two-tone gilt bronze bracket feet, the patinated bronze rectangular inkwell having a band of circular...
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century Bronze Sculpture "The Letter"
Located in Rochester, NY
Antique bronze sculpture of man reading a letter or proclamation. Marble base, 19th century. Unsigned.
Bronze
$65Sale Price|20% Off
H 9.57 in W 6.5 in D 1.38 in
Set of Antique Bound Books Dating from the 19th Century, France
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Set of old religious books dating from the 19th century. From an old protestant library near Le Havre in France. These books are called "Commentaries". These beautiful books are perf...
Paper
19th Century Lectern Louis-Philippe Period
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
This Louis-Philippe period table lectern in cherrywood resting on four turned legs, has three positions for three different reading angles. France, circa 1840.
Cherry
$1,996
H 4 in W 4 in D 2.5 in
English Regency Inkwell in Patinated Bronze and Ormolu with Dolphin Mount
Located in London, GB
English Regency patinated bronze and ormolu double inkwell. Set upon a rectangular base with mercury gilt ormolu moulding of "stiff leaf and dart" design. The inkwell holder itself, ...
Bronze, Ormolu
Set of Old Bound Books, 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Set of old books dating from the 19th century. From an old protestant library near Le Havre in France. These books are entitled "Histoire du protestantisme français" (History of Fren...
Leather, Paper
Italian 19th Century Lit De Presentation, Presentation Bed
Located in Round Top, TX
A charming later 19th century Lit De Presentation - Presentation Bed from Venice, Italy. Such a wonderful piece was used to formally "present" the infant at his baptism. This bed wil...
Wood
$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
Late 19th Century Gothic Revival Reliquary Casket
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
A Gothic Revival reliquary. Circa late 19th / early 20th century. Made of solid oak with fine carving. Reliquaries have been used to store relics since the Middle Ages. In sacred architecture they are often located behind the main altar in the chancel. In addition to classical, often church-like caskets, anthropomorphic, so-called "speaking" reliquaries were also made, which already inform the viewer about their contents through their own design. Mostly they were made of precious metals and decorated with rich sculptural ornaments or precious stones. One of the most famous examples of reliquaries is the Epiphany shrine of Nicholas of Verdun from the late 12th or early 13th century in Cologne Cathedral. The reliquary offered here has an architectural structure with a rectangular ground plan. The three-sided glazed box with a dormer roof rests on a plinth. A total of 8 columns of Corinthian order form the arcades which are crowned on both long sides by 3 lancets each and enclose the lancet windows...
Glass, Oak
$2,023Sale Price / set|35% Off
H 6.89 in W 14.18 in D 11.03 in
Elegant Victorian Flame Mahogany Writing Slope & Stationary Leather Interior
Located in Reading, Berkshire
An Elegant 19th Century Antique Victorian Flame Mahogany Decorative Inlaid Writing Slope With Black Ebonised Accents & Fitted Stationary Compartments With A Tooled Leather Interior Supplied with two glass inkwells A new notepad A vintage ink pen...
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century Bronze Apothecary Mortar & Pestle, Circa 1800
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
The cup shaped cast body decorated with incised ring-turned detail, rising from a waisted & stepped circular foot, together with its original pestle. Combined weight, 3.75 lbs.
Bronze
English Edwardian Mahogany Book Stand, Circa 1900
Located in High Point, NC
Lovely period Edwardian book stand made from Mahogany and expertly inlaid with satinwood. This charming book stand is absolutely precious! The stand is made from mahogany and then...
Mahogany, Satinwood
Set of Old Bound Books 19th Century France
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Set of old books dating from the 19th century. From an old protestant library near Le Havre in France. These books are called « Memoirs of the bourge...
Paper, Leather
Sold
H 4.34 in W 3.75 in D 1.19 in
Neo-Gothic lock. Wrought iron. Spanish school, 19th century. Incomplete.
Located in Madrid, ES
Neo-Gothic lock. Wrought iron. Spanish school, 19th century. Incomplete. Wrought iron lock decorated with arched shapes and architectural elements inspired by Gothic architecture ...
Iron
Gothic Revival Coromandel and Brass Lap Desk
Located in New Orleans, LA
Highly-prized coromandel, or East Indian ebony, was used to create this beautiful 19th-century British Gothic Revival lap desk. The desirable wo...
Brass
Sold
H 5.75 in W 5.75 in D 10.5 in
Antique Carved Oak 19th Century Gothic Revival Reticulated Letter Post Box
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Victorian / Gothic Revival oak post box with slots labeled Answered and Unanswered leading to two red velvet lined compartments, encased with heavy carvings and pierced flora...
Velvet, Oak
Sold
H 4.53 in W 11.03 in D 7.09 in
Gothic Antique Sterling Silver Ink Stand by Joseph Angell & Son, London, 1893
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in London in 1843 by Joseph Angell & Son, this striking, Victorian, Antique Sterling Silver Ink Stand, is in the Gothic Reviva...
Sterling Silver
Pair of Bookends, 19th Century Bronze-Mounted Horn
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair of 19th century bronze-mounted horn bookends are ideal for decorations, desktops, or as bookends on any surface. Cattle horns were a symbol of affluen...
Bronze
19th Century Collectible Sealing Seal in Vermeil by Jean Jacques Feuchère
By Feuchere
Located in Marseille, FR
Collectible sealing seal in vermeil (hallmark with the boar's head) and hard stone 19th century dimension height 6.7 cm representing Méphistophélès: Feuchère represents a very melanc...
Vermeil
Sold
H 6.25 in Dm 8.75 in
Handcrafted Pair of Arts and Crafts / Gothic Revival Wrought Iron Candle Sticks
Located in Lisse, NL
Beautiful and very stylish pair of Gothic candlesticks made in the Arts and Crafts era. If you are looking for rare and good quality antiques in the Gothic style to grace your livin...
Wrought Iron
Sold
H 4.14 in W 7.88 in D 2.96 in
Gothic Revival Inkwell in Gilt Bronze and Sienna Marble, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Oval gilt bronze inkwell in Neo-Gothic style, decorated with cathedral arcades and rosettes. It houses two inkwells with their lids and a pounce pot decorated with openwork branches,...
Siena Marble, Bronze
Set of Four 19th Century Carved Wood Gothic Spires
Located in Dallas, TX
Set of four 19th century carved wood Gothic Spires are great for using as decorative accents, or even placing atop an existing piece of furniture to creat...
Oak
19th Century Dovetailed Wood Box with Pyrimidal Cast Brass Lid
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century dovetailed wood box with pyramidal patina cast brass lid features raised figural relief appearing to be ten of the apostles. The lid r...
Brass
19th Century bronze and ormolu oval encrier
Located in London, GB
An early 19th century bronze and ormolu oval encrier, having gothic arched gallery and scrolled base, ending on replacement marble plinth base.
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Sold
H 4.14 in W 7.88 in D 2.96 in
Gothic Revival Inkwell in Gilt Bronze and Sienna Marble, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Oval gilt bronze inkwell in Neo-Gothic style, decorated with cathedral arcades and rosettes. It houses two inkwells with their lids and a pounce pot decorated with openwork branches,...
Siena Marble, Bronze