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Louis XVI Decorative Objects

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
Barbedienne Bronze Centerpiece after Germain Pilon on Red and Black Marble Base
Located in Norwood, NJ
19th Century Signed Doré bronze Belle Époque Barbedienne centerpiece of large scale, in the Renaissance style, on a red and black marble base. Three graces gilt bronze figural sculpt...
Category

1870s French Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble, Gold Plate, Bronze

18th Century Meissen Porcelain Model of a King Charles Spaniel, J.J. Kändler
Located in New York, NY
An 18th century Louis XVI period Meissen porcelain model of a King Charles spaniel, blue crossed swords mark, after the model by J.J. Kändler. The spotted dog with mouth open to reve...
Category

1760s German Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Set of 3 Florentine Italian Louis XVI Candelabra in Mecca Carved Silver Wood
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful and elegant set of 3 Italian Florentine candelabra in Mecca carved wood and gilt silver dating from the mid to end of the 18th centur...
Category

Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Pair of Marble Urns with Cherubs, Signed A. Moreau
Located in Cypress, CA
Impressive large pair of French Louis XVI style hand carved white marble urns with cherubs, signed A.Moreau. Highly attractive and very decorative. la...
Category

20th Century French Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Fine French Louis XVI Bronze Mantel Clock by Marquis a Paris
Located in Westwood, NJ
A fine and rare 19th century French Louis XVI bronze Mantel clock by Marquis a Paris. The wonderful clock has elaborate bronze decorations with masks,...
Category

1870s French Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Two Mirror or Picture Frames French Provincial 19th Century Louis XVI Rev
Located in Mimizan, FR
Two mirror or picture frames French Provincial 19th century Louis XVI revival individually priced, circa 1880 1) The 'Portrait' frame is mahogany 2) The 'Landscape' frame is oak B...
Category

1880s French Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Chinese Blanc de Chine Porcelain & Ormolu-Mounted Potpouri Vases and Cover, Pair
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful pair of Louis XVI antique Chinese blanc de chine porcelain and French ormolu-mounted Potpouri vases and covers, with applied...
Category

Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Pair of 19th Century Bronze Doré Candelabra
Located in Belmont, MA
A pair of exquisite bronze doré (ormolu) candelabra. Excellent work with beautiful details.
Category

1880s French Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Late 18th Century Louis XVI Carrara and Black Marble Ormolu Portico Mantle Clock
Located in Berlin, DE
Late 18th century Carrara and black marble ormolu mantel clock, the white enamel dial with Arabic numerals signed „Poudra à Paris“, surmounted by ...
Category

Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Carrara Marble, Enamel, Ormolu

Pair of 18th Century Ormolu and Marble Vases
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Beautiful pair of 18th century French ormolu and marble vases.
Category

18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

“Cercles Tournants” Louis XVI Mantel Clock, Bronze Attributed to Gouthière
By Pierre Gouthiere
Located in Paris, FR
Important white marble “Cercles Tournants” mantel clock. Gilt bronze mounts attributed to Pierre Gouthière. Paris, Louis XVI period, circa 1775...
Category

1770s French Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Sèvres Porcelain Louis XVI Lyre Mantel Clock by Kinable, Dial by Dubuisson
Located in Paris, FR
Dieudonné Kinable Enamel Dial Attributed to Dubuisson (1731-1815) Exceptional Porcelain Lyre Mantel Clock from the Royal Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory Paris, late Louis XVI period, circa 1785-1790 Height 62 cm; width 26 cm; depth 16 cm The round enamel dial, signed “Kinable”, indicates the hours in Roman numerals, the fifteen-minute intervals in Arabic numerals, the annual calendar and the signs of the Zodiac, by means of four hands, two of which are made of pierced gilt bronze, the two others in blued steel. The magnificent lyre-shaped case is made of “bleu nouveau” Sèvres porcelain and finely chased and gilt bronze. The bezel is made up of a gilt bronze twisted rope; the pendulum is adorned with brilliant-cut paste stones; the body of the lyre is adorned with gilt bronze beading and with laurel leaf and seed motifs, with two rosettes issuing floral and foliate swags. The clock is surmounted by a mask with radiating sunrays. The spreading foot is decorated with beading and twisted rope motifs and a leafy garland. The en-suite decorated oval base is raised upon four flattened ball feet. The Royal Sèvres Porcelain Factory produced the lyre clock model as of 1785. Four colours were offered: turquoise, green, pink and bleu nouveau. These exceptional clocks were made for the connoisseurs of the time. Louis XVI had a similar clock in his Salon des jeux in Versailles; its dial bore the signature of the clockmaker Courieult (this is almost certainly the example illustrated in P. Verlet, Les bronzes dorés français du XVIIIe siècle, Paris, 1999, p. 41). Kinable, however, was the clockmaker who purchased the greatest number of lyre cases from the factory, and he developed the model in the late 18th century. Among the porcelain lyre clocks signed by this brilliant horologer, one example is in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (illustrated in H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Band I, Munich, 1986, p. 252, fig. 4.6.26). A second such clock is in the Royal British Collection (see C. Jagger, Royal Clocks, The British Monarchy & its Timekeepers 1300-1900, 1983, p. 130, fig. 176). Bibliography: M. Gay and A. Lemaire, “Les pendules lyre”, in Bulletin de l’Association nationale des Collectionneurs et Amateurs d’Horlogerie ancienne, Winter 1993, n° 68, p. 5-40. Dieudonné Kinable (active circa 1785-1810) One of the most important Parisian clockmakers of the late 18th century. His shop was located at n° 131 Palais Royal. He purchased a great number of lyre-type porcelain clock cases...
Category

1780s French Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

A Louis XVI Period Antique French, Patinated and Dore Bronze Mounted Figural Clock
Located in New York, NY
A Very Fine Unusually Large Louis XVI Period antique French, Patinated and Dore bronze Mounted Figural Clock. A pair of maidens are mounted on either side of the clock, which rests o...
Category

18th Century and Earlier French Antique Louis XVI Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Louis Xvi decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Louis XVI decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative objects created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with bronze, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Louis XVI decorative objects made in a specific country, there are Europe, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative objects, popular names associated with this style include Oggetti D'Arte, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, Alexandre Vossion, and Baccarat. 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 decorative objects differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $289 and tops out at $9,217 while the average work can sell for $1,658.

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