Black Forest Garniture
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.
1880s German Antique Black Forest Garniture
Cut Glass, Walnut
2010s American Black Forest Garniture
Concrete
1990s German Black Forest Garniture
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Finnish Black Forest Garniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century French Black Forest Garniture
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Danish Black Forest Garniture
Porcelain
1860s French Antique Black Forest Garniture
Bronze
20th Century French Black Forest Garniture
Crystal
Mid-20th Century French Black Forest Garniture
Blown Glass
1920s Vintage Black Forest Garniture
Art Glass
20th Century French Black Forest Garniture
Crystal
Late 18th Century French Antique Black Forest Garniture
Bronze, Ormolu
1970s Italian Vintage Black Forest Garniture
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Garniture
Glass, Walnut
19th Century English Antique Black Forest Garniture
Wood