French Provincial Serving Bowls
Removed from the fashions of the court, French Provincial style developed in the provinces of the country, such as Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, French Provincial furniture was not as ostentatious as the designs being produced for the royal palaces, but elegant S-shape cabriole legs and ornate carvings elevated the sturdy chairs, sofas, tables and bedroom furniture intended for everyday use.
Although it varies by region, antique French Provincial furniture is unified by solid construction and an artisanal attention to design. While this furniture often followed the metropolitan trends — including the Rococo or neoclassical aesthetics of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — since it was produced in the French countryside it was more subdued with nods to its rustic settings.
Local materials like fruitwoods, oak, beech and walnut were used to construct large French Provincial armoires for storage and comfortable armchairs with rush-woven seats. Wrought-iron elements and carvings like floral details and scallop patterns were common as ornamentation. Furniture was frequently painted white or other muted colors that coordinated with gilt and would acquire a patina of age over time. Other wood was just stained with vibrant fabric such as toile de Jouy, which sometimes depicted pastoral scenes, adding color as upholstery.
The style arrived in the United States after World War I, with soldiers returning home wanting furniture like what they had seen in the rural homes and castles of France. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, designer John Widdicomb split from his family business, the Widdicomb Furniture Company, and had been focusing on Louis XV– and French Provincial–style furnishings since the early 1900s. Other American manufacturers such as Baker, Drexel, Henredon and Thomasville also responded to demand. Today antique French Provincial pieces and reproductions continue to be popular.
Find a collection of antique French Provincial dining tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Belgian French Provincial Serving Bowls
Ceramic
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Serving Bowls
Earthenware
Late 20th Century French Provincial Serving Bowls
Aluminum
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Terracotta
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Faience
2010s Italian French Provincial Serving Bowls
Walnut
20th Century Italian French Provincial Serving Bowls
Sterling Silver
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Terracotta
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Terracotta
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Serving Bowls
Porcelain
Early 20th Century English French Provincial Serving Bowls
Pottery
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Pottery
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Serving Bowls
Porcelain
19th Century Italian Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Pottery
1960s German Vintage French Provincial Serving Bowls
Porcelain
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Serving Bowls
Copper
Early 20th Century American French Provincial Serving Bowls
Silver, Sterling Silver
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Serving Bowls
Ceramic
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Brass
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Serving Bowls
Satin, Glass
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Pottery
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Silver Plate
1960s Belgian Vintage French Provincial Serving Bowls
Metal
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Serving Bowls
Ceramic
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Beech
1950s Belgian Vintage French Provincial Serving Bowls
Ceramic
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Ironstone
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Ironstone
19th Century European Antique French Provincial Serving Bowls
Earthenware, Terracotta