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.
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Fox Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free natrualistic painted fox figure in brown colors. The fox is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decor...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Wild Boar Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free natrualistic painted wild boar figure in grey colors. The fox is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decorating nuts or sweets ...
Porcelain
Set of Three Porcelain Bowls Winter Decor Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
These completely handmade porcelain bowls are painted by hand with a charming hands-free winter decor. Teh decor comes as a set of three decors. One shows...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Fox Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free naturalistic painted fox figure in brown colors. The fox is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decorating nuts or sweets aroun...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Fox Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free natrualistic painted fox figure in brown colors. The fox is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decorating nuts or sweets aroun...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Figure Fox Handpainted Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain figure with a hands-free naturalistic hand-painted fox in brown colors in the style of Black Forest. Handmade in Bavaria/Germany by Sofina Boutique Kitz...
Porcelain
Porcelain Bowl with Bambi Figure Handpainted Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free naturalistic painted bambi figure in brown. The bambi is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decorating nuts or sweets around. ...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Squirrel Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free painted squirrel in brown in the center of the bowl. 24-carat gold rimmed. Comes also in black with platinum frame. Available in ...
Porcelain
Country Style Porcelain Dish with Skier Decor Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Charming hands-free painted porcelain dish with platinum rim. Hands-free painted in a classic winter decor with a skier, mountains and trees. Completely h...
Porcelain
Black Forest Oval Porcelain Plate with Wild Boars Sofina Boutique Kitzbühel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade and hands-free painted large oval porcelain plate for decoration. Two natural moulded porcelain figures wild boars are sittin...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Vase Hunting Decor Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Hands-free painted porcelain vase with a hunting design with deers and trees all around. Lined with a green line and rimmed with a 24 carat gold line. Completely hand painted in Bava...
Porcelain
Set of Six Porcelain Dishes with Hunting Trophies Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Set of six porcelain dishes . Hands-free painted with 6 different detailed painted trophies heads in the style of black forest. Rimmed with a fine 24-carat gold line. Handmade in Bav...
Porcelain
Black Forest German Porcelain Vase with Hunting Scene Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Hand-painted porcelain vase is completely handmade and handpainted in Bavaria Germany. Rimmed with a 24-carat gold line. The decor is hands-free painted all round with a hunting scene. The black forest decor...
Porcelain
Black Forest Hand-Crafted Porcelain Dish Bambi Sofina Boutique Kitzbühel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade and hands-free painted large oval porcelain plate in Black Forest style. A natural molded porcelain bambi figure is sitting left hand and three pines are fixed on...
Porcelain
Black Forest Oval Porcelain Plate with Squirrels Sofina Boutique Kitzbühel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade and hands-free painted large oval porcelain plate. Two natural molded porcelain squirrel figures sitting on oak leaves and oaks ...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Dish Christmas Garland Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Hands-free painted porcelain dish with platinum rim. Hands-free painted in a classic black forest christmas decor with green fir and pine cone garland. Completely handmade in Bavaria...
Porcelain
Black Forest Hand-Crafted Porcelain Bowl Fox Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free naturalistic painted fox figure in brown colors. The fox is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decorating nuts or sweets aroun...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Bambi Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl in the style of black forest with a hands-free naturalistic painted bambi figure in brown. The bambi is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decor...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Bambi Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free naturalistic painted bambi figure in brown. The bambi is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decorating nuts or sweets around. ...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Fox Handpainted Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free natrualistic painted fox figure in brown colors. The fox is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decorating nuts or sweets aroun...
Porcelain
Black Forest Bambi Figure Porcelain Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free naturalistic painted bambi figure in brown. The bambi is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decorating nuts or sweets around. ...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Bambi Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free natrualistic painted bambi figure in brown. The bambi is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decorating nuts or sweets around. ...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Fox Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Completely handmade porcelain bowl with a hands-free natrualistic painted fox figure in brown colors. The fox is sitting in the middle of the bowl for decor...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Dish with Deer Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Charming completely handmade and hands-free painted oval porcelain plate. The naturalistic moulded porcelain bambi figure and three porcelain pine cones fixed on the porcelain plate ...
Porcelain
Black Forest Hand-Painted Porcelain Bambi Figur Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Hand painted porcelain bambi figure. Hand painted in a naturalistic style. The bambi figure is completely handmade in Bavaria. About Sofina porcelain: Sofina porcelain was found 20...
Porcelain
Set of Six Porcelain Plates with Hunting Trophies for Claudia
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Set of six porcelain plates. Hands painted with 6 different detailed painted trophies heads. Rimmed with a fine 24-carat gold line and with an additional green one. Handmade in Bava...
Porcelain
Country Style Porcelain Pastry Dish Handpainted Birds Sofina Boutique Kitzbühel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Large completely handmade porcelain dish is hands-free painted with a naturalistic decor of three great tits sitting on leaves. Green rimmed with a fine 24-carat gold line. Handmade...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Bowl with Deer Figure Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Hand-painted porcelain dish for serving sweets or nuts with a naturalistic bambi figure in the center of the dish. The bambi figure and the bowl are completely handmade in Bavaria. H...
Porcelain
Black Forest Porcelain Dish Christmas Garland Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Hands-free painted porcelain dish with platinum rim. Painted in a classic black forest Christmas decor with green fir and pine cone garland. Completely handmade in Bavaria/Germany.
Porcelain
Black Forest Set of Six Porcelain Dishes Hand Painted Sofina Boutique Kitzbuehel
Located in Kitzbühel, Tirol
Set of six porcelain dishes hands-free painted with 6 different detailed painted trophies heads in the style of Black Forest. Rimmed with a fine 24-carat gold line. Handmade in Bava...
Porcelain