Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
With clean lines and muted colors, antique Gustavian furniture is understated and elegant. It represents a more restrained version of the transition from Rococo to neoclassicism that was happening in France under Louis XVI. The style developed under Swedish King Gustav III, who reigned from 1771 until his assassination in 1792, and his son Gustav IV, who ruled until 1809. Although Gustavian furniture is mostly used to refer to pale painted cabinets, commodes, armchairs and other items, it involved a range of influences.
Gustavian-style furniture was inspired by discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as the grandeur of European palaces like Versailles, with local softwoods such as pine and birch. There was also an emphasis on natural light; crystal chandeliers and large mirrors played a role in radiating the fleeting daylight of winter, giving it a distinctive aesthetic.
Where earlier furniture was curvy and florid, this new era was more architectural, with tapered and fluted legs and rectangular and oval shapes. Luminous gilt contrasted with the palette of soft blues on upholstery and painted surfaces. Leading furniture builders included Gottlieb Iwersson, Louis Masreliez and Erik Öhrmark. The latter, a French-born Swedish decorator, designed the Sulla chair, a seat that was demonstrative of technical skill and precise craftsmanship and drew on Greek klismos chairs. Masreliez’s Sulla chair was made by Öhrmark and featured decorative ornamentation produced by Jean-Baptiste Masreliez, Louis’s younger brother.
While the wealthy had furniture carved with neoclassical details like scallops and rosettes, more affordable options were adorned with faux finishes that mimicked marble and stenciled patterns. The simple elegance of Gustavian furniture would have a long impact on Swedish design, informing the 20th-century appreciation for function and form. In the 1950s, IKEA mass-produced copies of a Gustavian commode designed by cabinetmaker Georg Haupt, who created pieces for the Royal Palace, making the furniture a fixture of everyday Swedish life.
Find a collection of antique Gustavian seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
17th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Blown Glass
1780s Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Silver
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Silver, Pewter
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Tin
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Porcelain, Paint
18th Century Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Metal
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Glass
18th Century Swiss Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Pewter
18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Silver
18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Blown Glass
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Pewter
Late 19th Century English Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century German Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Silver Plate
1950s Vintage Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Glass
2010s Italian Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Marble
19th Century Czech Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Crystal
2010s Italian Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Metal
1890s American Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Metal
1930s Finnish Vintage Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Glass
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Glass
Early 1900s English Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Porcelain
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Pewter
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Blown Glass
Late 19th Century Dutch Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Ceramic, Porcelain, Pottery
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Glass
18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Blown Glass
18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Blown Glass
18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Blown Glass
1880s Scandinavian Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Glass
1970s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Porcelain
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Blown Glass
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Blown Glass
Early 1800s Swedish Antique Gustavian Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Silver