The decadence of the Baroque style, in which ornate furnishings were layered against paneled walls, painted ceilings, stately chandeliers and, above all, gilding, expressed the power of the church and monarchy through design that celebrated excess. And its influence was omnipresent — antique Baroque furniture was created in the first design style that truly had a global impact.
Theatrical and lavish, Baroque was prevalent across Europe from the 17th to mid-18th century and spread around the world through colonialism, including in Asia, Africa and the Americas. While Baroque originated in Italy and achieved some of its most fantastic forms in the late-period Roman Baroque, it was adapted to meet the tastes and materials in each region. French Baroque furniture informed Louis XIV style and added drama to Versailles. In Spain, the Baroque movement influenced the elaborate Churrigueresque style in which architecture was dripping with ornamental details. In South German Baroque, furniture was made with bold geometric patterns.
Compared to Renaissance furniture, which was more subdued in its proportions, Baroque furniture was extravagant in all aspects, from its shape to its materials.
Allegorical and mythical figures were often sculpted in the wood, along with motifs like scrolling floral forms and acanthus leaves that gave the impression of tangles of dense foliage. Novel techniques and materials such as marquetry, gesso and lacquer — which were used with exotic woods and were employed by cabinetmakers such as André-Charles Boulle, Gerrit Jensen and James Moore — reflected the growth of international trade. Baroque furniture characteristics include a range of decorative elements — a single furnishing could feature everything from carved gilded wood to gilt bronze, lending chairs, mirrors, console tables and other pieces a sense of motion.
Find a collection of authentic antique Baroque tables, lighting, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
A double-leaf front door made of solid wood, dating from the 18th century.
Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)
Double-leaf front door made of solid wood, with raised-relief paneling. Origin: Piedmont. The molded panels with a mixed-curve profile evoke the late Baroque or Rococo style. The bro...
Wood, Walnut
$1,148Sale Price|50% Off
Bronze Sculpture "The Young Piper"
Located in Manzano, IT
Stunning vintage bronze figurine depicting a young shepherd/piper in rustic clothing. The work stands out for its excellent rendering of anatomical details and folds of clothing, cap...
Marble, Bronze
Walnut exterior door with original door knocker and nail heads, 18th century
Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)
Walnut exterior door with an original door knocker and hand-hammered nails. The horizontal solid wood beams are very thick, with warping and shrinkage consistent with long-term aging...
Wood, Nutwood
Wall-mounted console table in dark walnut
Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)
A wall-mounted console table made of dark walnut, with features reminiscent of the Charles X or Louis Philippe styles (first half of the 19th century). Curved front legs, with brass ...
Wood, Nutwood
Antique French Primitive Cutting Board, 19th Century
Located in BORGO, FR
A beautifully timeworn antique French cutting board hand-carved from a single thick piece of hardwood. This authentic primitive kitchen object features a substantial rectangular form...
Wood
19th century Primitive Painted Early American Floor Lamp
Located in Savannah, GA
Rare painted iron standing floor lamp made to burn oil but converted to electricity. Nice lines and detail with upturned feet, scroll work and finial at top. See measurements below.
Iron
$439Sale Price|20% Off
H 3.94 in W 3.15 in D 1.97 in
Rare Antique Victorian Natural Shell & Silk Needlework Pin Cushion C.1890s
Located in Honolulu, HI
An authentic antique late Victorian era handmade pin cushion crafted from a natural scallop shell, dating to the late 19th century (circa 1890s). Embodying the popular Victorian tra...
Shell
Fine Traditional French Provincial Dark Stained Armoire
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Very fine traditional antique French armoire with a useful and hard to come by 12” depth. A carved bonnet over a frieze with carved cross motif. With the Classic shaped and carved burled door panels with patinated metal escutcheons (lacking a key). Five newer custom shelves...
Wood
$1,078 / set
H 7.5 in W 0.8 in D 0.8 in
Collection of Nine Unique Antique Green Glass Apothecary Bottles
Located in Coral Gables, FL
Exceptional collection of nine antique apothecary bottles, individually sourced and thoughtfully assembled into a striking decorative composition. The bottles vary in height, silhouette and proportion, creating a beautifully balanced arrangement of green glass with an unmistakable historical presence. The collection includes small pharmacy bottles, taller storage bottles, narrow-necked vessels and rounded forms, each reflecting the practical diversity of the traditional chemist’s shop. Their variations in size suggest that they were originally used for different preparations, quantities and dispensing purposes. Some may have held medicinal mixtures, tinctures, botanical extracts, aromatic preparations or other pharmaceutical compounds commonly prepared and sold by apothecaries. The rich green coloration is one of the most characteristic features of the group. During the 19th century, green and blue-green glass was widely used for pharmacy bottles, particularly in Europe and Britain. The color was associated with traditional apothecary glassware and, in some cases, helped protect light-sensitive contents. Green bottles were also used for substances that required visual distinction within the pharmacy, although color alone does not identify a particular medicine or poison. Ribbing, unusual shapes, special stoppers and printed or embossed warnings were often used for that purpose. These bottles belong to the world of the Victorian pharmacy, when an apothecary was simultaneously a medical practitioner, chemist, compounder and retailer. Medicines were prepared in small quantities, measured by hand and dispensed in containers selected according to the substance and the required dosage. Before standardized industrial packaging became widespread, the bottle itself was an essential part of the medical experience. Their forms also reveal the evolution of glassmaking. Many antique pharmaceutical...
Glass
Pine and Oak Rocking Cradle
Located in Baltimore, MD
This is a charming, very rustic hooded rocking cradle with an interesting and unusual “bird house” with a circular opening, built into the shallow hood,...
Oak, Pine
Arko Wall Art3 Tribal Style, Contemporary Art Craft Rice Straw
By ARKO
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Hand-sewed rice straw art by Arko. Title: Untitled This work has the feelings of contemporary tribal art, contemporary craft art, created with the respect for wild nature. Arko is a ...
Canvas, Thread, Straw
Vintage Wooden Butter Mold and Press, Rectangular Box, Folk Art
Located in Coral Gables, FL
A wonderful vintage wooden butter mold and press, constructed as a rectangular box with its original removable lid and fitted wooden plunger. Originally used to shape freshly churned...
Hardwood
$1,089 / set
H 12 in W 2.8 in D 2.8 in
Collection of Five Antique Primitive Turned Wood Kitchen Mashers
Located in Coral Gables, FL
Extraordinary collection of five antique kitchen mashers crafted in turned wood, each distinguished by subtly different proportions, finials, and surfaces. Gathered together, they fo...
Iron
$880 / set
H 4.2 in W 2.2 in D 0.3 in
Set of 10 Antique Miniature William Shakespeare Books Bound in Leather
Located in Coral Gables, FL
Elegant set of ten antique miniature books featuring works by William Shakespeare. With their small format, leather covers, and distinctive cha...
Leather, Paper
Antique French Primitive Cutting Board, 19th Century
Located in BORGO, FR
A beautifully timeworn antique French cutting board hand-carved from a single thick piece of hardwood. This authentic primitive kitchen object features a substantial rectangular form...
Wood
$516
H 1.97 in W 25.99 in D 8.67 in
Swedish Early 19th Century Folk Art Washboard in Pine, circa 1850 signed AAS
Located in Boden, SE
A Swedish washboard in pine dated 1850 with owner initials AAS The farmers and country-side folks were proud of the few things they owned and used to carve their initials and to date...
Pine
Early 18th Century Italian Carved and Dovetailed Walnut Alms Box
Located in San Francisco, CA
Early 18th century Italian carved and dovetailed walnut alms box, circa 1725 Large dovetails and old handwrought nails give this small scale box a hea...
Iron