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.
$976Sale Price|20% Off
Böhlmarks Brass Column Table Lamp. 1930's.
Located in Bromma, SE
Brass table lamp in Column form. Sweden, 1930s. Stamp Arvid Böhlmark Stockholm. Minor wear. Atelier made lamp Shade in cashmere is included. New cable & switch (EU plug). Measure...
Bronze
Beautiful Swedish Gustavian Style Brass Table Lamp, Late 19th Century
Located in Knivsta, SE
Beautiful Swedish Gustavian Style Brass Table Lamp, Late 19th Century A beautiful Gustavian style brass table lamp, most likely from the late 1800s, richly decorated with classical...
Brass
19th Century French Gustavian Lyre Table Lamp in Distressed Wood with Shade
Located in Atlanta, GA
This exquisite 19th-century French lamp is a striking example of timeless craftsmanship and design, inspired by the classical beauty of a lyre. The carved wooden base is meticulously...
Pine
Vintage Grey Metal Base Lamp
Located in Sheffield, MA
Neoclassical style lamp base with fluted shaft, the small lamp is designed for European framed shades. Will work well in Louis XVI style, Swedish Gustavian style or most any decor. ...
Metal
$1,391
H 19.69 in Dm 7.88 in
Chinese Table Lamp, 19th Century with Brass Mount, 19th Century Famille Rose
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This table lamp is a 19th century Famille rose vase lamp, it has been made in china circa 1880. The mount is in brass, and the porcelain in hand painted. USA PLUG ADAPTATOR WILL BE ...
Bronze
$531
H 15.36 in W 6.3 in D 6.3 in
French Antique Table Lamp Made with a Boat Wood Rudder, Late 19th Century
Located in Labrit, Landes
Table lamp made circa 1960 with a boat rudder. The rudder is very old and has probably been in the water for some time. This gives the lamp a unique look, where the wood tells its ow...
Wood
19th Century Brass Corinthian Column Table Lamps, Neoclassical Style
Located in Lincoln, GB
A Magnificent Pair of 19th Century Brass Corinthian Column Table Lamps This is a truly imposing pair of 19th-century Victorian brass table lamps,...
Brass
Scandinavian Modern Table Lamp by Böhlmarks 1940's
By Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik, Harald Notini
Located in Örebro, SE
Rare, scandiavian modern table lamp from Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik, attributed to Harald Notini. Wear and patina consistent with age and use. Pewter patina, scratches and marks. S...
Pewter
$943
H 15.56 in W 4.34 in D 4.34 in
Vintage Silver Plated Corinthian Pillared Nelsons Column Table Lamp Stepped Base
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to this stunning vintage silver plated Corinthian pillared Nelson's column table lamp A very well made and beautifully cast lamp,...
Silver Plate
$1,391
H 9.45 in W 5.91 in D 6.7 in
Harald Notini, Böhlmarks, table / wall lamp model 15566, brass, Sweden, 1950s
By Harald Notini, Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik
Located in Forserum, SE
A refined and understated modernist table lamp, model 15566, produced by the renowned Swedish manufacturer Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik during the 1950s. Exemplifying Scandinavian mid-...
Brass
Swedish Table Lamp from Böhlmarks, 1930s
Located in Karlstad, SE
Elegant table lamp, crafted by Böhlmarks in the 1930s. The design features a sleek, tapered stem anchored by a spherical brass detail and a solid, circular base. The lamp is complemented by a newly custom-made pleated lampshade, created from vintage chintz fabric...
Brass
$6,377
H 25.2 in Dm 15.36 in
Harald Notini for Böhlmarks, Monumental Table Lamp in Brushed Brass and Mahogany
By Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik, Harald Notini
Located in Hammarö, SE
Documented in the original Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik catalogue from 1950 as model no. 15479. The catalogue specifies the lamp with matte-brushed brass, a green-lacquered metal shade...
Brass
$7,200
H 19.89 in W 18.51 in D 18.51 in
Harald Notini for Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik '15277' Table Lamp in Brass and Elm
By Harald Notini, Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Harald Notini for Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik, table lamp model '15277', brass, elm, Sweden, 1940s Refined table lamp designed by Harald Notini. This piece combines warm elm wood and...
Brass
Swedish Modern Table Lamp Model 15624 by Böhlmarks
Located in Karlstad, SE
A striking table lamp by Böhlmarks, model 15624, produced during the 1940s–50s. The lamp features a wide, dark green lacquered metal shade with brass details, balanced on a cylindric...
Brass
Harald Notini, Art Deco Brass Table Lamp for Böhlmarks, Sweden, 1930s.
By Harald Notini, Hans-Agne Jakobsson, Bohlmarks, Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik, Nordiska Kompaniet
Located in Malmö, SE
An elegant Art Deco / Swedish Grace brass and wood table lamp. Designed by Harald Notini for Böhlmarks, Sweden, 1930s. Great original condition with amazing patina. Sold without lam...
Brass
$3,478
H 19.69 in W 13 in D 5.12 in
Swedish modern brass table lamp designed by Harald Elof Notini, Böhlmarks, 1940s
By Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik, Harald Notini
Located in Hägersten, SE
Swedish modern table lamp designed by Harald Elof Notini. Produced during the 1940s by Arvid Böhlmarks lampfabrik in Stockholm, Sweden. Made from solid brass with two lamp arms and w...
Brass
Sold
H 22.05 in Dm 11.82 in
Sophisticated Brass Table Lamp from Skultuna Bruk, Sweden in Gustavian style
By Skultuna
Located in Knivsta, SE
Sophisticated Brass Table Lamp in Gustavian style from Skultuna Bruk, Sweden. Made during the late 19th Century. Originally a kerosene lamp converted to table lamp in the early 20th ...
Brass
1890s Pair Gustavian Style Electrified Crystal Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
1890s Swedish Gustavian style pair of two light candelabra crystal and brass table lamps featuring a white marble base each. These have now been con...
Crystal, Marble, Brass
Classic Brass Table Lamp with Corinthian Capital
Located in Knivsta, SE
Classic brass table lamp with Corinthian capital from late 19th century. The lamp is originally a oil lamp that was converted to electricity in the 1920s. The new black lacquer shad...
Brass
Pair of Scandinavian Brass Candlestick Lamps
Located in Greenwich, CT
Good pair of repousse brass candlesticks, now as lamps, having cross-hatched shafts on hexagonal plinths with floral decorated bases. Danish or Swedish, recently re-electrified.
Brass
19th Century Swedish Painted Wood Lamps with Parchment Shades
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of custom lamps made from a pair of 19th century Swedish painted carvings that have been wired into lamps and crowned with hand painted white colored parchment shades with silve...
Wood, Parchment Paper
Period Neoclassical Swedish Gustavian Bouillotte or Candle Lamp
Located in Essex, MA
Period gilt bronze marble and tole Bouillotte or reading lamp --Original Green Tole Adjustable Shade --Marble Base --Adjustable Candle Holder --Naive Lion Adornment See: "Ne...
Marble, Ormolu, Tin
Pair of Late 18th Century Gilt Italian Candelabras / Table Sconces
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of late 18th century five light gilt Italian candelabras. These are very early and well constructed out of pine. They were masterfully converted to electricity in the 20th centu...
Pine
Pair of Gustavian Style Crystal Candelabra
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A pair of stunning Gustavian style crystal candelabra made of crystals, and gilded brass from Sweden mounted on a marble base, circa 1830.
Crystal