Like France’s Empire style, Regency-style furniture was rooted in neoclassicism; the characteristics of its bedroom furniture, armchairs, dining room tables and other items include clean lines, angular shapes and elegant details.
Dating roughly from the 1790s to 1830s, antique Regency-style furniture gets its name from Prince George of Wales — formally King George IV — who became Prince Regent in 1811 after his father, George III, was declared unfit to rule. England’s Regency style is one of the styles represented in Georgian furniture.
George IV’s arts patronage significantly influenced the development of the Regency style, such as the architectural projects under John Nash, which included the renovation of Buckingham House into the formidable Buckingham Palace with a grand neoclassical facade. Celebrated designers of the period include Thomas Sheraton, Henry Holland and Thomas Hope. Like Nash, Hope instilled his work with classical influences, such as saber-legged chairs based on the ancient Greek klismos. He is credited with introducing the term “interior decoration” to English with the 1807 publishing of Household Furniture and Interior Decoration.
Although more subdued than previous styles like Rococo and Baroque, Regency interiors incorporated copious use of chintz fabrics and wallpaper adorned in chinoiserie-style art. Its furniture featured fine materials and luxurious embellishments. Furniture maker George Bullock, for instance, regularly used detailed wood marquetry and metal ornaments on his pieces.
Archaeological discoveries in Egypt and Greece informed Regency-era details, such as carved scrollwork, sphinxes and palmettes, as well as the shape of furniture. A Roman marble cinerary chest, for example, would be reinterpreted into a wooden cabinet. The Napoleonic Wars also inspired furniture, with martial designs like tented beds and camp-style chairs becoming popular. While the reddish-brown mahogany was prominent in this range of pieces, imported woods like zebrawood and ebony were increasingly in demand.
Find a collection of antique Regency tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
A Pair of Early 19th Century Regency Convex Girandole Mirrors
Located in London, GB
England, circa 1820 A fine pair of English Regency giltwood girandoles, each with a circular convex mirror within a beaded and gadrooned frame, surmounted by an eagle, the scrolling...
Giltwood
$5,075 / item
Eagle Girandole Mirror in the Regency manner
By Thomas Hope
Located in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
A carved giltwood girandole of early Regency design. The convex mirror plate is within a moulded frame decorated with gilt balls and has a carved eagle crest supported on a tapered b...
Gold Leaf
Mid 18th Century Ornate Gilt Oval Girandole Mirror attributed to John Booker
Located in Dublin 8, IE
Mid 18th Century Irish carved giltwood oval girandole mirror attributed to John Booker. Boasting a highly ornate carved giltwood border surrounded by vine stock with leaves and bunch...
Mirror, Giltwood
Regency Giltwood Convex Girandole Mirror
Located in Savannah, GA
A Regency giltwood convex girandole mirror. The 13 inch convex plate with ebonized reeded surround is mounted in a concave frame with beaded and rope edges and ball spacers. The ...
Giltwood
Italian Organic Bamboo and Wicker Wall Mirror, 1970s
Located in Morazzone, Varese
Italian Organic Bamboo and Wicker Wall Mirror, 1970s Beautiful Italian Riviera Wall Mirror made of natural organic Bamboo and wicker material in the 1970s ca. Particular Drop Form E...
Bamboo, Wicker, Wood
$2,000 / set
H 20 in W 14 in D 5 in
1 French Mid-Century Modern Neoclassical Mirror Sconce / Girandole, M. Mategot
Located in New York, NY
One large French modern neoclassical double arm metal wall light / sconce / girandole with mirrored backs in the style of Mathieu Mategot. The metal frame is pierced and the mirror h...
Metal
$3,400 / set
H 32 in W 18 in D 3.5 in
Pair of Louis XV Style Giltwood and Tole Girandoles Each with Two Candelabra
Located in Morristown, NJ
Late 19th c., shaped mirror glass framed by giltwood foliate scrolls. The particular shape with "Rocaille" friezes with floral motifs in Louis XV style is further embellished by the ...
Metal
19th century Brass Two Candle Mirrored Wall Sconces
Located in Savannah, GA
Petite pair of two candle mirrored wall sconces from the sumptuous Belle Époque era. Foliate scrolls with full leaf motif bobeche. Priced as a set. See...
Brass
Pair Italian Baroque Girandoles or Mirrors
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a very unusual pair of late 17th or early 18th century Italian Baroque Girandoles. The girandoles feature a finely executed carved gilt wood frame that is surmounted by a fin...
Gold Leaf
$1,150 / set
H 22.5 in W 7.78 in D 3.13 in
Pair 19th Century Gilt Bronze Girandole Sconce Mirrors with Candelabra
Located in Doylestown, PA
Pair of narrow, rectangular gilt bronze girandoles with beveled mirror and twin candelabra, circa 1890. Ornately decorated frame with openwork of fleur-de-lis, renaissance architectu...
Bronze
Early 19th Century American Giltwood Convex Girandole Mirror
Located in Essex, MA
Period American Federal convex girandole mirror of monumental size. Giltwood with original gilding and mirror. New York.
Giltwood
Regency Convex Giltwood Mirror
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine Regency giltwood convex mirror, the ebonized eagle with gilt head and shoulders standing on ribbed plinth with acanthus leaf supports, the turned frame...
Mercury Glass, Giltwood
$60,000 / set
H 38.5 in W 24.5 in D 8 in
Pair of American Eagle Gilt Carved Wood Girandole Mirrors, Circa 1800
Located in Charleston, SC
Pair of American gilt carved wood girandole mirrors with flanking eagles on rock plinths perched to flee , upper and lower acanthus carved floral motif, ebonized reeded circular mold...
Bronze
$2,268 / set
H 43.31 in W 18.12 in D 1.97 in
Antique Pair of Regency Style Giltwood Convex Girandole Wall Mirrors
Located in Suffolk, GB
A decorative pair of antique giltwood convex wall mirrors made in the Regency style. Each mirror features an elegant pierced scrolled crest above a circular convex mirror plate set w...
Giltwood
$3,600 / set
H 40.56 in W 22.84 in D 4.34 in
Pair of 18th Century North Italian Rococo Giltwood Mirrors
Located in Berlin, DE
A pair of 18th century North Italian giltwood mirrors and former girandoles or sconces. Elaborately carved in symmetrical form with flowers, leaves, Ho Ho Birds, scrollwork and rocailles. A metal mount for the candle branches still attached at the bottom of the mirror. The mirror used...
Mirror, Giltwood
Louis XV Giltwood Mirrored Girandoles
Located in New Orleans, LA
This incredibly rare pair of Louis XV-period giltwood mirrored girandoles capture the grandeur, grace and opulence of the Rococo movement in the decorative arts. Each opulent mirror is exquisitely framed with voluminous flourishes of naturalistic motifs exemplary of the Louis XV era’s organic, deliberately asymmetrical stylings. Holding four candles each, these outstanding mirrored girandoles would have decoratively flanked a room of the period elegantly, illuminating the giltwood lustrously and providing ambient light reflected in the mirrored glass. Mirrors have long played an integral role in decorative design, often serving as focal points of a room. Dating back to the 13th century, the first French looking glasses were very small, yet enormously precious. Because these early mirrors...
Mirror, Giltwood
Outstanding Pair Regency Girondelle Mirrors
Located in Swadlincote, GB
A wonderful pair of French girondelle mirrors with water and oil gilding, useful shelf being held up by a cherub sitting in a garland, tops with lady and gentleman figures in a round...
Gesso
Outstanding Pair Regency Girondelle Mirrors
Located in Swadlincote, GB
A wonderful pair of French girondelle mirrors with water and oil gilding, useful shelf, in lovely condition throughout. 49" high 22" wide 10" depth You are welcome to view this ite...
Gesso
Circa 1815 English Regency Bull's Eye Girondole Mirror
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Circa 1815 Regency bull's eye girondole mirror, English. Carved wood, gessoed and ebonized & gilded. Original mirror plate with expected obscuring mercury deposits. Cast bronze & gil...
Metal, Bronze
A Large Regency Convex Gilt Girandole Wall Mirror
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A Large Regency Convex Gilt Girandole Wall Mirror This Stunning Mirror has a deep gilt frame decorated with spheres and is finely reeded up to the convex glass, on either side it has a twisted candle...
Giltwood
Regency Convex Mirror by Thomas Fentham
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine Regency period gilt and ebonized convex mirror by Thomas Fentham, London, having carved hippocampus with two gilt balls flanked by pair of dolphins...
Brass
Regency Giltwood Girandole Convex Mirror
Located in Essex, MA
With carved eagle holding two balls on a chain over a convex glass mirror with ebonized outer band, the conforming frame with spherules, mounted candle arms and base leaf carved deco...
Pine, Giltwood
Early 19th Century Regency Giltwood Convex Dolphin Mirror
Located in Essex, MA
Period English Regency giltwood convex girandole mirror. Dolphin top. Original candle arms. Original gilding. Original Mirror --Provenance: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Loan Exhib...
Mirror, Giltwood
Regency Oval Giltwood Mirror
Located in Essex, MA
Unusual form with newly water gilded frame and replaced glass. A period frame with spherules and molded fasces outer band.
Pine, Giltwood
19th Century English Regency Carved Giltwood Convex Mirror
Located in Dublin, IE
A very fine Regency period carved giltwood and Gesso convex mirror, the plate within a reeded ebonized slip with ball decoration surmounted by an Eagle pediment. It has sconces to ei...
Giltwood
Sold
H 60 in Dm 33 in L 60 in
Large Scale English Late 18th-Early 19th Century Convex Mirror with Sea Horse
Located in Charleston, SC
Truly superb George III period girandole mirror with a gilded and verte antique details (faux painting to appear like naturally patinated bronze castings). The details and crispness...
Gold Leaf
19th Century Petite Regency Carved Giltwood Convex Girandole Mirror
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A small Regency carved giltwood convex girandole mirror The typical circular mirror with an ebonized slip and ball encrusted frame surmounted by a twin-handled urn with trailing h...
Glass, Softwood
Pair of 19th Century Regency Convex Mirror Girandoles with Hippocampus
Located in Essex, MA
Rare pair of Regency convex or bullseye mirrors --Original gilding being conserved and restored at the moment. Original girandole candle arms. Origin...
Mirror, Giltwood