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.
Eight Foot Tall Mid-19th Century French Regency Style Giltwood Floor Mirror
Located in Fayetteville, AR
Found in a chateau in the Loire Valley, this nineteenth century French Regency style gilt wood mirror stands at an impressive eight feet in height. Its beveled glass is surrounded by...
Mirror, Giltwood
Stunning Wall Mirror With Gold Gilded Frame after André Mare & Louis Süe
By Andre Mare, Louis Sue (Artist)
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oval-shaped gilded wooden mirror with a high part circled with a gilt brass ring and framed by two horns of abundance. The frame of this mirror appears to be old, the backing of the...
Mirror, Wood, Giltwood
Pair of Small Scale Early 20th Century French Regency Style Gilt Wood Mirrors
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This pair of small scale French Regency style gilt wood mirrors from the turn of the twentieth century features their original mercury glass. Each mirror is detailed with a shell mot...
Mirror, Giltwood, Mercury Glass
Mid Century French Montparnasse Framed Mirror 36" x 30.25"
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant hand carved Montparnasse framed beveled mirror, France, circa 1950s.
Mirror, Wood
French Regence painted and giltwood mirror circa 1780.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
French Regence painted and carved giltwood mirror circa 1780 with elaborately scrolled and foliate carved crest over a beveled plate glass.
Mirror, Giltwood
French 19th Century Silver & Gold Gilt Oval Mirror
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A regal gold and silver gilt mirror with intricate, carved details at the top and bottom. A splendid Ho-oh bird (or Chinese Phoenix) grips scrolling acanthus leaves on the crown of a...
Wood, Giltwood
$6,360Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century French Empire Period Carved Giltwood Rectangular Mirror with Crest
Located in Miami, FL
19th Century French Empire period carved giltwood rectangular mirror. An exceptional matched hand carved and gilded French mirror. Highly carved with flowers, original glass and ori...
Giltwood
Elegant Gilt Swan Crest Mirrors 43.75"H x 20"W Pair Available
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant gilt wood swan crest mirrors, France, circa 1950s. They measure an impressive 43.75"H x 20"W. We have a pair of these mirrors available. They are priced at $1,850 each or $2,...
Mirror, Wood
Large Gilt Régence-Style Wall Mirror, France, 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Very large wall mirror with a tall rectangular gilt stucco frame. The frame features crisp molded profiles and delicate strapwork ornament within the molding. The mirror glass is of ...
Glass, Wood
French 19th Century Regence St. Giltwood Mirror
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant French 19th century Regence st. giltwood mirror. The original mirror plate is framed within a beaded border and a beautiful pattern of burnished ovals within fine foli...
Mirror, Giltwood
French Régence Giltwood Mirror
Located in Long Island City, NY
A charming giltwood mirror with nicely-aged surface, the high fronton adorned with flowers and an etched diamond pattern.
Giltwood
Antique French Regence Style Gilt Mirror
Located in New York, NY
Antique French Regence Style Gilt Mirror
Giltwood, Glass
Antique Provençale Giltwood Mirror with Openwork Grapevine Motifs, Circa 1750
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautiful and towering, standing over six feet tall (76+ inches), this giltwood mirror was hand-carved in Provence, France, circa 1750. The elaborate carvings consist of twisting gra...
Glass, Mirror, Giltwood
Decorative Regency style circular gilded laurel leaf mirror; c. 1820
Located in Purkersdorf, AT
Oval mirror made of gilded wood with intertwined floral and cross-hatched motifs. An amateur repair. Early 19th century.
Softwood
$4,020 / set
Pair of 20th Century French Convex Mirrors
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A rare pair of early 20th Century French giltwood convex mirrors. Adorned with giltwood eagles facing left and right. Circa 1900.
Mirror, Giltwood
19th Century Carved And Gilt Regency Mirror
Located in Norwood, NJ
Fine quality, elegant and large carved and gilt Regency mirror. With a neoclassical influence, elongated style. Some areas of silver gilding.
Gold Leaf
French Regency Gilt and Painted Trumeau Mirror with Flanking Gilt Sconces C 1780
Located in Charleston, SC
French Regency gilt wood and painted trumeau mirror with a gilt carved palmette cornice, flanking scrolled griffons with palmette, centered cherub chariot lead by Pegasus, flanking g...
Bronze, Gold Leaf
18th Century French Regence Gilded Parclose Mirror
Located in Winter Park, FL
An 18th century French Regence style giltwood parclose mirror with large boldly carved sculptural crest and elaborate floral and leaf form corner decorations. Bright gilt finish, pro...
Mirror, Giltwood
AD008 Mirror by Alain Delon for Maison Jansen, France, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
AD008 Mirror is a work realized by Alain Delon for Maison Jansen 1970s. Brass profiles, brass plate with production logo and “Alain Delon” signature on the back. H cm 155x55 (sligh...
Brass
A French 18th century Regence period rectangular giltwood mirror
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant French 18th century Regence period rectangular giltwood mirror. The mirror showcases a stunning frame with a lattice designed background with foliate reserves on the corne...
Giltwood
$1,680Sale Price|20% Off
Gilded Mirror Regency Style 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Very beautiful mirror, Regency style, a transitional style between the Louis XIV and Louis XV styles. One recognizes this style with its numerous volutes, shells and leaves. A very d...
Mirror, Wood
$7,160Sale Price|20% Off
French Regency Period Brass Inlaid Rosewood Mirror, Circa 1820
Located in Atlanta, GA
This exquisite French Regency period mirror, dating to circa 1820, exemplifies the refined elegance and meticulous craftsmanship characteristic of the era. The frame is fashioned fro...
Brass
French Régence Gilt Hall Mirror, Hand-Carved Wood, 18th Century
Located in ARMADALE, VIC
A French Régence Gilt Hall Mirror, 18th Century Description: The narrow rectangular plate with rounded corners at its summit, within a gilt reed-and-reel moulding extending to a mir...
Mirror, Wood
LOVELY COLLECTABLE ANTiQUE FRENCH ORIGINAL PAINT CONVEX BUTLERS WALL MIRROR
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Wimbledon-Furniture is delighted to offer for sale this very nice Regency style French Country original paint wall mirror circa 1940-1950 with hand carved giltw...
Wood
19th Century French Gilded Pier Mirror in Gold Leaf, Regency Style
Located in High Peak, GB
St051 Antique 19 century French giltwood Pier Mirror, having original foxed glass in moulded and gilded frame with ripple effect and floral motifs to each corner. this antique mirror...
Gold Leaf
Early 18th Century French Regence Period Carved Giltwood Mirror
Located in Middleburg, VA
An exceptional and rare French Regence period mirror, crafted circa 1715, boasting extraordinary scale, symmetry, and ornamental quality. The elaborately carved giltwood frame is cro...
Giltwood, Gesso, Glass, Mercury Glass, Mirror, Wood
19th Century French Empire Pine Mirror with Neoclassical Pediment Top
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This French Empire style mirror is framed by a beautifully carved naked pine wood that exemplifies neoclassical grace. The frame features a simple yet majestic pediment top, compleme...
Mirror, Oak
French Regence Period Mirror, 18th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
French Regence Period mirror. Carved giltwood decorated with leaves volutes masks and topped by a bust. Use restorations.
Mirror, Giltwood
Painted Repoussé Brass Parecloses Mirror, France, Late 19th Century
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Rectangular beveled "parecloses" mirror with pediment, enclosed in a repoussé brass frame, painted off-white. Shell, flower and palmette motifs. Wooden back.
Brass
Continental Flame Mahogany Pier Mirror
Located in Buchanan, MI
Continental flame mahogany pier mirror.
Mahogany, Mirror
Continental Giltwood Mirror with Original Glass
Located in Buchanan, MI
Continental giltwood mirror with original glass.
Mirror, Giltwood