Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Neoclassical design emerged in Europe in the 1750s, as the Age of Enlightenment reached full flower. Neoclassical furniture took its cues from the styles of ancient Rome and Athens: symmetrical, ordered, dignified forms with such details as tapered and fluted chair and table legs, backrest finials and scrolled arms.
Over a period of some 20 years, first in France and later in Britain, neoclassical design — also known as Louis XVI, or Louis Seize — would supersede the lithe and curvaceous Rococo or Louis XV style.
The first half of the 18th century had seen a rebirth of interest in classical antiquity. The "Grand Tour" of Europe, codified as a part of the proper education of a patrician gentleman, included an extended visit to Rome. Some ventured further, to sketch the ruins of ancient Greece. These drawings and others — particularly those derived from the surprising and rich archaeological discoveries in the 1730s and ’40s at the sites of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum — caused great excitement among intellectuals and aesthetes alike.
Neoclassical furniture is meant to reflect both grace and power. The overall appearance of neoclassical chairs, tables and cabinetry is strong and rectilinear. These pieces are, in effect, classical architecture in miniature: chair and table legs are shaped like columns; cabinets are constructed with elements that mirror friezes and pediments.
Yet neoclassicism is enlivened by gilt and silver leaf, marquetry, and carved and applied ornamental motifs based on Greek and Roman sculpture: acanthus leaves, garlands, laurel wreaths, sheaves of arrow, medallions and chair splats are carved in the shapes of lyres and urns. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
As you can see from the furniture on these pages, there is a bit of whimsy in such stately pieces — a touch of lightness that will always keep neoclassicism fresh.
Find antique neoclassical furniture today on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Leather
Late 19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Gold
19th Century Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Brass
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Gold
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Silver
Late 19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Gold
1950s Czech Vintage Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Steel
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Steel
Late 19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Other
18th Century American Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Glass, Giltwood
20th Century American Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Leather
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Wood
Mid-19th Century Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Plaster, Wood, Paper
1970s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Metal
1950s German Vintage Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Brass, Bronze
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Silver Plate
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Wood
Late 19th Century North American Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Brass
1980s Vintage Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Brass, Enamel
1880s Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Metal
19th Century Spanish Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Paper
1990s Italian Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Paper
19th Century Spanish Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Other
1880s French Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Bronze
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Agate
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Silver
1870s English Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Silver
Late 19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Collectible Jewelry
Silver