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Black Forest Scientific Instruments

BLACK FOREST STYLE

Although its name evokes a mountainous region in Germany, antique Black Forest–style furniture originated in Switzerland. In Brienz, during the early 19th century, wood-carver Christian Fischer recognized the market for tourist souvenirs and helped make the village into a wood-carving destination. The Brienz Woodcarving School was founded in 1884 and had its own small zoo for studying the anatomy of animals, depictions of which are a defining aspect of the style, also known as Brienzerware.

Whimsical sculptures, often depicting bears and other Alpine animals like stags, owls, deer and boars, characterize the work produced in the area. Along with folk art and decorative objects, Black Forest furniture included benches held aloft by bears, umbrella stands carved with acorns and clock cases adorned with scrolling oak leaves. While most wood-carvers adhered to a similar realism in their designs and woods like linden, maple and walnut, their aesthetics varied.

The F. Peter Trauffer family was known for their hand-carved bear sculptures that saw the furry mammals playing instruments, smoking pipes and engaging in all sorts of human activities. They were sometimes detailed with glass eyes and integrated into functional pieces of furniture, including chair backs and bench legs, which generations of cabinetmakers created from the 1880s to the 1950s. Walter Mader and his son Heinrich frequently carved Saint Bernard sculptures that they incorporated into furniture.

As the Black Forest furniture style spread around the world through exhibitions at world’s fairs in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the rusticity of these pieces resonated at a time of increasing urbanization, inspiring other artisans.

Find a collection of antique Black Forest cabinets, bedroom furniture, seating and other items on 1stDibs.

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Style: Black Forest
Brass Framed Monumental Sized Magnifying Glass with Natural Horn Handle
Located in Savannah, GA
This monumental sized horn handled magnifying glass with brass framework and stem, is of heavy weight and fine quality. The horn is quite substantial and supports this very large gla...
Category

Early 1900s German Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Black Forest Style Carved Walnut Barometer, Germany, ca. 1920
Located in Barntrup, DE
Black Forest style carved walnut barometer, Germany, ca. 1920. An impressive carved walnut barometer with masterfully carved flowers and leaves. A small mirror on the top of the roun...
Category

1920s German Vintage Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Glass, Mirror, Walnut

19th Century French Forest Carved Oak Barometer and Thermometer with Dog Motif
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant antique wall hanging barometer and thermometer was crafted in France, circa 1890. The carved oak weather and temperature reader features impressive, high-relief carvings of acorn and leaf motifs throughout; it is further embellished with a dog head sculpture at the pediment. The thermometer with Celsius and Fahrenheit reading, and the weather forecast seem to be in working order. The Black Forest weather...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Oak

Early 20th Century French Carved Black Forest Hunting Barometer and Thermometer
Located in Birmingham, AL
A stunning early 20th century French black forest barometer with thermometer, circa 1900. Found in a hunting lodge in Lyon, this antique weather station...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Walnut

Antique German Barometer with Hand-Carved Oak Leaves and Acorns, 1920s
Located in Barntrup, DE
German Black Forest style barometer with fine hand-carved oak branches, leaves, and acorns. Dimensions: height 30 cm / 11.81 in; width 24 cm / 9.44 in; depth 5 cm / 1.96 in. In good ...
Category

1920s German Vintage Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Antique Hand Carved Black Forest Barometer, Flowers ans Nesting Birds Sculptures
Located in Lisse, NL
Large and wonderful, Swiss Black Forest barometer with thermometer. This mother nature inspired, charming and beautifully hand-carved barometer...
Category

Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Glass, Opaline Glass, Wood

Black Forest 1920s Carved Aneroid Barometer with Foliage, Bird and Fox Motifs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Black Forest aneroid barometer and thermometer from the first half of the 20th century, with foliage, bird and fox. This exquisite Black Forest barometer features a beautifully han...
Category

Early 20th Century French Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Oak, Glass

Swiss Hand Carved Black Forest Figure of a Fox with Thermometer, circa 1880
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Swiss hand-carved Black Forest figure of a fox with thermometer, Brienz, Switzerland, circa 1880 in linden wood, with the original antique thermometer...
Category

1880s Swiss Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

French 19th Century Black Forest Barometer
Located in Stockbridge, GA
French 19th century black forest barometer.
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Mahogany

Rare Antique Black Forest Travel Thermometer Carved Dog, circa 1900
Located in Bath, GB
A most unusual piece of Black Forest, a travel desk thermometer in a wooden case with carved decoration and a beautifully carved Dog's head to the front, great detail and beautifully...
Category

Early 1900s Swiss Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Rustic Black Forest Walnut Barometer
Located in New York, NY
Rustic Black Forest (Late 19th Century) walnut wall barometer/thermometer with carved bird, deer and floral carving.
Category

19th Century German Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Related Items
Baroque Style Hand Carved Wooden Crucifix with Stunning Bronze Corpus of Christ
Located in Lisse, NL
Crucifix from the mid-1800s with a carved shroud or veil depicting Christ in the base. This unique and remarkable antique crucifix can both be used as a table and as a wall crucifix. Over the decades we have sold a number of unique and very well crafted crucifixes, but never one in the Baroque style with this combination of materials and techniques. The overall design and size is what stands out first, but the details and the materials are what make this antique work of religious art extraordinary. With four angels (or putti) watching over a sculpture of the Veil of Veronica, the relatively large base of this unique crucifix is a work of religious art in its own right. It is almost as if the cross is growing from this beautiful base and the cross itself too comes with a number of superbly hand carved details. To us, the most remarkable are the three stunning Baroque shells. With their symbolic meaning of birth and resurrection it is obvious why the artist / sculptor so tastefully incorporated them here. Apart from a minor 'lean' to the left, the cross itself too is in excellent condition. If one were to speak of a trinity in this crucifix then the unique base and cross are completed with an equally striking, solid bronze corpus of Christ...
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Mid-19th Century European Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Bronze

Large Hand Carved Antique Sculpture of Apparition of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary
Located in Lisse, NL
One of a kind, large and marvelous work of religious art. With thanks to one of our honorable Frater clients we have learned that this unique and marvelously hand carved wall sculpture is a carving depicting the famous apparition of Jesus to the 17th century French Visitation nun, Saint Margaret Mary Alocoque. This probably is the scene in which He asks her to establish devotion to His Sacred Heart. We have never seen a sculpture of this subject matter and for us to have found one of this large size and of such quality more than made our day. Hand carved out of solid oak, both the details and the depth of this antique wall sculpture...
Category

19th Century European Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Oak

Black Forest Vintage Deer Trophy on Carved Plaque
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Black Forest Vintage Deer Trophy on Carved Plaque A large vintage deer (Capreolus capreolus) trophy on a wooden carved plaque. The trophy was shot...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood, Antler

Extraordinary Walking Stick Horn Handle Silver
Located in Berlin, DE
massiv horn handle silver shaft robust stick (V-215).
Category

1920s Vintage Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Horn

Antique English Folding Brass Linen Thread Counter - Magnifying Glass
Located in Bath, GB
Dating to the early twentieth century, c.1900/1920, this is an antique cast brass linen thread counter, of course usable to magnify whatever you wish. Heavy solid cast brass with a ...
Category

1910s British Vintage Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Early 20th Century French Brass "Cor de Chasse" Hunting Horn
Located in Dallas, TX
This horn was created in France circa 1920, made of brass, this kind of music instruments were part of the French accoutrements during the "Chasse a Courre" (or deer hunts with hound...
Category

Early 20th Century French Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Antique Black Forest Deer Trophy on Wooden Plaque ca. 1900s
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Antique Black Forest Deer Trophy on Wooden Plaque ca. 1900s A great 6 pointer deer (Cervus elaphus) trophy from the Black Forest shot in Germany around 1900. The large antlers are m...
Category

Early 20th Century German Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood, Antler

Gunpowder Horn with Great Engravings, 18th Century
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Gunpowder Horn with Great Engravings, 18th Century An antique gunpowder horn made of horn and wood. There are engraved hunting scenes depicting a styli...
Category

Late 18th Century German Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Antler

Antique English Brass Coddington Magnifying Glass c.1880
Located in Bath, GB
An unusual late nineteenth century Coddington magnifying glass made from English brass having been professionally polished. Excellent condition measuring 3" x 1" x 1". Item ID: 443...
Category

1880s British Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

American Victorian Walnut Cased Standing Magnifying Glass
Located in Hudson, NY
This large American Victorian standing magnifying glass is encased in a carved and turned walnut frame and is adjustable to height with a wooden screw set device. Made circa 1880 the...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Glass, Walnut

Antique Hand Carved Black Forest Bear 1920s Germany
Located in Den Haag, NL
Very nice black forest bear. Hand carved 1920s. Good condition.
Category

1920s German Vintage Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Fruitwood

Black Forest Vintage Mouflon Trophy on Carved Plaque
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Black Forest Vintage Mouflon Trophy on Carved Plaque A large vintage mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) trophy on a wooden carved plaque. The trophy was shot in Germany ca. 1950s. The pla...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood, Antler

Previously Available Items
Antique 19th c. French Carved Walnut Aneroid Barometer
Located in New Orleans, LA
An antique French Black Forest walnut aneroid barometer having the original thermometer, hand carved game birds, hunting dog, leaves and scrolls. A lovely piece to display in a group...
Category

1880s French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Black Forest Hand-Carved Barometer with Deer Head, Guns, and Game Bag, ca. 1890
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Black Forest Hand-Carved Barometer and Thermometer, the case with crossed shotguns and a hunting game bag, with carved oak leaves, surmounted by a sta...
Category

Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Walnut

Black Forest Old Barometer and Thermometer Like a Wall Sculpture
By Möller & Sander 1
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
O/5506 - Old German barometer with thermometer from the Black Forest, with beautiful carved roses, like a wall sculpture. Named Moller & Sander - Alto...
Category

Early 20th Century German Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Fruitwood

Late 19th Century Black Forest Swiss Barometer Hand Carved Hunting Theme and Dog
Located in Barntrup, DE
Swiss wall-mounted barometer richly decorated with elaborate hand-carved hunting trophies, Brienz, late 19th century. This antique barometer features a ...
Category

Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

19th Century French Black Forest Carved Walnut Barometer with Foliage Decor
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant antique wall hanging barometer was crafted in France, circa 1880. The carved fruitwood weather and temperature reader features impressive, high-relief carvings of reed and leaf motifs throughout. The thermometer with Celsius and Fahrenheit reading, and the weather forecast are in wonderful working order. The Black Forest wall hanging...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Walnut

HUGE Antique French Carved Oak BLACK FOREST BAROMETER w Grapes Wine Wall Hanging
Located in Shreveport, LA
~Direct from France~ ~Beautiful carved black forest barometer/thermometer! ~Elaborate dimensional relief carvings, excellent Black Forest style~ ~HUGE fruit...
Category

19th Century French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Oak

19th Century French Black Forest Carved Walnut Barometer with Hunt Decor
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant antique wall hanging barometer was crafted in France, circa 1880. The carved fruitwood weather and temperature reader features impressive, high-relief carvings, it has a carved deer with glass eyes at the top, flanked with bird and rabbit on either side and a haversack for the hunt at the bottom. The thermometer with Celsius and Fahrenheit reading is in working order. The Black Forest wall hanging...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Walnut

Swiss Hand Carved Black Forest Figure of a Fox with Thermometer, circa 1880
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Swiss hand carved Black Forest figure of a fox with thermometer, Brienz, Switzerland, circa 1880 in linden wood, with the original antique thermometer...
Category

1880s Swiss Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

Antique Carved Wood Black Forest Dog Hound Hunt Barometer Bird Coat Rack
Located in Shreveport, LA
Direct from Europe, a lovely antique Black Forest carved wood barometer -thermometer. Ornate carvings include the huge carved hound at the top and the stunning birds in flight, one on either side. Black Forest ‘faux bois...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Glass, Wood

19th Century French Black Forest Carved Walnut Barometer with Floral Motifs
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant antique wall hanging barometer was crafted in France, circa 1880. The carved fruitwood weather and temperature reader features impressive, high-relief carved floral and leaf motifs. The thermometer with Celsius and Fahrenheit reading is in working order. The Black Forest wall hanging...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Walnut

19th Century French Carved Walnut Black Forest Barometer with Deer and Gun Decor
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant antique wall hanging barometer was crafted in France, circa 1880. The decorative weather and temperature reading device is embellished with a traditional hunting theme i...
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Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Walnut

Antique Oak Black Forest Barometer and Thermometer, circa 1885
Located in Dallas, TX
Found in France, this richly hand-carved, European oak, Black Forest carving dates to the late 1800s. There is a thermometer on the upper port...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

Black Forest scientific instruments for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Black Forest scientific instruments for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage scientific instruments created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, decorative objects, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Black Forest scientific instruments made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Switzerland pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for scientific instruments differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $675 and tops out at $8,700 while the average work can sell for $1,650.

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