French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Removed from the fashions of the court, French Provincial style developed in the provinces of the country, such as Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, French Provincial furniture was not as ostentatious as the designs being produced for the royal palaces, but elegant S-shape cabriole legs and ornate carvings elevated the sturdy chairs, sofas, tables and bedroom furniture intended for everyday use.
Although it varies by region, antique French Provincial furniture is unified by solid construction and an artisanal attention to design. While this furniture often followed the metropolitan trends — including the Rococo or neoclassical aesthetics of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — since it was produced in the French countryside it was more subdued with nods to its rustic settings.
Local materials like fruitwoods, oak, beech and walnut were used to construct large French Provincial armoires for storage and comfortable armchairs with rush-woven seats. Wrought-iron elements and carvings like floral details and scallop patterns were common as ornamentation. Furniture was frequently painted white or other muted colors that coordinated with gilt and would acquire a patina of age over time. Other wood was just stained with vibrant fabric such as toile de Jouy, which sometimes depicted pastoral scenes, adding color as upholstery.
The style arrived in the United States after World War I, with soldiers returning home wanting furniture like what they had seen in the rural homes and castles of France. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, designer John Widdicomb split from his family business, the Widdicomb Furniture Company, and had been focusing on Louis XV– and French Provincial–style furnishings since the early 1900s. Other American manufacturers such as Baker, Drexel, Henredon and Thomasville also responded to demand. Today antique French Provincial pieces and reproductions continue to be popular.
Find a collection of antique French Provincial dining tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Copper
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Copper
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
20th Century French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Marble
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Porcelain
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Beech
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Metallic Thread
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
1850s French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Cherry, Rush
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass, Copper
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Glass
Mid-18th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
Late 18th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Glass, Paper
20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
1980s French Vintage French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary American French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather
20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Steel
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Chestnut
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Bronze
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
1960s Spanish Vintage French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Bronze
1980s American Vintage French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 20th Century European French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Horn, Hide, Wood
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Parchment Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Earthenware
1990s Spanish French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Natural Fiber
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather
1840s French Antique French Provincial Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather, Paper