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Art Nouveau Furniture

ART NOUVEAU STYLE

In its sinuous lines and flamboyant curves inspired by the natural world, antique Art Nouveau furniture reflects a desire for freedom from the stuffy social and artistic strictures of the Victorian era. The Art Nouveau movement developed in the decorative arts in France and Britain in the early 1880s and quickly became a dominant aesthetic style in Western Europe and the United States.

ORIGINS OF ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Sinuous, organic and flowing lines
  • Forms that mimic flowers and plant life
  • Decorative inlays and ornate carvings of natural-world motifs such as insects and animals 
  • Use of hardwoods such as oak, mahogany and rosewood

ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ANTIQUE ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

Art Nouveau — which spanned furniture, architecture, jewelry and graphic design — can be easily identified by its lush, flowing forms suggested by flowers and plants, as well as the lissome tendrils of sea life. Although Art Deco and Art Nouveau were both in the forefront of turn-of-the-20th-century design, they are very different styles — Art Deco is marked by bold, geometric shapes while Art Nouveau incorporates dreamlike, floral motifs. The latter’s signature motif is the "whiplash" curve — a deep, narrow, dynamic parabola that appears as an element in everything from chair arms to cabinetry and mirror frames.

The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau was particularly influenced by the soft colors and abstract images of nature seen in Japanese art prints, which arrived in large numbers in the West after open trade was forced upon Japan in the 1860s. Impressionist artists were moved by the artistic tradition of Japanese woodblock printmaking, and Japonisme — a term used to describe the appetite for Japanese art and culture in Europe at the time — greatly informed Art Nouveau. 

The Art Nouveau style quickly reached a wide audience in Europe via advertising posters, book covers, illustrations and other work by such artists as Aubrey Beardsley, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Alphonse Mucha. While all Art Nouveau designs share common formal elements, different countries and regions produced their own variants.

In Scotland, the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh developed a singular, restrained look based on scale rather than ornament; a style best known from his narrow chairs with exceedingly tall backs, designed for Glasgow tea rooms. Meanwhile in France, Hector Guimard — whose iconic 1896 entry arches for the Paris Metro are still in use — and Louis Majorelle produced chairs, desks, bed frames and cabinets with sweeping lines and rich veneers. 

The Art Nouveau movement was known as Jugendstil ("Youth Style") in Germany, and in Austria the designers of the Vienna Secession group — notably Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann and Joseph Maria Olbrich — produced a relatively austere iteration of the Art Nouveau style, which mixed curving and geometric elements.

Art Nouveau revitalized all of the applied arts. Ceramists such as Ernest Chaplet and Edmond Lachenal created new forms covered in novel and rediscovered glazes that produced thick, foam-like finishes. Bold vases, bowls and lighting designs in acid-etched and marquetry cameo glass by Émile Gallé and the Daum Freres appeared in France, while in New York the glass workshop-cum-laboratory of Louis Comfort Tiffany — the core of what eventually became a multimedia decorative-arts manufactory called Tiffany Studios — brought out buoyant pieces in opalescent favrile glass. 

Jewelry design was revolutionized, as settings, for the first time, were emphasized as much as, or more than, gemstones. A favorite Art Nouveau jewelry motif was insects (think of Tiffany, in his famed Dragonflies glass lampshade).

Like a mayfly, Art Nouveau was short-lived. The sensuous, languorous style fell out of favor early in the 20th century, deemed perhaps too light and insubstantial for European tastes in the aftermath of World War I. But as the designs on 1stDibs demonstrate, Art Nouveau retains its power to fascinate and seduce.

There are ways to tastefully integrate a touch of Art Nouveau into even the most modern interior — browse an extraordinary collection of original antique Art Nouveau furniture on 1stDibs, which includes decorative objects, seating, tables, garden elements and more.

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Style: Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau Signed WMF Pitcher Brass and Copper with Handle and Organic Details
Located in Verviers, BE
Art Nouveau Signed WMF Pitcher Brass and Copper with Handle and Organic Details Hand-hammered out of one piece of copper. Brass handle with Organic style details With original Pati...
Category

1910s German Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Brass, Copper

Leo Laporte Blairsy Art Nouveau Bronze Table Lamp
Located in Dallas, TX
French Art Nouveau Bronze Sculpture by Leo Laporte-Blairsy Signed: “LEO LAPORTE BLAIRSY” Foundry Mark: “Susse Fres, Edt” . With Susse stamp Leo Laporte-Blairsy (1865-1923) was a Fr...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Tiffany Studios Iridescent Gold Favrile Trumpet Vase
Located in Dallas, TX
Tiffany Studios By Louis Comfort Tiffany Gold Favrile Iridescent Art Nouveau Trumpet Vase. This is the one you want to have for your collection in the classic trumpet from in amazing...
Category

Early 1900s American Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Art Nouveau Red Glass Vase by Fritz Heckert "Jack In The Pulpit", CZ circa 1901
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Outstanding, rare example of a large red Art Nouveau "Jack In The Pulpit" glass vase created by Fritz Heckert around 1901. This unique piece of Bohemian Art Nouveau glass art convinc...
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Small Spanish Iron Drinks Table on a Tripod Base
Located in Buchanan, NY
This lovely small scale Spanish iron side table was recently hand crafted by skilled artisans using traditional iron-working techniques. It features a distinctive design with a twist...
Category

2010s Spanish Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Iron

Unusual Unger Brothers Sterling Jester Letter Opener
Located in Riverdale, NY
Rare and Unusual Unger Brothers Jester Sterling Letter Opener from the 1900's. Wonderful detailing and unusual subject matter. 1900 USA. 9.5" x 1.85" x 1.25".
Category

Early 1900s American Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

Art Nouveau Handmade and Hand Glazed Planter Jardinière Signed 1930s
Located in Verviers, BE
Brilliant handmade hand-glazed Art Nouveau planter jardinière, 1930. This Is signed but we cannot find out by whom it was made Handmade and hand-glazed in brilliant colored details...
Category

1930s Belgian Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Art Nouveau Silver Sugar Bowl With Blue Glass Liner, France, Circa 1900
Located in Vienna, AT
An elegant silver sugar bowl with an oval base form, standing on four animal feet, straight body slightly flared upwards with openwork decoration in relief, divided into six segments...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Silver

Art Nouveau Chandelier in the Style of Hector Guimard
Located in Rebais, FR
Art Nouveau Bronze chandelier with nickel patinated finish and glass tubes.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Jugendstil Otto Wagner Chair Brown Beech for J & J Kohn Postal Saving Bank 1902
Located in Vienna, AT
Jugendstil Otto Wagner One (1) Desk Chair Chair Side Chair Chocolate Brown Beech Osterreichische Postsparkasse 1902 for Jacob & Josef Kohn 1904/1906 Vienna. An iconic chair or si...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Beech, Plywood

Kralik Striefen and Flecken Bohemian Glass Vase c1899
Located in Worcester Park, GB
A classic Kralik Striefen and Flecken glass vase c1900, a deeply shaped vase with the classic pattern of repeated stripes and circular spots in silver over dark green glass. This par...
Category

1890s Czech Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

French Art Nouveau Stained-Glass Lantern, 1890-1900
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
Art Nouveau Stained Glass Lantern, France, Circa 1890–1900 – Vintage Iron & Stained Glass Lighting This magnificent French Art Nouveau stain...
Category

1890s French Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Wrought Iron

Koloman Moser/Wiener Werkstätte Brass Table Lamp, Re Edition
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful variation of a table lamp from the very early period of the Wiener Werkstätte Most components according to the UL regulations, with an additional charge we will UL-list ...
Category

2010s Austrian Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Brass

Associated Pair of Art Nouveau Table Lamps w/ Period Glass Shades, circa 1910
Located in Petaluma, CA
While they are obviously not a pair, they were so close, we thought it best to list them as such. The bases are bronze and the shades are etched. The arms can be moved around the cen...
Category

1910s German Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Bronze

WAS Benson Art And Crafts Chandelier
Located in NANTES, FR
Art nouveau chandelier circa 1900. Brass and copper frame with 5 branches. 5 opalescent glass tulips by James Powel. Stamped 2 times "Benson". Electrified and in perfect condition. ...
Category

Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Brass, Copper

Reims Cathedral Souvenir Building Architectural Collectible France 1950s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A decorative building sculpture as a souvenir. Some wear with a nice patina, but this is due to age. Made of metal. This item was purchased as a souvenir at a Grand Tour in Europe an...
Category

1950s German Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Metal

Original Antique Poster Times Of The Day Reverie Du Soir Evening Contemplation
Located in London, GB
Original antique poster - Reverie du Soir / Evening Reverie (or Evening Contemplation) - by the notable Czech illustrator, graphic artist and painter Alphonse Mucha (Alfons Maria Muc...
Category

1890s British Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Paper

Émile Gallé “Magnolia” Art Nouveau Cameo Glass Vase, circa 1900
Located in CABA, AR
Émile Gallé “Magnolia” Art Nouveau Cameo Glass Vase, circa 1900 An exceptional and large example of Gallé’s celebrated Magnolia design, this impressive cameo glass vase stands an im...
Category

1890s French Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Glass

Vintage Antique MaruMan T2 Heavy Crystal Table Lighter Electric And Gas
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Vintage antique crystal tabletop gas and electric lighter. In great condition. This exquisite Lighter is a testament to the opulence and craftsmanship of the mid 20th century. The b...
Category

1950s German Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Metal

Koloman Moser and Josef Hoffmann Jugendstil Chandelier, Re-Edition
Located in Vienna, AT
A very nice version from the often used design by Koloman Moser as well as by Josef Hoffmann, the total drop will be custom made. Originally manufactured at the Wiener Werkstaette A...
Category

2010s Austrian Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Brass

Huge Candelabrum Crystal Antique Chandelier Classic traditional Massive Wide
Located in Berlin, DE
Huge candelabrum crystal antique chandelier ceiling lustre Art Nouveau Measures: Total height 140 cm, height without chain 110 cm, diameter 110 cm. Weight (approximately): 35 kg. Number of lights: 30-light bulb sockets: E14 material: Brass, cut glass, crystal, New electricity! New cable! Restored and rewired. tested. Ready to hang. Total length variable. Old chandelier with love and professionally restored in Berlin. electrical wiring works in the US. Re-wired and ready to hang not one missing Cabling completely renewed. Crystal, hand-knotted The chandelier is sent in a specially made wooden box so that safe transport is guaranteed. So worldwide shipping is no problem. they will for everyone the chandelier is wired in such a way that it works worldwide without any modification. in USA the chandelier works. ready to connect. before shipping the chandelier will be cleaned. missing crystals added. just cleaned and complete. will be sent. You are buying from a specialty chandelier store. with years of experience and heart for chandeliers Huge Candelabrum Crystal Antique Chandelier Classic...
Category

Early 18th Century European Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Wire, Brass

Art Nouveau Candle Lantern by Baccarat, France, circa 1890-1920
Located in Merida, Yucatan
Late 19th or early 20th century glass lantern by Baccarat, France, signed in relife "Baccarat" and "Depose" It is decorated all around with floral motifs. At the moment it can hold a...
Category

1890s French Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

KRALIK - Art Nouveau 'Threaded' Iridescent Glass Vase, Czech Republic, C.1900
Located in Chatham, ON
KRALIK - Antique Art Nouveau iridescent 'threaded' glass vase with dimpled sides and ruffled edge - striking green and red color combination - polished pontil mark to the base - unsi...
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

1920s Émile Gallé Glass Vase with Butterfly Motif
Located in Vienna, AT
For sale is a pretty little glass vase with red and white specks and gold- and silver colour applications. The design can be attributed to French glass and ceramic Artisan Émile Gall...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Brass

Art Nouveau Vase in and Sculpted Pewter from the Early Twentieth Century
Located in Milano, MI
Liberty vase in transparent glass and pewter carved with ladies, made in the early 20th century Ø cm 16 h cm 28 Art Nouveau is an international style of art, architecture, and appl...
Category

1910s Italian Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Pewter

Loetz Art Nouveau Four Handled Phaenomen Iridescent Art Glass Vase
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
An exceptional and rare Bohemian art nouveau Phenomen Genre 2/484 (also known as Medici) pattern Loetz vase dating from around 1902. This beautiful vase stands on a rounded spread fo...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Art Nouveau Pewter and Velvet Snail-Shaped Pincushion, Early 20th Century
Located in Knivsta, SE
Art Nouveau Pewter and Velvet Snail-Shaped Pincushion, Early 1900s A charming and decorative snail-shaped pincushion in polished pewter with a green velvet cushion. The detailed cr...
Category

Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Pewter

Georg Jensen Sterling Silver Grape Tazza 264B
Located in Hellerup, DK
An early vintage Georg Jensen grapes tazza or footed bowl, design #264B, created by Georg Jensen in 1918. This piece is the largest size of its design and showcases exceptional craft...
Category

1910s Danish Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

A “Cyclamens” jarrón, Emile Gallé, Nancy, c. 1920
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
A “Cyclamens” jarrón, Emile Gallé, Nancy, c. 1920 This multi-capa glass jar (cameo glass) of glass master Émile Gallé, presents a design called "Cyclamens". The jar has a globular sh...
Category

20th Century African Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Fratelli Toso Murano Millefiori Flowers Antique Italian Art Glass Cabinet Vase
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful antique Murano hand blown Millefiori Murrina flowers mosaic Italian art glass decorative cabinet vase / pitcher. Documented to the Fratelli Toso Company, circa 1910-1930. T...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Glass, Murrine

Custom-Crafted Art Nouveau Style Wrought Iron Gate with Stylized Flower
By Ron Moore
Located in San Francisco, CA
A custom-crafted Art Nouveau style wrought iron gate with stylized flower; of assymetrical form with a lively floral head emanating from one corner; with artist's initials 'RSM'.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Art Nouveau Furniture

Passaic by Unger Sterling Silver Asparagus Fork, circa 1900
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Passaic by Unger sterling silver asparagus fork gold washed circa 1900. Good large Serving Fork, partial gold wash. Length: 8.75 inches. Weight: 81 grams. Very minor wear to original...
Category

1890s American Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

Art Nouveau "Spiders & Brambles Vase" by Gabriel Argy-Rosseau, French c. 1902
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Note: We highly recommend shipping through 1stDibs for its cost effectiveness, full insurance coverage, and reliable handling. While standard parcel services are an option, the defau...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Glass

Cologne Cathedral Souvenir Building Architectural Collectible Germany 1920s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A decorative building sculpture as a souvenir. Some wear with a nice patina, but this is due to age. Made of metal. This item was purchased as a souvenir at a Grand Tour in Europe an...
Category

1920s German Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Metal

Vase, Water Jug, Glass Paste, Art Nouveau, Circa 1900.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Vase, water jug, glass paste, Art Nouveau, circa 1900. Vase, water jug, Art Nouveau period, circa 1900, glass paste signed by Georges de Feure. H: 17.5 cm, W: 18 cm, D: 16 cm
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Paste, Glass

Rare Italian Liberty Style/Art Nouveau Commode with Painted Wood Inlays
Located in Milano, IT
Rare commode in the style of Louis Majorelle with front and sides inlaid in painted wood. Two doors on the front that hide a cabinet with open compartments and small drawers in light...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Wood

Art Nouveau Vase with Fiery Dragon by Stellmacher & Dachsel for RStK Amphora
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Paul Dachsel was the son-in-law of Alfred Stellmacher, the founder of Amphora Pottery company in Turn-Teplitz, then in Austria. Very little is known or was written about Dachsel. He ...
Category

1890s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Daum Art Glass Decorative Plate with Dusty Rose Mermaids, France
By Daum
Located in Rijssen, NL
Luxury at its finest, high-end glass plate with mermaids by Daum, France. This exquisite Art Nouveau dish by Daum exemplifies the mastery of French glassmaking. Crafted using the pâ...
Category

1970s French Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Pair of French Art Nouveau Baccarat Crystal Cameo and Gilded Aquatic Glass Vases
Located in Worcester Park, GB
Important pair Art Nouveau Baccarat crystal gilded cameo vases in deep red over pale green depicting a stylish aquatic scene with water lilies. As with most early Baccarat cameo...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Hand-Carved English Bobbin Style Wood Wall Mirror, 1920s/1930s
Located in Frederiksberg C, DK
Hand-Carved English Bobbin Style Wood Wall Mirror, 1920s/1930s Beautifully handcrafted English bobbin-style wall mirror from the 1920s/1930s. Made of painted wood in a deep brown-bl...
Category

1930s British Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Wood

German Scharzwald Art Nouveau Stoneware Centerpiece Hunt Scenes, circa 1900
Located in Labrit, Landes
Stoneware pot center piece depicting different scenes of a hunt party. Made in Marzy & REmy manufacture in West Germany. You can see deer and does on one part and a hunting scene wit...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Stoneware

Bronze Art Noveau Style Figural Mermaid Table Lamp with a Conch Shell Lamp Shade
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Excellent rendition of a Tiffany style lamp, bronze with a conch shell shade. Beautifully cast with a deep bronze patina. In cord switch with a dim...
Category

1970s American Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Baccarat, Deep Blue Crystal Cut Coupe, France, 1920
Located in Rijssen, NL
Glorifying the effects of refracted light for 170 years, the iconic Baccarat vases are well-known all over the world. A crystal deep blue masterpiece with exceptional proportions, t...
Category

1920s French Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Crystal

Rosenthal Porcelain Coffee Cup And Saucer Demitasse Black And Gold 1940
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Antique Rosenthal Porcelain Tea Cup or Coffee Cup And Saucer Demitasse Black And Gold Art Nouveau Venetian Style. Rare antique porcelain go...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Three 19th Century Cobalt Blue Glass Decanters or Serving Bottles c1860
Located in Bishop's Stortford, GB
Three 19th Century Cobalt Blue Glass Decanters or Serving Bottles c1860 for display purposes. These rare bottles have a unique look with the...
Category

Mid-19th Century British Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Cut Glass

Quezal Art Nouveau Lamp
Located in NANTES, FR
Art nouveau lamp circa 1910. Brass and copper base. Iridescent glass tulip signed Quezal. In perfect condition and electrified. Total height: 38.5 cm Base diameter: 15.5 cm Width: 30 cm Quezal Art Glass Quezal Art Glass – The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles – April 2003 By Malcolm Mac Neil Some of the most beautiful and alluring art glass made in America during the early part of the 20th Century was made by the Quezal Art Glass and Decorating Company. Often in the shape of blossoming lilies with brilliant gold interiors and colorfully decorated with floral and other motifs inspired by nature, Quezal art glass ranks right alongside the iridescent glass of Louis Comfort Tiffany and Frederick Carder. Quezal artisans created an extensive range of decorative and useful items, including vases, compotes, finger bowls, open salts, candle holders, and shades for lighting fixtures, which are equivalent in terms of beauty and quality of craftsmanship to Tiffany’s Favrile and Carder’s Aurene glass. In recent years, glass collectors have discovered anew the special charms and appeal of Quezal art glass, and collector desirability for this lovely glassware has increased dramatically. The Quezal Art Glass and Decorating Company was incorporated a century ago, on March 27, 1902. It was founded by Martin Bach, Sr., Thomas Johnson, Nicholas Bach, Lena Scholtz, and Adolph Demuth. The factory was located on the corner of Fresh Pond Road and Metropolitan Avenue in Maspeth, Queens, New York. In October 1902, the trademark “Quezal” was successfully registered. By 1904, roughly fifty glassworkers were employed at the works. Martin Bach, Sr. was the president, proprietor, and guiding force behind this successful company. Born in 1862 in Alsace-Lorraine to German parents, he emigrated to the United States in 1891. Before his emigration, Bach worked in Saint-Louis, France, at the Saint-Louis Glass Factory. After Bach arrived in this country, he was hired by Louis C. Tiffany as the latter’s first batch-mixer or chemist at the newly established Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company, in Corona, Queens. After a period of about eight years, Bach left Tiffany and established his own glassworks. By this time, Bach had already started his small family. He and his German-born wife, Anne-Marie Geisser, whom he married in the fall of 1889, in Paris, France, had three children. Two daughters, Jennie and Louise, were born in France and a son, Martin, Jr., was born in Corona. Bach was assisted by Thomas Johnson, an English immigrant, and Maurice Kelly, a native of Corona, both of whom were gaffers or master glassblowers. Johnson and Kelly helped pave the way for Quezal’s early accomplishments and later recognition. Thomas Johnson, like Bach, was a founding member and also previously employed by Louis C. Tiffany. Johnson’s association with Quezal, however, was relatively short lived. Around 1907, Johnson left for Somerville, Massachusetts, where he became involved in making Kew Blas glass, under William S. Blake at the Union Glass Company. Maurice Kelly’s tenure with Quezal was also brief. Kelly worked at Quezal from January 1902 until July 1904, but by November 1904, he was making Favrile glass at Tiffany Furnaces, where he would happily remain until 1918. To this day, the belief still exists that there once existed a man named Quezal, who worked for Louis C. Tiffany, and it is after him that Quezal glass is named. In truth, however, the founders of the Quezal Art Glass and Decorating Company named the company and its products after one of the world’s most beautiful birds, the elusive and rare quetzal, which dwells in the treetops of the remote tropical forests of Central America. A rare company promotional brochure provides a vivid description of the quetzal: Of all the birds of the America’s, it is the most gorgeous. No more splendid sight is to be seen in all the world than a quezal, flying like a darting flame through the depths of a Central American forest. Its back is of a brilliant metallic green, so vivid it shines even in the twilight of the woods like a great emerald and its breast is a crimson so deep and bright that every motion of the wonderful creature is a flashing of rubies among the trees and giant creepers. It bears a true golden crown upon its head – a helmet of bright yellow and green, shaped just as the helmet of old Aztec kings were shaped. Its tail is composed of lacelike plumes, extending more than two and one-half feet beyond its body. The quezal was certainly an appropriate designation for the company’s resplendent glassware. One of the most prized characteristics of Quezal art glass is the shimmering and dazzling brilliance reflected in the iridescent surfaces on the interior as well as exterior of the glass. The radiant rainbow colors in metallic hues, including gold, purple, blue, green, and pink, to name only a few, were certainly inspired by the quetzal and its feathers. Not surprisingly, lustrous feathers, in shades of opal, gold, emerald, and blue, are among the most common decorative motifs encountered on Quezal glass. The enduring hallmark of Quezal art glass is its unique expression of the Art Nouveau style, based on organic shapes and naturalistic motifs coupled with technical perfection in the execution. Vases, compotes, drinking vessels, and shades for lighting fixtures were often fashioned to resemble flowers such as crocuses, tulips, calla lilies, casablanca lilies, and jack-in-the-pulpits. Variously colored inlaid threads of glass, pulled and twisted by hooks, simulate naturalistic floral and leaf patterns, lily pads, clover leafs, and vines. Opal, gold, and green colors prevail and the glass is generally opaque. Red is the rarest color of all. Compared with Tiffany’s Favrile glass, the crisp, vivid, and colorful decoration of Quezal art glass is distinctively precise, symmetrical, and restrained. Other Quezal wares recall shapes and styles favored in ancient Egypt, Persia, Greece, and Rome, as well as the Italian Renaissance and the Georgian period in England. This is especially true of classic-shaped vases and bowls of translucent amber glass, which have a single surface color such as iridescent gold or blue. Still, others were inspired by traditional Chinese and Japanese forms. The Gorham Manufacturing Company in Providence, Rhode Island, and the Alvin Silver Manufacturing Company in Sag Harbor, Long Island, purchased Quezal art glass, which they in turn embellished in their shops with silver overlay decoration in the fashionable Art Nouveau style and later resold. Gorham’s silver overlay designs mostly include stylized floral motifs. Alvin’s silver designs are wonderfully organic. One sumptuous design is of a group of sinuous iris blossoms with carefully articulated petals surrounded by attenuated meandering vines. Collectors should note that not all silver-deposit pieces are marked with a maker’s mark since the silversmith had to be quite careful not to damage the glass underneath. A rare 1907 retail catalog survives from Bailey, Banks, and Biddle Company, a luxury goods retailer in Philadelphia, which reveals original retail prices of Quezal art glass. A surprising revelation provided by this catalog is that Quezal art glass was nearly twice as expensive as comparable French imported glass made by such renowned firms as Gallé and Daum. Hock glasses, a stemmed glass used primarily for drinking German white wine, were sold by the dozen and retailed between $50 and $75. Fingerbowls were also sold by the dozen and retailed between $50 and $100. These high retail prices were nearly the same as those charged for Tiffany’s Favrile glass, and suggest Quezal art glass was also marketed towards the high-end or luxury market. Electricity was a brand new invention in the late 1800s and American glass manufacturers developed novel approaches for concealing the electric light bulb, which was rather harsh to the eye and perhaps unflattering to the domestic interior. Tiffany, Steuben, and Quezal responded to this need with the most extraordinary and beautiful art-glass shades, all of which were  hand-made and exquisitely fashioned. Many other companies also made art glass shades for table and floor lamps, electroliers, hallway fixtures, and wall sconces, but it was Quezal that excelled in this area and was the most prolific. Quezal art glass shades were available in an infinite variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and decorations. Some shades are formed and decorated as lilies while others are bell-shaped and have ribbed or textured decoration. Rims are usually plain but sometimes are notched or ruffled. Common motifs include feather or hooked feather, leaf and vine, applied flowers, drape, fishnet, King Tut, and spider webbing. The workmanship shown on most Quezal shades...
Category

1910s French Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Brass, Copper

Wonderful Set 4 Two Pairs Vaughan Art Nouveau Single Arm Chrome Nickel Sconces
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Set Of 4 / Two Pairs Of Art Nouveau Style Single Candelabra Arm Chrome / Nickel Wall Sconces In The Manner Of Vaughan
Category

20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Chrome, Nickel, Brass

Luzette Pendant Light By Peter Behrens For Siemens Circa 1920s
Located in Gloucester, GB
Luzette Pendant Light By Peter Behrens For Siemens Circa 1920s - Opaline glass bottom and top - Takes E27 fitting bulbs - Model L1521 - Produced by Siemens & Schukert, Berlin - Desi...
Category

1920s German Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Opaline Glass

Émile Gallé Cameo Glass Table Lamp, circa 1900
Located in CABA, AR
Rare Antique French Galle Signed Cut-Cameo Lamp with Original Signed Galle Cut-Cameo Shade, in Red and Yellow Sunset Colors. The lamp features a masterful design with a vibrant palet...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Bronze

French Majolica Pink Daisy Plate Orchies, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica pink daisy plate Orchies, circa 1890.
Category

1890s French Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Art Deco Jugendstil Adolf Loos Pende - Re Edition
Located in Vienna, AT
Variation of the Chandelier for the Anglo-Austrian Bank in Vienna also used at the Boston Trade Bank comes as well in 50cm diameter, please ask for the price. The total drop is custo...
Category

2010s Austrian Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Hoffmann & Wiener Werkastätte Table/Desk Lamp, Re Edition
Located in Vienna, AT
Pictured is an original fixture which was sold for 250.000 US$ at Jacques Grange Collectionneur in Paris in November 2017. We manufacture this lamp true to the original - Please cho...
Category

2010s Austrian Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Brass

French Art Nouveau Floral Foliage Table Lamp in Bronze
Located in Barcelona, ES
Beautiful cast bronze floral design Art Nouveau table lamp, France, 1930s. This exquisite table lamp features two flowers standing on a plant, one of them holds the light bulb. This ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Handel Art Nouveau Antique Bronze and Glass Table Lamp
Located in Hopewell, NJ
1910-1920 Handel Art Nouveau Table Lamp, Elegant proportioned bronze base & fittings, 3 original light sockets with bell chain pulls, in attractive old patina. Handel label on ba...
Category

1910s American Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Colli Torino 'Est. 1850 ' Italian Art Nouveau Bed & Nightstand Solid Oak carved
Located in Landshut, BY
This bed and night stand was produced by Colli Torino established in 1850. - solid oak with hand-carved elements - mattress size is 120cm x 190cm - The company is well known becau...
Category

1910s Italian Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Oak

Frosted Glass Acorn Art Nouveau Pendents
Located in Peekskill, NY
This is a petite and rich looking pendent. The glass has a frosted finish creating a nice warm glow and no bulb glair. The glass also has a unique stone patterned texture. The brass ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Brass

A pair mirrors Swedish Grace probably David Wretling Pewter
Located in Boden, SE
Exquisite 1920s pair of tin mirrows, believed to be crafted by talented David Wretling. Adorned with delicate feminine figures. These mirrors capture the elegance and charm of the ...
Category

1920s Swedish Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Pewter

Vintage Cristal Candy Box, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Crystal Candy Box realized in Germany in 1970s. Very good condition.
Category

1970s German Vintage Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Crystal

Vintage Cristal Candy Box, 1970s
Vintage Cristal Candy Box, 1970s
$177 Sale Price
25% Off
Art Nouveau Vase w. Spectacular Crystalline Glaze attr. to Sarrguemines
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This Art Nouveau vase features an extraordinary crystalline glaze that enhances its elegant, flowing form. The vase’s surface is adorned with unique, intricate patterns created by th...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

French Art Nouveau Style 'Neptune' Fireback / Backsplash, 20th Century
Located in Amerongen, Amerongen
French Art Nouveau Style 'Neptune' Fireback / Backsplash, 20th Century, in a natural brown patina. Upon request, it can be made black/pewter at no extra cost. The fireback is in good...
Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Furniture

Materials

Iron

Art Nouveau furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Art Nouveau furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Art Nouveau furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Austria pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Georg Jensen, Woka Lamps, Johan Rohde, and Josef Hoffmann. 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 furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $25 and tops out at $1,000,000 while the average work can sell for $2,122.

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