Black Forest Furniture
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.
1960s Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Resin
1960s Austrian Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Wood
1960s Austrian Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Wood
1960s German Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Cork, Wood
1960s German Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Antler, Wood
1940s British Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century British Black Forest Furniture
Porcelain, Cork
1930s British Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Pine, Paint
Mid-20th Century African Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century German Black Forest Furniture
Wood, Antler
1940s American Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Antler
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Black Forest Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century German Black Forest Furniture
Wood, Antler
Late 20th Century German Black Forest Furniture
Antler, Wood
1910s Austrian Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Black Forest Furniture
Antler, Wood