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Gustavian Furniture

GUSTAVIAN STYLE

With clean lines and muted colors, antique Gustavian furniture is understated and elegant. It represents a more restrained version of the transition from Rococo to neoclassicism that was happening in France under Louis XVI. The style developed under Swedish King Gustav III, who reigned from 1771 until his assassination in 1792, and his son Gustav IV, who ruled until 1809. Although Gustavian furniture is mostly used to refer to pale painted cabinets, commodes, armchairs and other items, it involved a range of influences.

Gustavian-style furniture was inspired by discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as the grandeur of European palaces like Versailles, with local softwoods such as pine and birch. There was also an emphasis on natural light; crystal chandeliers and large mirrors played a role in radiating the fleeting daylight of winter, giving it a distinctive aesthetic.

Where earlier furniture was curvy and florid, this new era was more architectural, with tapered and fluted legs and rectangular and oval shapes. Luminous gilt contrasted with the palette of soft blues on upholstery and painted surfaces. Leading furniture builders included Gottlieb Iwersson, Louis Masreliez and Erik Öhrmark. The latter, a French-born Swedish decorator, designed the Sulla chair, a seat that was demonstrative of technical skill and precise craftsmanship and drew on Greek klismos chairs. Masreliez’s Sulla chair was made by Öhrmark and featured decorative ornamentation produced by Jean-Baptiste Masreliez, Louis’s younger brother.

While the wealthy had furniture carved with neoclassical details like scallops and rosettes, more affordable options were adorned with faux finishes that mimicked marble and stenciled patterns. The simple elegance of Gustavian furniture would have a long impact on Swedish design, informing the 20th-century appreciation for function and form. In the 1950s, IKEA mass-produced copies of a Gustavian commode designed by cabinetmaker Georg Haupt, who created pieces for the Royal Palace, making the furniture a fixture of everyday Swedish life.

Find a collection of antique Gustavian seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Item Ships From: New York City
Style: Gustavian
Mid 19th Century Gray Painted Swedish Drop Leaf Dining Table
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Faded gray painted drop leaf table Beautiful patina the height of Swedish style Gate legs fold to a narrow side table
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Zabihi Collection Neutral Turkish Yastik Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Anatolian Turkish Yastik rug mat Measures: 1'6” x 3'2”
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Set of 8 Swedish Gustavian White Side Chairs
Located in New York, NY
Set of 6 Swedish Gustavian mid century side chairs with an antique white painted finish and an open back design
Category

20th Century Gustavian Furniture

Zabihi Collection Turkish Yastik Rug
Located in New York, NY
An early 20th-century Turkish Yastik Antique Rug Measures: 1'7” x 3'3”.
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Swedish Empire Style Brass 8 Arm Brass and Crystal Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A Sweedish brass eight arm chandelier with octagonal shaped crystals. Inside the central frame are 4 individual light candelabra bulb sockets that emit light out through the crystals...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Brass

18th Century Gustavian Swedish Wood Side Table
Located in New York, NY
Late 18th Century Gustavian Era Swedish Wood Side Table. Crafted in solid wood that has patinated nicely into a blue-gray over time. Side table...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Dining Chairs Swedish Set of Four Gustavian Original Paint Green Sweden
Located in New York, NY
A set of four side chairs made during the Gustavian period in Sweden 1790-1810. The original paint in a grayish green which has a stunning patina. Rounded legs with channeled details.
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Pair of Swedish Armchairs
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Swedish armchairs. Vintage pair of Gustavian style painted open-arm chairs with neoclassical details; recovered in camel silk velvet with matching silk cotton piping; carved...
Category

20th Century European Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Velvet, Wood, Giltwood

18th Century Gustavian Sconce Mirror with Center Cameo, Sweden, Circa 1780
Located in New York, NY
18th century Swedish Gustavian single arm candle sconce mirror with center cameo, origin: Sweden, circa 1780 In Scandinavia, candlelight is an important element found in any interio...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Giltwood

Pair of Gustavian Swedish Beige Upholstered Bergere Armchairs
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Swedish Gustavian (18/19th Century) bergere armchairs with beige painted and carved frames in Neo-classic square form upholstered in beige fabric accented by a double-piped b...
Category

19th Century Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

19th Century Swedish Gustavian White Square Ottoman
Located in New York, NY
A 19th century Gustavian footstool having ornate carvings along the wooden base. The border having inset bellflower frieze supported by four tapered legs shaped as palmette fluted co...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Birch

19th Century Gustavian Writing Desk by Johan Oman
Located in New York, NY
A 19th century writing desk by Swedish Master Cabinet Maker Johan Öman (1789-1833) who worked for King Charles XIV. The desk having two drawers with ornate ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Swedish Gustavian Mahogany box with Domed Lid
Located in New York, NY
A curved mahogany chest with a dark marble finishing and untapped legs. Bronze decorations includes triangular tassels along the legs, having signature brass mounts with three triangles lamenting the Swedish...
Category

Late 19th Century European Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Late 18th Century Classical Parcel Gilt Bremen Sonnenschrank or Sun Armoire
Located in Brooklyn, NY
An exceptional "sun armoire" from the north German free Hanse city of Bremen, this schrank is one of the finest examples of its kind in existence. This princely armoire stylistically...
Category

Late 18th Century German Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Giltwood

Pair of Swedish Gustavian-Style Console Tables
Located in New York, NY
A pair of Swedish Gustavian-style console tables with four square tapered legs carved in gilt bellflower garlands of graduated size. The block extended quarters with hand carved rose...
Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Stone

20th Century Gustavian Side Console Table
Located in New York, NY
Gold gilded Gustavian styled table with intricate carvings around the frame and legs with a green marble top resting upon the frame. Marked by a ...
Category

1910s European Vintage Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Marble

Swedish Turned Burl Vessel
Located in Greenwich, CT
Good early 19th Century Swedish turned birch burl vessel having flared lip, ring turned foot and good rich color. Sizes approximate.
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Burl

1870c Light Grey Pair of Gustavian Style Three Drawer Commodes, Italy
Located in New York, NY
1870c Swedish pair of Gustavian style commodes. Light grey in color. Three drawers. Top drawer with decorative reed design. Dental molding along cor...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

18th Century Giltwood Gustavian Bucket Chairs, Set of 4, Sweden, Circa 1790-1800
Located in New York, NY
18th Century Gustavian bucket chairs, set of four (4), giltwood, origin: Stockholm, Sweden, circa 1790 - 1800. Elegant proportions, beautif...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Giltwood

Armchair Swedish Gustavian 1790-1810 Greenish Frame with Black Upholstery Sweden
Located in New York, NY
Armchair Swedish Gustavian 1790-1810 Greenish Frame with Black Upholstery Sweden. A single armchair made during the Gustavian period 1790-1810 in Sweden. Frame in original paint. Uph...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Gustavian, 18th Century Plate Rack with Original Rosemåling Painting
Located in New York, NY
Gustavian Swedish 18th century plate rack with original gorgeous rosemåling painting, circa 1800, origin: Northern Sweden.
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Pair Gustavian Style Linen Lounge Chairs
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Gustavian style linen lounge chairs. It has a painted wood frame.
Category

Early 20th Century Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Linen, Wood

Narrow Dark Antique Red Oushak Runner
Located in New York, NY
Antique Turkish Oushak runner with multiple medallions on a dark red field, circa 1910. Measures: 2'5'' x 13'6''.
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Candlesticks Gustavian Pair Swedish 18th Century Red Marble Dark Bronze Sweden
Located in New York, NY
Candlesticks Gustavian pair Swedish 18th century red marble dark bronze Sweden. A pair of candlesticks made during the early 19th century in Sweden. Base in red marble with women sha...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Porphyry, Bronze

Navy Mustard Vintage Persian Bakhtiari Runner
Located in New York, NY
Colorful Persian Bakhtiari runner with a geometric design on a navy ground, circa 1930. Measures: 3'9" x 9'10".
Category

20th Century Persian Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Funky Tribal Turkish 20th Century Mat Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Anatolian Turkish Yastik rug mat with a chocolate brown border, cotton accents in green, pink, red, yellow and purple-blue Measures: 1'5” x 2'7”.
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Swedish Gustavian Chair with Wheat Carving, Circa 1780, Origin: Sweden
Located in New York, NY
A fine Swedish Gustavian chair with beautiful wheat carvings, circa 1780, origin: Stockholm, Sweden, dry-scraped to the original color, reupholstered in Rogers & Goffigon fabric.   T...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Paint, Wood

Continental Gustavian Painted Secretary
Located in New York, NY
Continental Gustavian-style (Possibly Swedish/ Danish 18th Century) off-white painted secretary with carved column sides and carved simple swag and t...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Zabihi Collection Vintage Persian Bakhtiari Carpet
Located in New York, NY
Colorful Persian Bakhtiari carpet with traditional panel design. The weaver added colorful salvage to each side too giving it an added characteristic. 4'7'' x 7'2''
Category

20th Century Persian Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Erik Ernander 'Worked ca. 1755', Silver Beaker, Origin: Sweden, Dated 1788
By Eric Ernander
Located in New York, NY
Swedish Gustavian 18th century silver beaker by Erik Ernander (Worked ca. 1755 in Uppsala, Sweden), Origin: Sweden, stamped: artist's stamp, Swedish triple crown...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Silver

Traditional Bright 20th Century Turkish Runner
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Turkish Oushak runner with a medallion and border design on a bright red field. Measures: 3'5" x 6'5".
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Umbrella Stand Swedish Gustavian Style White Sweden
Located in New York, NY
Umbrella Stand Swedish Gustavian Style White Sweden. An umbrella stand made during in the Gustavian style in Sweden ca 1830. Painted in a grayish white. Shaped as a column.
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Charming Gustavian Cabinet, circa 1790, Origin Sweden
Located in New York, NY
Charming Gustavian cabinet, circa 1790, origin Sweden, upper cabinet with scalloped wave pattern and hand-carved diamond patterns on each door sits atop the lower cabinet. The be...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Bust of David Von Schulzenheim, Signed by Erik Gustav Göthe, Sweden, Dated 1821
Located in New York, NY
Bust of David von Schulzenheim, owner of Gröönsö castle, signed by Erik Gustav Göthe, a principle of Sergel and inscribed: David Schulz v. Schulzenheim. / MDCCCXXI plaster, Dated 1821 This is a bust of Dr. David von Schulzenheim, owner of Grönsöö Slott. In the 18th Century Grönsöö Slott was owned by the famed Stockholm doctor David von Schultzenheim. Dr. von Schulzenheim introduced the smallpox vaccine to Sweden and served the public’s health needs during its crisis from 1873 – 1874. When not in public health service, he devoted a significant amount of passion and money to beautify the palace and park in the romantic spirit of the time. The castle blossomed towards the end of the 18th century with the palace’s upper floors serving as the residential apartments of the family and furnished in exquisite Gustavian and late Gustavian style. Never one to rest on his laurels in science or design, in 1786, with the smallpox outbreak leveling, Dr. von Schulzenheim ordered the construction of a Chinese...
Category

Early 19th Century Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Plaster

Gustavian Neoclassical 18th Century Pedestal, Origin: Sweden, Circa 1780-1795
Located in New York, NY
Gustavian, neoclassical 18th century pedestal, origin; Stockholm, Sweden, circa 1780 - 1795, with exceptionally painted, all original faux-marble finishes Provenance: Private Collec...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Antique Red Turkish Runner
Located in New York, NY
One of a kind vintage Turkish runner with an encased plain design on a red field.
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Light Blue Terracotta 20th Century Room Size Pigeon Motif Persian Malayer Rug
Located in New York, NY
An early 20th century Persian Malayer rug. Abrashed blue field and terracotta border. A few pigeons are spotted in the field, circa 1920. Measures...
Category

20th Century Persian Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Vintage Red Turkish Rug
Located in New York, NY
One of a kind vintage Turkish runner with a all-over borderless design with running circles on a sweet red ground. 4'8'' x 9'10''
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Swedish Mahogany Gustavian-Style with Marble Top Side Table/Cabinet, circa 1850
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful Swedish mahogany Gustavian-style side table - cabinet with original marble top, circa 1850, origin: Sweden Pullout candle rest /writing surface, single door above singl...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Carrara Marble

Eric Wahlberg 18th Century Gustavian Mirror, Stockholm, Sweden, Dated 1792
By Eric Wahlberg, Lago Lundén
Located in New York, NY
Eric Wahlberg (1760 Stockholm, Sweden 1811), 18th century Gustavian mirror with center cameo, origin: Stockholm, Sweden, hallmarked and stamped on verso: Eric Wahlberg and Lago Lunde...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Giltwood, Paint

Swedish Yellow, Handblown, Gustavian, 18th Century Glass Milk Bowl, circa 1780
Located in New York, NY
Swedish yellow 18th century Gustavian handblown glass milk bowl with pouring spout, circa 1780, origin: Sweden.
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Candlesticks Swedish Gustavian Neoclassical Gray Marble Brass, Sweden
Located in New York, NY
Candlesticks Swedish Gustavian neoclassical gray marble brass, Sweden. A pair of gorgeous white marble candlesticks made during the Gustavian period. Column shaped with polished bras...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Red Bohemian Vintage Oushak Runner
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Turkish Oushak runner with three medallions on a bright red field. Measures: 3' x 10'9''.
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Chest Vanity Europe 19th Century Mahogany Brass The Netherlands
Located in New York, NY
Chest Vanity Europe 19th Century Mahogany Brass Netherlands. A vanity chest made during the 19th century in The Netherlands. Mahogany with brass hardware and a brass bowl. Top with s...
Category

Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Mahogany

Gustavian Style Light Fixture
Located in New York, NY
Patinated brass and brass details copied from the pre-electricity Gustavian period, featuring six faux candles hanging on three decorative brass chains,...
Category

1960s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Unusual Pair of Gustavian Corner Clock Cabinets, Origin Mora, Sweden, Circa 1780
Located in New York, NY
Unusual pair of Gustavian corner clock cabinets, origin: Mora, Sweden, circa 1780 Each cabinet with matching working, tall case clocks decorated with four fluted diamond patterns an...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Gustavian furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Gustavian 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 case pieces and storage cabinets, seating, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, softwood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Gustavian furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, Scandinavia, and Sweden pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Ephraim Stahl, Hendrix Allardyce, Hans-Agne Jakobsson, and Jonas Frisk. 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 $50 and tops out at $49,500 while the average work can sell for $4,473.

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