Regency Furniture
Like France’s Empire style, Regency-style furniture was rooted in neoclassicism; the characteristics of its bedroom furniture, armchairs, dining room tables and other items include clean lines, angular shapes and elegant details.
Dating roughly from the 1790s to 1830s, antique Regency-style furniture gets its name from Prince George of Wales — formally King George IV — who became Prince Regent in 1811 after his father, George III, was declared unfit to rule. England’s Regency style is one of the styles represented in Georgian furniture.
George IV’s arts patronage significantly influenced the development of the Regency style, such as the architectural projects under John Nash, which included the renovation of Buckingham House into the formidable Buckingham Palace with a grand neoclassical facade. Celebrated designers of the period include Thomas Sheraton, Henry Holland and Thomas Hope. Like Nash, Hope instilled his work with classical influences, such as saber-legged chairs based on the ancient Greek klismos. He is credited with introducing the term “interior decoration” to English with the 1807 publishing of Household Furniture and Interior Decoration.
Although more subdued than previous styles like Rococo and Baroque, Regency interiors incorporated copious use of chintz fabrics and wallpaper adorned in chinoiserie-style art. Its furniture featured fine materials and luxurious embellishments. Furniture maker George Bullock, for instance, regularly used detailed wood marquetry and metal ornaments on his pieces.
Archaeological discoveries in Egypt and Greece informed Regency-era details, such as carved scrollwork, sphinxes and palmettes, as well as the shape of furniture. A Roman marble cinerary chest, for example, would be reinterpreted into a wooden cabinet. The Napoleonic Wars also inspired furniture, with martial designs like tented beds and camp-style chairs becoming popular. While the reddish-brown mahogany was prominent in this range of pieces, imported woods like zebrawood and ebony were increasingly in demand.
Find a collection of antique Regency tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Mid-19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Mahogany, Oak, Lacquer
19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Regency Furniture
Wood
2010s Unknown Regency Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Marble, Brass
20th Century Regency Furniture
Porcelain
Early 18th Century French Antique Regency Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Oak
2010s American Regency Furniture
Mahogany, Satinwood
Early 20th Century American Regency Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1820s English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Regency Furniture
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Philippine Regency Furniture
Brass, Wrought Iron
1980s Vintage Regency Furniture
Satinwood
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Regency Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Rosewood
1950s American Vintage Regency Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Sheffield Plate
19th Century Antique Regency Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Regency Furniture
Metal
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Gesso, Pine, Giltwood
1890s English Antique Regency Furniture
Porcelain
1930s English Vintage Regency Furniture
Porcelain
1820s English Antique Regency Furniture
Sheffield Plate
Mid-20th Century Italian Regency Furniture
Glass, Poplar
19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Regency Furniture
Metal
20th Century American Regency Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
1810s English Antique Regency Furniture
Canvas
1820s German Antique Regency Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century Regency Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Bronze, Enamel
Late 20th Century American Regency Furniture
Iron
Early 18th Century French Antique Regency Furniture
Limestone
1810s English Antique Regency Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary American Regency Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Regency Furniture
Marble, Wrought Iron
20th Century Unknown Regency Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Regency Furniture
Sterling Silver
1820s English Antique Regency Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary English Regency Furniture
Rosewood, Mahogany
20th Century American Regency Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century Unknown Regency Furniture
Silver Plate
20th Century American Regency Furniture
Wood
19th Century British Antique Regency Furniture
Glass, Wood, Mahogany
20th Century British Regency Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century American Regency Furniture
Brass
18th Century European Antique Regency Furniture
Brass, Bronze
1970s American Vintage Regency Furniture
Horn, Canvas, Mirror
Late 20th Century American Regency Furniture
Cherry
Mid-20th Century American Regency Furniture
Wood, Paint
1810s English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century British Antique Regency Furniture
Wood
1820s English Antique Regency Furniture
Sheffield Plate
1810s English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass