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-20th Century American Regency Furniture
Ceramic
Late 18th Century North American Antique Regency Furniture
Paper
19th Century French Antique Regency Furniture
Bronze
2010s Philippine Regency Furniture
Mahogany
2010s British Regency Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Unknown Regency Furniture
Brass, Steel
1950s Italian Vintage Regency Furniture
Metal
Early 19th Century British Antique Regency Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century American Antique Regency Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1780s Russian Antique Regency Furniture
Gesso, Mirror, Wood, Giltwood
1790s English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass
19th Century Unknown Antique Regency Furniture
Wood
19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Mahogany
1810s Great Britain (UK) Antique Regency Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century American Regency Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Glass, Mahogany, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary English Regency Furniture
Marble
1960s Vintage Regency Furniture
Silver Plate
Early 1800s Antique Regency Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Italian Regency Furniture
Plaster
Mid-20th Century American Regency Furniture
Wood
20th Century British Regency Furniture
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century Regency Furniture
Iron
20th Century Italian Regency Furniture
Bronze
19th Century British Antique Regency Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass
1810s English Antique Regency Furniture
Macassar
Mid-20th Century American Regency Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
Late 20th Century Regency Furniture
Leather, Walnut
Early 18th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass, Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Regency Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century American Regency Furniture
Aluminum
1920s Vintage Regency Furniture
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary American Regency Furniture
Brass
1970s American Vintage Regency Furniture
Metal
1810s French Antique Regency Furniture
Brass, Ormolu
Early 20th Century French Regency Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1830s British Antique Regency Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
Early 20th Century English Regency Furniture
Sterling Silver
1810s English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Walnut, Burl
Early 20th Century English Regency Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century Italian Regency Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Regency Furniture
Crystal, Metal
Late 20th Century American Regency Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Lacquer
2010s Philippine Regency Furniture
Mahogany
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Regency Furniture
Mirror, Stucco, Wood
1830s English Antique Regency Furniture
Mahogany
2010s American Regency Furniture
Mahogany
1820s British Antique Regency Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century English Antique Regency Furniture
Blown Glass
20th Century English Regency Furniture
Brass, Iron
Mid-18th Century French Antique Regency Furniture
Stone, Other
1930s British Vintage Regency Furniture
Rosewood, Satinwood
Late 19th Century American Antique Regency Furniture
Metal