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Gustavian Console Tables

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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Style: Gustavian
Swedish Gustavian Style 2 Drawer Console Table
Located in Hollywood, FL
This is a unique Swedish Gustavian Style 2 Drawer Console Table, its just been restored and repainted with Milk Paints "Oyster White"
Category

1930s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Console Tables

Materials

Wood

Swedish 19th century Gustavian st. Giltwood and faux Porphyry console
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exquisite and most handsome Swedish 19th century Gustavian st. Giltwood, Faux Painted Porphyry, patinated Wood and Iron console, attributed to Jonas Frisk. This most decorative co...
Category

19th Century Spanish Antique Gustavian Console Tables

Materials

Brass

Swedish Gustavian Style Console Table
Located in Hollywood, FL
This is a unique Swedish Gustavian Style Console Table. its been restored and repainted with Milk Paints "Oyster Grey"
Category

Early 2000s Swedish Gustavian Console Tables

Materials

Wood

Table Console Rare Quality Swedish Early Gustavian Gilded, 18th Century, Sweden
Located in New York, NY
Table console rare quality Swedish early Gustavian gilded 18th century Sweden. A console table made during the Gustavian period in Sweden 1775-1790. Original gilding and white marble top. Decorated with laurel swags and channeled legs. Frieze edged with a pearl beading and a circular plaster decor...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Console Tables

Materials

Marble

Gustavian console tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Gustavian console tables 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 console tables created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include tables, mirrors, case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, pine and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Gustavian console tables 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 console tables, popular names associated with this style include Jonas Frisk, and William Yeoward. 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 console tables differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,266 and tops out at $28,000 while the average work can sell for $5,503.

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