Formed in the wake of the Jacobin Reign of Terror’s bloody guillotine, the Directoire was established to lead France into order through the leadership of a five-member council of directors. It was brief, lasting only from 1795 to 1799, ending with Napoléon Bonaparte’s coup d’état, and was economically tumultuous. Yet it was an essential bridge between the era of Louis XVI and the elaborate Empire style that followed, with Directoire furniture and decorative arts shaped by a royal passion for classical design and an enthusiasm for postrevolutionary France.
Much of the country’s furniture production had halted during the French Revolution when the furniture guilds system was abolished, but during the Directoire period, the cabinetmakers restarted their businesses, such as François-Honoré-Georges and Jacob-Desmalter who established a new workshop called Jacob-Frères. Pieces made in walnut, elm, mahogany and other inexpensive materials incorporated influences ranging from Egypt to Pompeii, with popular forms including the curule armchair based on an ancient Roman design. The aesthetics of the transitional style were more austere than during the monarchy, with court cabinetmaker Jean-Baptiste Sené, for instance, reimagining his workshop’s neoclassical-style furniture with ungilded surfaces and a reduction of ornamentation.
Symbols referencing the revolutionary tenets of liberty, equality and fraternity were frequently carved into Directoire furnishings, such as the Phrygian cap, clasped hands and the fasces, which is an image of a bound bundle of sticks adopted from the Roman Republic, where it was seen as an emblem of strength through unity.
Elements of the French Directoire style continued through Empire style. Designers Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine are credited today as major proponents of both movements. The classically inspired furniture design is represented in pieces such as the boat-shaped daybed and the klismos chair, which endured in French interiors as well as in styles abroad, including American Directoire.
Find a collection of antique Directoire chairs, tables, daybeds, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Maison Jansen Style Eglomise Glass & Brass 3 Tier End Table C. 1950's
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Dimensions: 27.5 inches high x 15.5 inches wide x 29 inches deep Elegant, sophisticated, and unmistakably Parisian in character, this exceptional Maison Jansen style three-tier side...
Brass
Pair of French Directiore Style Marble Top Pedestal & Brass Mounts End Tables
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Dimensions: 24.5 inches high x 28.25 inches wide x 15.25 inches deep A sophisticated and architecturally composed pair of French Directoire style end tables dating to the early 20th...
Marble, Brass
$1,356Sale Price|20% Off
Single Brass and Steel Glass Top Guerdion or End Table Maison Jansen Style
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This elegant brass and steel gueridon table reflects the refined design sensibilities of the Maison Jansen style, blending neoclassical inspiration with modern sophistication. Featur...
Brass, Steel
$2,316Sale Price / set|20% Off
Rare Pair Maison Style Cylindrical Metal Brass Glass Two Tier End Tables
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This rare pair of cylindrical metal and brass two-tier end tables reflects a refined Maison-style design that seamlessly combines elegance and modernity. Each table is crafted with a...
Metal, Brass
Maison Jansen Style Directoire Granite Top & Brass End Table
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Dimensions: 26.5 inches high x 30.25 inches wide x 19.25 inches deep Refined, architectural, and effortlessly sophisticated, this Maison Jansen style Directoire brass and granite-to...
Granite, Brass
$1,196Sale Price|20% Off
Fine Quality French Directoire Breche Marble Top Brass Gallery End Table
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This fine French Directoire style end table showcases the elegance and refinement of late 18th to early 19th century neoclassical design. The table features a richly grained breche m...
Breccia Marble, Brass
Pair of Baker Furniture Company Rosewood Directoire End Tables
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This pair of Baker Furniture Company Rosewood Directoire End Tables exemplifies the craftsmanship and timeless elegance for which Baker is renowned. Beautifully constructed with rich...
Brass
$3,996Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Carrara Marble Top & Ormolu Mounted End Tables, attrib. to Maison Jansen
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This pair of Carrara marble top and ormolu mounted end tables, attributed to Maison Jansen, reflects the refined elegance and craftsmanship for which the Parisian design firm was wor...
Carrara Marble, Brass, Bronze
$2,397 / item
French Three Tier Side Table
Located in Westwood, NJ
A French Directoire style three-tier lamp table, each elongated octagonal tier with a three-quarter pierced brass gallery, on shaped end supports with lozenge ornaments, terminating ...
Brass
Pair Directoire Style Brass and Giltwood Eglomise Top End Tables
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This sophisticated pair of églomisé brass and glass end tables embodies the timeless glamour of mid-century French luxury design. Inspired by the celebrated work of Maison Jansen an...
Brass
French Louis XVI Directoire Inlaid Satinwood Marquetry and Bronze End Table
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This French Louis XVI Directoire inlaid satinwood marquetry and bronze end table is a refined example of 18th-century inspired craftsmanship, blending neoclassical elegance with exce...
Bronze
$1,596Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Round French Directoire Style Bronze Colored Steel Marble Top Gueridons
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This elegant pair of French Directoire style guéridons combines timeless neoclassical design with modern versatility. Each table features a round marble top with natural veining, off...
Marble, Steel
Brass Directoire Style Glass Top End Table
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Elegant, architectural, and effortlessly sophisticated, this French Directoire style brass and glass end table is a refined expression of late eighteenth-century neoclassical design....
Brass
Pair Antique French Directoire Mahogany End Tables with Carrara Marble
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair Antique French Directoire Mahogany End Tables with Carrara Marble will make a delightful addition to your room, providing storage, display, perhaps a place for a lamp, convenien...
Carrara Marble, Brass
Bronze Mounted Neoclassical Tripod Table
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine round end table with pierced balustraded brass gallery around gilt-tooled leather top. Striking turned shaft below featuring carved panels with gilt brass beaded trim, the scrol...
Wood
Pair of Directoire Style Bronze Tables with Pietra Dura Marble Top, French
Located in El Monte, CA
Outstanding pair of French Directoire style bronze round tables with semi precious gemstone (malachite, lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate, etc.) inlaid ...
Multi-gemstone, Marble, Bronze
$1,196Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Faux Bamboo Bagues Style Solid Brass Hexangonal End Tables Circa 1970
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This stylish pair of vintage brass end tables embodies the timeless elegance of French Maison Baguès design, circa 1970. Crafted in a sophisticated faux bamboo motif, the frames are ...
Brass
Italian Brass Glass Nesting End Tables Directoire Maison Jansen Style, Set
Located in New York, NY
A versatile and substantial set/pair of Italian brass and glass nesting tables in the Directoire style, in the style of design h...
Brass
Brass Steel and Glass Top French Maison Jansen Style Directoire End Table
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Elevate your living space with this exquisite Brass, Steel, and Glass Top French Maison Jansen Style Directoire End Table—a true masterpiece of design and craftsmanship. This elegant...
Brass, Steel
Antique Directoire Style Brass Mounted Mahogany Gueridon
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique Directoire style brass mounted mahogany gueridon, circa 1920's. With a flame mahogany top with brass banding on the outer edge, a fluted pedestal and 3 down swept legs with b...
Brass
Pair Of Directoire Style Bronze And Granite Gueridon Tables
Located in Essex, MA
Each with circular inset black granite tops with metal banded edge and three curved legs and conforming small shelf, all ending on paw feet.
Granite, Bronze
LATE 18TH-CENTURY DIRECTORY-STYLE COFFEE TABLE WITH INLAYS
Located in Firenze, FI
A refined and unique coffee table, crafted from solid walnut and finely carved with exquisite fruitwood inlays. The table features elegant saber legs, typical of the period, and a fr...
Fruitwood, Nutwood
Directoire Walnut Tricoteuse Table
Located in Essex, MA
Elongated octagonal top with gallery and fold down hinged panel. Trestle base with two oval lower shelves. The trestle sides with ebonized lozenge decoration. These tables were made ...
Brass
$1,276Sale Price|20% Off
Louis XVI Directoire Style French Mahogany and Marble Top Stand Circa 1910
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This Louis XVI Directoire style French mahogany and marble top stand, circa 1910, is a refined example of early 20th-century craftsmanship rooted in classical tradition. Designed wit...
Marble, Brass
$1,196Sale Price|20% Off
Brass and Steel Glass Top Maison Jansen Style Directoire End Table, circa 1960
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This brass and steel glass top Maison Jansen style Directoire end table, circa 1960, embodies the refined elegance and timeless appeal for which Maison Jansen is celebrated. Crafted ...
Brass, Steel
Pair Antique French Directoire Neoclassical End Tables with Carrara Marble
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair Antique French Directoire Neoclassical End Tables with Carrara Marble are ideal companions for any setting. Hand-crafted from exotic imported mahogany, each has been given a fi...
Carrara Marble, Brass
Antique French Directoire Mahogany End Table with Carrara Marble
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique French Directoire Mahogany End Table with Carrara Marble will make a great accent for any room. Its diminutive size makes it ideal for cozy dwellings or seating groups. Fin...
Carrara Marble, Brass
Antique French Directoire Mahogany End Table with Carrara Marble
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique French Directoire Mahogany End Table with Carrara Marble will make a delightful addition to your room, providing storage, display, perhaps a place for a lamp, convenient draw...
Carrara Marble, Brass
French Directoire Gilt Bronze End Table
Located in Queens, NY
French Directoire-style (20th Century) gilt bronze end table with 3 scroll legs and inset round pink and black speckled marble top and shelf.
Marble
$3,500Sale Price|30% Off
Directoire Mahogany Trestle Table, Early 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
Directoire mahogany trestle table, early 19th century. An octagonal top with lower shelf table.
Mahogany
Antique French Directoire Neoclassical End Table with Carrara Marble
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique French Directoire Neoclassical End Table with Carrara Marble will make the perfect addition to any room. Hand-crafted from exotic imported mahogany, it has been given a fini...
Carrara Marble, Brass