The authentic Biedermeier furniture on 1stDibs is representative of the first modern European decorative style not dictated by the tastes of the aristocracy. Following the Napoleonic wars, a growing, wealthy urban middle class in the German-speaking states of Central Europe began to demand rights and privileges once granted only to nobles. To avoid trouble, the upwardly striving confined their political discussions to one another’s homes. And so the salon was born.
Cabinetmakers in cities such as Vienna, Berlin and Mainz began to offer goods that reflected the tastes and needs of the new class. The makers of Biedermeier chairs, tables and other furniture used little or no gilding, silver hardware or other lavish ornament. Ebonized trims are common on Biedermeier cabinetry, and neoclassical elements — lyre-shaped chair splats, carved scrollwork, table supports shaped like Greek columns. But the strongest aesthetic statement came from the wood — richly-grained, honey-colored, often book-matched veneers of walnut and fruitwood.
There are two iconic Biedermeier furniture forms, both made to outfit rooms designed for conversation. One is the sofa, deeply upholstered with a strong, architectural wooden frame. The second is the circular pedestal table, which stood at the center of the room, offering a surface on which to place coffee and cake services; or to roll out a map, or sketch out ideas on paper.
“Biedermeier” was originally a derogatory term — it derives from the pen names of two German magazine writers who mocked bourgeois manners. Looking at the elegant and refined antique, new and vintage Biedermeier furniture offered on 1stDibs, that is now an amusing irony.
$5,300Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century French Game table circa 1860 walnut veneer rich floral inlays
Located in Münster, DE
Game table, France, circa 1860, walnut veneer with rich floral inlays, fold-out design, playing surface with felt covering, fluted, tapered legs, brass accents, shellac finish D...
Brass
$3,472Sale Price|20% Off
Octagonal Biedermeier Walnut Chess Table with Marquetry, circa 1830
Located in Darmstadt, DE
This elegant octagonal game table dates back to around 1830 and impresses with its intricate marquetry work and timeless craftsmanship. The tabletop features a detailed chessboard ma...
Walnut, Pine, Ash, Birch
Early 19th Century Flip-Top Game Table with Inlaid Chessboard
Located in Stahnsdorf, DE
Early 19th Century Flip-Top Game Table with Inlaid Chessboard Refined early 19th-century game table, designed for chess and card games, exemplifying the understated elegance and fin...
Cherry, Maple, Walnut
19th Century Swedish Card Table Mahogany Wood
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Beautiful Swedish Card Table in Mahogany Wood, 19th Century. This card flip top game table has strong brass hardware.
Mahogany
Rectangular Biedermeyer Game Chess Side End Table with Drawer
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Classic game table featuring a built-in chessboard of in-laid fruitwood on the surface. The wood table features a single drawer with a handle to store chess pieces. The table was des...
Wood, Fruitwood
Early 19th Century Game Table, South German, 1810-20
Located in Belmont, MA
This unique game table dates back to the early phase of the Biedermeier period. It comes from Southern Germany. The game table has a beautiful walnut root veneer on top and apron. ...
Walnut
Austrian Biedermeier Period 19th Century Walnut Guéridon with Four Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Austrian Biedermeier period walnut guéridon table from the 19th century with radiating veneer and banding. Created in Austria during the Biedermeier period, this walnut guéridon f...
Walnut
$25,200Sale Price|28% Off
Fine & Rare 19th Century Mahogany Marquetry Biedermeier Style Center Hall Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine and rare Biedermeier style 19th century mahogany marquetry center hall table, the circular top with conforming frieze above a tulip shaped shaft, raised on spheres above ...
Fruitwood, Mahogany
Round Italian Gueridon Table on Fluted Tapered Legs Pull Out Trays Two Drawers
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Round Italian Gueridon Table on Fluted Tapered Legs Pull Out Trays Two Drawers MINT
Brass
$2,238Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century, Ash Wood Late Biedermeier Game Table
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Petite small game or console table made of ash wood. The table dates from the Late Biedermeier period around 1850. The top of the table can be rotated by 90° and thereby unfolded. So...
Ash
France Table Style, Biedermeier, 1847
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our A...
Wood
Austrian 19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Game Flip Top Table
Located in Berlin, DE
Austrian/Vienna 1st half of 19th century Biedermeier walnut game flip flop top table, ca. 1840: A Biedermeier extending game table made of wal...
Felt, Glass, Walnut
$3,123Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.73 in W 24.22 in D 24.02 in
ANTiQUE RESTORED WILLIAM IV CIRCA 1830 HARDWOOD & WALNUT WOOD CHESSBOARD TABLE
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely, fully restored Antique William IV Circa 1830 Mahogany & Walnut Chessboard Chess table Ple...
Hardwood, Walnut
English Walnut Game Table with Game Pieces, 1890-1910
Located in San Francisco, CA
An excellent quality walnut game table features distinctive turned, or "spiral-turned," legs and an X-shaped stretcher base, which are common characteristics of the Victorian/Edward...
Walnut
$1,479Sale Price|20% Off
H 28.35 in W 23.63 in D 18.71 in
Victorian 1880 Walnut & Hardwood Marquetry Inlaid Chess Games Table Ornate Legs
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely small Victorian 1880 walnut & mahogany marquetry inlaid Chess games table A very good looking well ...
Hardwood, Walnut
$4,800
H 29.53 in W 21.26 in D 16.15 in
Game Table with Backgammon and Chess Board, France 19th century
Located in Belmont, MA
Discover an exceptional Victorian Game Table, originating from the 1860s. This rectangular table stands on four beautifully twisted legs, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. The top ...
Kingwood
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Era Walnut Chess Table, Circa 1885
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique 19th century English Victorian era walnut chess table, circa 1885.
Walnut
19th Century French Game Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
This 19th-century French game table is a masterful blend of form and function, showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship characteristic of the period. Made from fine walnut, the table f...
Walnut
Custom Walnut Game Table with Ebony Backgammon and Chess Table
Located in New York, NY
Custom walnut and mahogany backgammon table that converts to chess with a slide out board. New production. Made to order in walnut and mahogany. Designed and made in NYC, each tab...
Walnut
$2,500
H 31 in W 36 in D 17.75 in
George III Satinwood Inlaid Mahogany Serpentine Fold Top Game Table 19th Century
Located in Germantown, MD
George III Satinwood Inlaid Mahogany Serpentine Fold-Top Game Table Console Table. Measures 36" in width, 17.75" in depth folded, 35.5" in depth open and 31" in height.
Mahogany, Satinwood
$4,432
H 30.32 in W 42.52 in D 22.05 in
Antique 19th French Louis XVI Game Table, Chess, Backgammon & Cards
Located in Senonches, Centre-Val de Loire
Antique French game table or side table, perfect in a living room or office. The table can be divided in three ways: the first with a chess board, the second with a green felt card b...
Walnut
19th Century chess & card table
Located in Belgrade, RS
This "chess table," as we call it, has a chessboard on its top surface, with the chess squares made using the intarsia technique. The light squares are made of maple wood veneer, whi...
Brass
Antique Victorian Inlaid Walnut Chess Table
Located in London, GB
A superb antique Victorian inlaid walnut chess table. This was made in England, it dates from around the 1860-1880’s period. It is beautifully made predominantly from walnut, the to...
Walnut
19th Century French Walnut and Lemonwood Marquetry Chess Table
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
Elegant French antique chess table dating from the 19th-century, featuring a beautifully decorated circular top with a contrasting wood marquetry chessboard. The tabletop displays a...
Fruitwood, Walnut
$1,294
H 29.14 in Dm 36.23 in
Antique Carved Mahogany Demi Lune Card Table By Lamb Of Manchester, 19Th Century
By James Lamb, Lamb of Manchester
Located in Bristol, GB
ANTIQUE VICTORIAN FOLD OUT CARD TABLE BY JAMES LAMB OF MANCHESTER (1816-1903) A handsome, good quality and elegant folding card table of simple demi-lune form with beautiful design ...
Brass
$1,620
H 15.5 in W 32.88 in D 21.5 in
Mid Century Kidney Chess and Mills Nine Men's Morris Side Game Table Italy 1950s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Offered is an absolutely stunning, 1950s - 1960s Italian kidney era side table. Minor patina and paint lost at the edges gives this piece a classy statement. Measurements: about 15.5...
Wood
$19,647
H 26.38 in W 24.81 in D 24.81 in
21th Century Italian Table, Chess Board, Chess Game Gold /Silver plated brass
Located in VALENZA, IT
Chess table and chess game in bronze and brass made with the ancient casting technique. After the casting, the finishing was chiseled and subsequently silvered and finished with 24-k...
Brass, Bronze
3 piece 20th century burr birch games table and armchairs
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
3 piece 20th century burr birch games table and armchairs circa 1980. Good quality games table and chairs, set comprises of 2 armchairs and a games table. Table with inlaid chess b...
Birch
Biedermeier Chess Table, Octagonal Marquetry, Germany, 1830
Located in Darmstadt, DE
An elegant Biedermeier chess table from circa 1830, featuring a finely inlaid marquetry top with a central chessboard surrounded by intricate geometric and ornamental patterns. The o...
Ash, Birch, Walnut, Pine
Sold
H 31.89 in W 35.44 in D 17.92 in
Biedermeier Walnut Veneered Flip-Top Game Table on Pedestal Base, circa 1850
Located in Ulm, DE
This Biedermeier flip-top game table from circa 1850 showcases the refined elegance of early 19th-century Central European design. Crafted from softwood with a rich walnut veneer, th...
Leather, Nutwood
19th Century Biedermeier Marquetry Chess Table, Germany
Located in Darmstadt, DE
This exquisite 19th-century Biedermeier chess table is a true testament to masterful marquetry craftsmanship. Made in Germany around 1835, it features an intricately inlaid chessboar...
Walnut, Pine, Ash, Birch
Biedermeier Game Table in Walnut, early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
An elegant Biedermeier game table crafted from walnut in the early 19th century. The table stands on tall, gracefully curved saber legs and features a simple, straight apron. The fol...
Walnut
3 piece 20th century burr birch games table and armchairs
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
3 piece 20th century burr birch games table and armchairs circa 1980. Good quality games table and chairs, set comprises of 2 armchairs and a games table. Table with inlaid chess b...
Birch
19th century Swedish burr birch tea table
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th century Swedish burr birch tea table circa 1880. Beautiful quality burr birch occasional table, made to showcase the stunning grain on all surfaces. D end shaped top, which ro...
Birch
Cherrywood Game Table with green Felt Cover, early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
A game table on tall, square legs with brass sabots and straight frames. The triple-folded table top is veneered on one side and covered with green felt on the other. Rotating the ta...
Cherry
19th Century Biedermeier Marquetry Chess Table, Germany
Located in Darmstadt, DE
The chess table stands on a central baluster column, which in turn rests on three cantilevers on the floor. The table top with a decorated chessboard is a very beautiful marquetry wo...
Pine, Fruitwood, Walnut
Biedermeier Game Table in Birch, Baltic States, early 19th Century
Located in New York, NY
This exquisite game table features three curved legs with intermediate bracing and a deep straight apron adorned with indicated dentil strip. It boasts six drawers and a radially ven...
Birch
19th Century Biedermeier Game Table with Ebonized Pedestal Legs
Located in New York, NY
Wooden game table with 40-inch circular table top and black pedestal legs. Working drawers accented with gold hardware. Ebony tripod legs with curving feet.
Ebony
Biedermeier Game Table in Birch, Baltic States, Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Large game table on three curved legs with intermediate bracing and deep straight frame with indicated tooth-cut decoration, six drawers and radially veneered round table top. The li...
Birch
Biedermeier Chess Table, Germany 1820-1830
Located in Belmont, MA
This unique Biedermeier chess table comes from Southern Germany and dates back to around 1820-30. The round table has a central column and a pretty walnut veneer. The top is decorated with an inlaid chess board...
Maple, Walnut
19th Century Biedermeier Game Table with Marquetry, c. 1830
Located in Greven, DE
Round Antique Biedermeier game table Scandinavia Birch etc. Biedermeier around 1830 Dimensions: H x D: 79 x 95 cm Description: Exceptional and rare Biedermeier game table...
Birch
Antique Square Wood Tooled Leather Top Game Table
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique square wood tooled leather top game table. Original tooled leather top game table, Biedermeier Style. The table has a single drawer and tapering and fluted legs, terminating in brass sabots and antique casters...
Leather, Wood