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.
Biedermeier Birch Drop-Leaf Sofa Table
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
54.5" wide with sides up. 38.25" wide with sides down. 25.25" deep. 30" high This is an elegant Biedermeier-style figured birch drop-leaf sofa table, distinguished by its clean arch...
Birch
19th Century Small Oval Biedermeier Side Table. Vienna, c. 1830.
Located in Vienna, AT
We are proud to present a small oval Viennese Biedermeier side table, crafted in Vienna around 1830, representing the refined aesthetic and superb craftsmanship of the early 19th cen...
Walnut
19th Century burr birch biedermeier sofa table
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Superb quality biedermeier period sofa table circa 1825. Beautifully made from burr birch, giving it strong grains and colour. Drop down flaps provide a overall length of just over...
Birch
$18,000
Biedermeier Sofa Table
Located in New York, NY
.Biedermeier pedestal table. Austria, mid 19th century.
Walnut
A Biedermeier Burr Maple and Amaranth Sofa Table Mid-19th Century
Located in London, GB
A Biedermeier Burr Maple and Amaranth Sofa Table. Mid-19th Century the Rectangular Canted Top and Conforming Frieze With Tablets to Each Side on Sabre Legs 75cm High, 117cm Wide, 6...
Maple
$2,609Sale Price|23% Off
Antique 19th-Century Biedermeier Cherry Salon Table
Located in Darmstadt, DE
This beautiful salon table before us is a true masterpiece. It hails from the Biedermeier period around 1830 in Germany and is crafted from solid cherry wood. This type of wood is no...
Spruce, Cherry
19th Century Continental Biedermeier Period Figured Maple Table
Located in Forney, TX
A scarce elegant and most distinctive Biedermeier Period (1815-1848) highly figured maple table. Hand-made in Continental Europe in the early/mid-19th...
Birdseye Maple, Maple, Burl
20th Century Vienna Biedermeier Style Salon Table
Located in Berlin, DE
Maple roots on solid pinewood. Literary Proven” Empire and Biedermeiermöbel“ by Renate Müller 1995 p. 132. (G-Sam-2).
Wood, Maple, Pine
$2,225Sale Price|20% Off
H 30.32 in W 47.25 in D 23.23 in
19th Century Biedermeier Demi Lune console table / salon table cherry
Located in Münster, DE
Demi Lune console table / salon table Biedermeier c. 1810/20, cherry veneered, top with original oilcloth / fabric overlay, folds up to form a round sal...
Cane, Cherry
$1,680Sale Price|30% Off
H 26.37 in W 29.13 in D 18.89 in
Side Table of Chestnut with Carved Lyre Legs, Spanish, 19th Century
Located in Miami, FL
Side table of chestnut with carved lyre base and carved ebonized details in the legs, Spanish, 19th century.
Wood
ZETA Expanding Sofa Table
Located in Portland, OR
Trestle sofa table with crisp yet soft and warm lines perfect for transition, mid-century modern, and contemporary dining rooms and living rooms. Compact when leaf is folded down, a...
Cherry, Maple, Oak, Walnut
$1,859Sale Price|75% Off
H 28.5 in W 38 in D 23.75 in
Early 1800s Mahogany Regency Drop Leaf Sofa Table with Brass Caps
Located in Savannah, GA
Handsome mahogany drop leaf sofa table with original finish and brass caps and casters. Two deep drawers with two false drawers in back. Reeded swept legs. Measures: 60 inches wide w...
Brass
$17,883 / set
H 27.17 in W 25.99 in D 21.66 in
Pair English Georgian 18th Century Revival Leather Inset Drop Leaf Sofa Tables
Located in London, GB
A pair of fine quality Georgian 18th century Sheraton Revival drop sofa tables with leather inset tops. Constructed in Mahogany with Satinwood...
Leather, Satinwood
19th Century Harvest Table
Located in High Point, NC
19th century pine harvest table made in the English region of Lancashire. The top is made up of planks and follows down to a scalloped apron with three drawers in the front, supporte...
Pine
$2,830
H 29.875 in W 35.5 in D 26.5 in
Swedish Karl Johan Biedermeier Drop-Leaf Center Table of Flame Birch
Located in Atlanta, GA
Karl Johan style center table of dark flame birch with ebonized four-column pedestal base from Sweden with drop-leaf table top. The Swedish Karl Johan style is similar to Biedermeier...
Birch
19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Oval Side Table in Alder Root
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A Swedish oval table in alder root and birch from the Biedermeier period, also called Karl Johan period in Sweden. This style follows the name of the regent King of the period Karl t...
Birch
$2,900
H 30.71 in W 22.83 in D 16.54 in L 30.71 in
19th Century Oval Biedermeier Nutwood Side Table, Austria circa 1830
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Lovely 19th century oval nutwood side table coming from the famous Biedermeier period in Austria around 1830. With an age of over 190 years this charming nutwood side table is still ...
Nutwood, Spruce
19th Century English Rosewood Library or Sofa Table
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
19th Century English rosewood library or sofa table. The rectangular top with rounded corners, carved frieze on turned baluster part fluted supports, united by a high cross-stretch...
Rosewood
$4,549Sale Price|20% Off
H 30.52 in W 64.18 in D 43.71 in
19th Century Biedermeier Oval Dining Table in Solid Cherrywood, circa 1830
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Elegant oval dining table from the late Biedermeier period, made in southern Germany around 1830. The table features a finely grained solid cherrywood top with a warm, honey-colored ...
Cherry
$1,369
H 22.5 in W 26.5 in D 22 in
English 19th Century Papier Mache Floral Painted Tilt Top Side Table
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
A tilt top papier mâché occasional table. Black with hand painted floral, gilt and mother of Pearl decoration. Good quality and form, possibly by Jenners & Bettridge of Belgravia, L...
Paper
$15,000
H 27.75 in W 61.75 in D 33.75 in
English Mahogany Drop-Leaf Sofa Table on Lion Paw Brass Casters, Circa 1790
Located in Charleston, SC
English Mahogany drop-leaf sofa table with two fitted drawers, original wood knobs, turned ringed bulbous supporting columns, connecting bulbous ringed stretcher, and terminating on ...
Brass
Late 18th Century English Drop-Leaf Gate Leg Dinning Table
Located in Hudson, NY
This table, circa 1780, is made of mahogany and has a new finish and replacement casters. This form of table has been in use since the 1600 but has in each successive generation been...
Mahogany
Sold
H 27.56 in W 21.26 in D 21.26 in
Biedermeier Italian Walnut Inlay Marquetry Octagonal Tripod Sofa or Side Table
Located in Carimate, Como
A beautiful Italian Walnut octagonal side table with great details and frames shaped in Biedermeier style with beautiful inlay decors in classic figures on the top and all around the...
Wood
19th century burr birch Biedermeier sofa table
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Superb quality Biedermeier period sofa table circa 1825. Beautifully made from burr birch, giving it strong grains and colour. Drop down flaps provide a overall length of just over...
Birch
19th century burr birch Biedermeier sofa table
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Superb quality biedermeier period sofa table circa 1825. Beautifully made from burr birch, giving it strong grains and colour. Drop down flaps provide a overall length of just over...
Birch
Antique Biedermeier Table, c. 1840-1850
Located in Ross, CA
Antique Biedermeier sofa table which can also be used as a desk or occasional table. The table is made of cherry wood veneer over a pine base, it has curving supports connected by a...
Wood
Art Nouveau Rectangular CherryWood Austrian Sofa Table, 1900
Located in Roma, Lazio
Art Nouveau sofa table, from the rich and elaborate forms. Completely veneered in cherrywood, with the top that has a darker wood inlay along the perimeter of the rectangular top, its edge ends up as a sharp corner. Even the sofa table band...
Cherry
Pair of Period Biedermeier Occasional 'Side' Tables
Located in Dallas, TX
A handsome pair of period biedermeier occasional (side) tables. With a shelf just under the top. A small leather upholstered drink top can be pulled out with small steel knobs. Toole...
Birdseye Maple
Sold
H 29.75 in W 25 in D 48.75 in
Golden Birch Biedermeier Drop-Leaf Pedestal Swedish Writing or Sofa Table
By Karl Johan
Located in Chattanooga, TN
The possibilities are endless for this Swedish made Bierdermeier drop-leaf table. Perfect for a writing desk, dry bar, center table, sofa table, entryway table, console table, or tea table just to name a few. The honey colored birch is almost iridescent and shimmers with tiger-striped tones that mimic the look of olive burl wood. Hand-carved wood claw feet flow into a polished, round pedestal base that supports the drop-leaf table. Mirror finished on both sides, a large pull...
Birch
19th Century burr birch Biedermeier sofa table
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Superb quality Biedermeier period sofa table circa 1825. Beautifully made from burr birch, giving it strong grains and colour. Drop down flaps provide a o...
Birch
Early 19th C. Biedermeier Sofa Table/Desk With Lyre-Form Trestle Base
Located in Morristown, NJ
Early 19th c., Biedermeier cherrywood and banded rectangular desk/sofa table. The top is above a single drawer with center brass crest key escutcheon on lyre-form trestle base joined...
Wood
Biedermeier Birch Sofa Table
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Biederemier birch drop leaf sofa table, circa 1835. With a rectangular birch top with two drop leaves, a drawer in the frieze, an ebonized pedestal and four down swept feet. The birc...
Birch, Pine, Lacquer
Biedermeier Folding Table, Northern Europe, circa 1860
Located in Chorzów, PL
Biedermeier clapper table, Northern Europe, circa 1860. Very good condition. After renovation Dimensions: height 73 cm, length 83 cm / unfolded 135 cm 68 cm.
Walnut
Antique Swedish Satin Birch Biedermeier Sofa Table
Located in London, GB
A stunning antique Swedish drop leaf sofa table in satin birch, dating from around the 1880-1900 period. The quality is outstanding, this is beautifully designed and is a fantasti...
Birch
19th Century Burr Birch Biedermeier Sofa Table
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Superb quality Biedermeier period sofa table circa 1825. Beautifully made from burr birch, giving it strong grains and colour. Drop down flaps provide a overall length of just ove...
Birch
Sold
H 29.14 in W 50.79 in D 26.78 in
Antique Biedermeier Swedish Birch Ormolu Mounted Sofa Table 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a stylish antique Swedish birch Biedermeier sofa table with ebonized detail, circa 1820 in date. The table features a rectangular top w...
Ormolu
Antique Mahogany Round Tilt-Top Table
Located in Den Haag, NL
Antieke Ronde Bijzettafel Beautiful aged mahogany side table in perfect and original condition. It is a tilt-top table. This means that the top can be folded up. Originally this w...
Mahogany