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.
Antique English Regency Mahogany Pole Screen Fire Hearthware Tapestry Stand 66"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique English Regency / Georgian style pole or fire screen on stand. Made of mahogany featuring scrolled pierced / reticulated adjustable screen framing a floral tapestry backed w...
Textile, Mahogany
ANTIQUE 1828 ORIGINAL KiNG GEORGE IV NEEDLEWORK TAPESTRY SAMPLER HARDWOOD FRAME
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this rather stunning, 1828 dated needlework sampler made during the reign of King George IV I have three ot...
Cotton, Hardwood
Large Antique Regency Silkwork Embroidery Depicting Rebecca At The Well
Located in Bristol, GB
ANTIQUE ORIGINAL WATERCOLOUR, SILK, WOOL AND METALLIC THREAD NEEDLEWORK EMBROIDERY PICTURE A charming depiction of the Old Testament story of Rebecca at the well: “Abraham wanted ...
Metallic Thread
ANTIQUE 1824 DATED ENGLiSH NEEDLEWORK SAMPLER BY ANN YATES AGED 12 OF RAVENHEAD
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this fine, Early 19th Century 1824 dated English Needlework Sampler by Ann Yates, Aged 12, Ravenhead A wond...
Cotton, Hardwood
Antique English Soho Tapestry Circa 1900 6'7 x 6'7
Located in New York, NY
Antique possible English Soho Tapestry Circa 1900 6'7 x 6'7 Antique English Soho Tapestry, Circa 1900 – Hunting Scene, 6'7" x 6'7" A masterwork of late Victorian textile artistry, t...
Wool
$7,800Sale Price|35% Off
H 100 in W 61.5 in D 0.3 in
Rare Large Format Antique Suzani Silk Embroidery, 19th C.
Located in Harrington Park, NJ
This large 19th century Suzani embroidery is an exceptional example of Central Asian textile artistry, originating from Uzbekistan. Composed of silk embroidery on a cotton ground, th...
Cotton, Silk
Italian Antique Tapestry Tuscan Nobleman Gilt Frame 1880
Located in Potters Bar, GB
Gorgeous Italian tapestry needlepoint in a gilt frame Such intricate needlepoint work showing a nobleman on the steps of their Tuscan villa Gilt frame itself is a work of art and han...
Acrylic
$5,780Sale Price|20% Off
H 80.32 in W 60.24 in D 0.3 in
Antique French Tapestry Handwoven French Tapestry Verdure Scenic Tapestry
Located in New York, NY
This is a beautiful pictorial antique French tapestry created after William Morris, inspired by the famous mille fleurs tapestries of Cluny, Paris, and featuring a richly detailed ve...
Wool
Child's Sampler, American Dated "1887"
Located in Incline Village, NV
Charming child's diminutive needlepoint on linen, American sampler, measuring 10" x 10"; incorporating the proverbial 26 letters of the alphabet and t...
Linen
$7,877
H 75.99 in W 51.97 in D 0.3 in
Antique French Tapestry Handwoven French Tapestry Aubusson Verdure Tapestry
Located in New York, NY
Rare Antique French Tapestry Verdure Human Flirting Scene Beige after "Francois Boucher" "This is an outstanding one-of-a-kind handmade Antique French Aubusson Tapestry after "Franc...
Wool
Elizabeth Wurts American Family Record Needlework Sampler, Dated 1837
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elizabeth Wurts American Family Record Needlework Sampler, Dated 1837 An American embroidered family-record sampler signed Elizabeth Wurts and dated 1837, probably New Paltz, Ulster...
Wool, Silk, Walnut, Giltwood
Antique 18th Century English Aubusson Garden Tapestry
By Mortlake
Located in New York, NY
Charming 18th Century English Aubusson Tapestry, handwoven in wool and silk at the famous Mortlake workshop. It depicts a scene from the well known "Bacchanalia and Playing Boys" se...
Tapestry, Wool, Silk
Antique Belgian Sailor's Silkwork, c. 1923
Located in Savannah, GA
Offered is a Belgian sailor's silkwork from the golden era of Peking, China's Legation District, c. 1923. It features flags from all legations, dragon and eagle, coat of arms of Bel...
Silk
Vintage Tapestry Depicting Children at Play - 7.7 X 6.11
Located in Los Angeles, US
This vintage pictorial tapestry is a decorative interpretation of the European garden and landscape tapestry tradition, combining an expansive wooded setting with formal landscaping,...
Wool, Cotton
$1,808Sale Price|20% Off
H 24.61 in W 18.12 in D 1.19 in
Antique Embroidered Panel, English, Framed Silkwork, Baroque Taste, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique embroidered panel. An English, framed silkwork after Margarethe Helm, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1890. Delightful example of Baroque needlework, i...
Cotton, Glass, Pine
Antique Sampler, 1837, by Marianne Butland Gill
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Victorian Sampler, 1837, by Marianne Butland Gill. The sampler is worked in silk threads on a linen ground, mainly in cross stitch. A wonderfully worked meandering floral border. Col...
Linen
Sold
H 15.36 in W 14.38 in D 0.79 in
COLLECTABLE ANTIQUE ANTIQUE 1791 GEORGE III NEEDLEWORK SAMPLER ORiGINAL STAMPED
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this rather stunning, 1791 dated needlework sampler from Scotland I have a number of these samplers for sal...
Cotton
Sold
H 15.36 in W 14.38 in D 0.79 in
COLLECTABLE ANTiQUE ANTIQUE 1817 MARY PERKINS GEORGE III NEEDLEWORK SAMPLER
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this rather stunning, 1817 dated needlework sampler made by Mary Perkins I have a number of these samplers ...
Cotton
Large 17th century Aubusson Tapestry "Verdure" French
By Royal Manufacture of Aubusson
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Very big tapestry of the 17th century of the royal manufacture of Aubusson of the period "Verdure". Very beautiful work of craftsmanship for this unique p...
Wool, Linen
Pair Antique Samplers, 1825 and 1829, by Sarah Ann Terry
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Pair of Regency Samplers, stitched in 1825 and 1829, by Sarah Ann Terry. The samplers are worked in wool threads on a linen ground, mainly in cross stitch....
Linen
Regency Sampler, 1820, by Mary Bishop
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Regency Sampler, 1820, by Mary Bishop. The sampler is worked in silk on a linen ground, mainly in cross stitch. Meandering strawberry border. Colours pink, black, green, gold, blue, ...
Linen
Regency Period Norfolk Sampler, 1827, by Maria Curtis
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Regency period sampler, 1827, by Maria Curtis. The sampler is worked in fine wool and silk on linen ground, in cross stitch. Meandering floral strawberry border. Colours red, yellow,...
Linen
Regency Scottish Sampler, 1812, by Margaret Christie
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Regency Scottish Sampler, 1812, by Margaret Christie from Perth. The sampler is worked in silk on linen ground, in cross stitch throughout. Meandering...
Silk
Small Regency Sampler, 1818, by Sarah Wakley
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Regency Sampler, stitched in 1818, by Sarah Wakley. The sampler is worked in silk on linen ground, in cross stitch throughout. Simple line border. Colours copper, gold, silver, blue ...
Silk
Regency Woolwork Deer Embroidery, Mary Clark 1826
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Regency period woolwork embroidered picture of a deer in a country scene. The embroidery is worked in wool on a canvas ground, in a variety of stitches. Pictorial scene depicts a rec...
Wool
Regency Period Sampler, 1817, by Isabella Atkinson Aged 9
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
House and church Sampler, 1817, by Isabella Atkinson Aged 9. The sampler is worked in silk on linen ground, mainly in cross stitch. Meandering floral border. Colours black, red, yell...
Silk
Framed Two Sided English Silk Embroideries of Regency Twins
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Framed two sided English silk embroideries of Regency twins, each side, with a similar well dressed and detailed embroidery.
Silk, Wood
Pair of Regency Needleworks
Located in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire
An exceptional pair of Regency needleworks in silk in their original frames: Constantine and Shakespeare.
Silk