Black Forest Furniture
Although its name evokes a mountainous region in Germany, antique Black Forest–style furniture originated in Switzerland. In Brienz, during the early 19th century, wood-carver Christian Fischer recognized the market for tourist souvenirs and helped make the village into a wood-carving destination. The Brienz Woodcarving School was founded in 1884 and had its own small zoo for studying the anatomy of animals, depictions of which are a defining aspect of the style, also known as Brienzerware.
Whimsical sculptures, often depicting bears and other Alpine animals like stags, owls, deer and boars, characterize the work produced in the area. Along with folk art and decorative objects, Black Forest furniture included benches held aloft by bears, umbrella stands carved with acorns and clock cases adorned with scrolling oak leaves. While most wood-carvers adhered to a similar realism in their designs and woods like linden, maple and walnut, their aesthetics varied.
The F. Peter Trauffer family was known for their hand-carved bear sculptures that saw the furry mammals playing instruments, smoking pipes and engaging in all sorts of human activities. They were sometimes detailed with glass eyes and integrated into functional pieces of furniture, including chair backs and bench legs, which generations of cabinetmakers created from the 1880s to the 1950s. Walter Mader and his son Heinrich frequently carved Saint Bernard sculptures that they incorporated into furniture.
As the Black Forest furniture style spread around the world through exhibitions at world’s fairs in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the rusticity of these pieces resonated at a time of increasing urbanization, inspiring other artisans.
Find a collection of antique Black Forest cabinets, bedroom furniture, seating and other items on 1stDibs.
2010s German Black Forest Furniture
Crystal
1930s German Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Metal
19th Century German Antique Black Forest Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary German Black Forest Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century French Black Forest Furniture
Mirror, Wood
19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Furniture
Fruitwood
19th Century French Antique Black Forest Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century German Antique Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century European Black Forest Furniture
Brass, Metal
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Furniture
Wood
1950s German Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Black Forest Furniture
Glass, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Furniture
Cut Glass, Walnut
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Black Forest Furniture
Mirror, Softwood
2010s Austrian Black Forest Furniture
Paper
2010s German Black Forest Furniture
Crystal
Mid-19th Century French Antique Black Forest Furniture
Mercury Glass, Walnut
1920s Swiss Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Furniture
Oak
1930s German Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Black Forest Furniture
Oak
1940s French Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Bone
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Furniture
Walnut
2010s German Black Forest Furniture
Porcelain
2010s German Black Forest Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century German Black Forest Furniture
Softwood
19th Century German Antique Black Forest Furniture
Antler
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Furniture
Wood
1930s German Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Wood, Cork
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Black Forest Furniture
Softwood
2010s German Black Forest Furniture
Crystal
Early 20th Century German Black Forest Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Furniture
Wood
1930s German Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century European Black Forest Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Furniture
Wood
1880s French Antique Black Forest Furniture
Wood
1880s French Antique Black Forest Furniture
Fruitwood
21st Century and Contemporary German Black Forest Furniture
Porcelain
2010s Austrian Black Forest Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century European Black Forest Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century German Black Forest Furniture
Glass, Wood
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Black Forest Furniture
Beech, Softwood
Early 20th Century German Black Forest Furniture
Brass
19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Furniture
Oak
19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Black Forest Furniture
Oak
1880s Swiss Antique Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century German Antique Black Forest Furniture
Antler, Wood
1950s German Vintage Black Forest Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Furniture
Other