Black Forest Side Tables
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.
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Wood
1880s Swiss Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Marble
1880s French Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Side Tables
Satinwood, Walnut
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Beech, Softwood
1870s French Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Marble
2010s Swiss Black Forest Side Tables
Pine
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Softwood
Late 19th Century German Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Wood, Oak
20th Century English Black Forest Side Tables
Glass, Wood
1950s Italian Vintage Black Forest Side Tables
Wood
20th Century Unknown Black Forest Side Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century English Black Forest Side Tables
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Oak
1890s French Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Oak
19th Century French Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Bamboo
19th Century English Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century European Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Black Forest Side Tables
Wood, Paint
19th Century English Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Wood, Oak
1920s Austrian Vintage Black Forest Side Tables
Pine
19th Century Moroccan Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Mother-of-Pearl, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Walnut
1960s Italian Vintage Black Forest Side Tables
Carrara Marble, Metal
19th Century German Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Walnut
19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Wood
19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Side Tables
19th Century French Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Walnut
19th Century Swiss Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Walnut, Burl
Late 19th Century German Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Antler
Late 19th Century German Antique Black Forest Side Tables
Oak