Solid Oak 15th C
Antique 15th Century and Earlier English Medieval Blanket Chests
Oak
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Byzantine Engagement Rings
Yellow Gold
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary French Scarves
Antique 18th Century French Trunks and Luggage
Oak
Antique Late 18th Century Spanish Baroque Blanket Chests
Iron
Antique 1870s French Napoleon III Brooches
Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
1930s Casual Dresses
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Choker Necklaces
White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique Mid-17th Century Spanish Rustic Trunks and Luggage
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Platinum
Antique 19th Century American Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Late 18th Century Dutch Blanket Chests
Oak
Antique Early 17th Century Spanish Blanket Chests
Steel
Antique Early 17th Century English Jacobean Blanket Chests
Oak
Antique 19th Century American Rustic Blanket Chests
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century British Early Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Topaz, Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Elizabethan Blanket Chests
Wood
Antique 16th Century German Medieval Blanket Chests
Iron
Recent Sales
Antique 15th Century and Earlier German Gothic Blanket Chests
Wrought Iron
Solid Oak 15th C For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Solid Oak 15th C?
A Close Look at medieval Furniture
The Middle Ages in Europe followed the end of the Roman Empire, and in this time of change, which preceded the Renaissance, furniture was simple and utilitarian, with most homes having only the necessities like chests and benches. Much of medieval furniture, which was often made in oak or walnut, was built for the elite, particularly the emerging merchant class who owned multiple homes.
Life for many in the medieval era was unstable, and furniture was designed to be functional and portable. Peasants worked the fields for affluent landowners and didn’t have access to literature in the way that nobles and people of the church did (women less so than men). The furniture in their modest dwellings was typically limited to cookware and a handful of stools. Foldable chairs, while uncommon in homes of the early Middle Ages and emblematic of wealth, like all other furnishings of the time, allowed for easy transportation of a household. Trestle tables with detachable legs and collapsible beds were designed to be simply moved from place to place.
Medieval blanket chests were among the most important furniture objects and could further serve as tables or even beds. Some ancient traditions were carried forward to build this sturdy furniture, such as turnery. Although the furniture was minimally designed, embellishments like carvings added elegance to the heavy wood pieces. These details sometimes reflected trends in religious art like rose windows.
By the later Middle Ages, storage pieces like chests of drawers were often adorned with high relief carvings, such as geometric and floral motifs. By the 14th and 15th centuries, design had developed to include more involved pieces like cupboards and desks, while benches frequently doubled as chests with hinged seats. Beds also changed in this era from basic boards to four-post designs with large drapes to keep the sleeper warm. These beds and other medieval bedroom furniture were significant status symbols, passed down through families and used as places to conduct business and receive visitors.
Surviving examples of medieval furniture are very rare, yet its distinctive aesthetics influenced later styles like William and Mary and Arts and Crafts.
Find a collection of medieval seating, garden elements, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.