Antique Armoire, France 1750-60, oak

Antique Armoire, Eastern France 1750-60

This unique antique armoire from the Baroque period dates back to 1750-60 and comes from eastern provincial France. It is made of massive oak and has beautiful hand carved decorations. The impressive wardrobe with a curved cornice on the top has two doors, and additionally two drawers in the base. The wrought iron fittings and the lock are original.

French Provincial Furniture

French provincial furniture is the term generally used to describe the furniture produced in French smaller cities and the countryside, mostly during the 18th century. It often applies to the pieces from provinces like Provence, Normandy, Bordeaux, and other French regions.

Away from the court, French provincial furniture began as a series of simpler and more affordable adaptations of the luxurious pieces made for the monarchy.

Each region had its own traditions and different influences, consequently each region had different styles. Also, local craftsmen each had their own techniques. As a result, some pieces were massive and ornamented while others were light and rather simple.

Carvings were the most popular decorations. The furniture usually had defining panels and engravings and some decorative motifs like flowers, mythological creatures and curved lines.

Locally-available woods were the preferred materials for French provincial furniture. They were much more affordable than imported materials. Oak, walnut, beech and cherry were the common choices. For nails and metal parts, makers used iron because it was also widely-available and affordable.

Details

The antique armoire is in very good, original condition. It measures Height: 88.59 in. (225 cm), Width: 66.93 in. (170 cm), Depth: 27.56 in. (70 cm). The shelves inside the armoire are later.  

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