The style of 18th-century French furniture was guided by the court. When Louis XV, who reigned from 1715–74, focused royal life on the smaller salons of Versailles rather than its grand chambers, it transformed the aesthetics away from the imposing and angular furniture that characterized the style of Louis XIV. A broader focus on comfort and more delicate forms define antique Louis XV furniture, with nature-inspired carvings, wood inlays, curved cabriole legs, asymmetrical shapes and rounded oval seat backs. The furnishings changed throughout the king’s life, as he ascended to the throne as a child and then grew to establish his own tastes.
Pieces like the bergère, an upholstered armchair with a wide cushion that fit the flowing dresses in fashion at the time, reflected this more informal court. Introduced at the start of Louis XV’s reign, bergère chairs in this style were deeper and broader than other chairs of the period.
Louis XV tapestries and carpets tended to be floral and colorful, and design elements were borrowed from Asia. Dutch-born cabinetmaker Bernard van Risenburgh brought lacquer techniques influenced by Japan and China into his luxuriously made furniture. Along with its fine details, the furniture of the era also featured new innovations including mechanical devices. Jean François Oeben, a royal cabinetmaker, created such intricate pieces as a mechanical table for Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress. It involved a sliding top and a writing surface that extended from its marquetry panels.
During the later years of Louis XV’s reign, there was a shift from the ostentatious rocaille style, part of the exuberantly decorative Rococo movement in Europe for which designers such as Nicolas Pineau and Juste-Aurèle Meissonier are known. The style under Louis XVI would return to boxier forms, but with a neoclassical touch inspired by the ancient world.
Find antique Louis XV bedroom furniture, seating, tables and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
A Pair of French Empire Sèvres Porcelain Gilt Bronze and Transfer Covered Urns
Located in Germantown, MD
A Pair of Italian Made French Empire Louis XV Sèvres Porcelain Gilt Bronze and Transfer hand decorated integrated Covered Urns. Very good condition. Measures 5" in diameter and 14" ...
Bronze
French Signed Sevres Monumental Urn Hand Decorated with Provincial French Scene
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Measures 44 1/2" h x 21" w x 14" d. It rises from its base with the quiet authority of something made not merely to decorate a room, but to dignify it. This monumental French Sèvre...
Bronze
Vintage Palace Size French Sevres Style Red Porcelain Revolving Covered Urn Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Please message us with your zip code to request a more reasonable domestic U.S. shipping quote. Vintage 56" Large Palace Size French Sevres Style Red Porcelain Revolving Covered Urn...
Bronze
$12,850Sale Price|31% Off
A French 19th Century Napoleon III Sévres Style Porcelain and Ormolu Mounted Urn
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th Century Napoleon III Sévres Style Porcelain and Ormolu Mounted Covered Urn, the 360 degree painted urn centered with an 18th century scene of a young Princess...
Ormolu
Pair Antique French Sevres Porcelain Champleve Ormolu Ewers Signed Rochette 1890
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Portland, OR
A very fine & large pair of 19th century antique French Sevres Porcelain, ormolu and champleve enamel, handpainted ewers, signed "C. Rochette", circa 1890. Each ewer having a finely cast & gilded bronze rococo handle, each neck is decorated with exquisite champleve enamel. Each ewer having a dark blue porcelain baluster shaped body, with two oval hand-painted reserves each with a courting couple signed "C. Rochette", both reserves are surrounded with lavish gilding & at the base of each painted panel are the Sevres interlaced L's. To the rear are corresponding panels also finely handpainted with landscape scenes, the ewers are raised on champleve socle bases and with onyx plinths below. Condition of both ewers is excellent, a very beautiful pair of exqusite late 19th century Sevres ewers...
Enamel, Ormolu
Fine French 19th Century Napoleon III Sèvres Style Porcelain Urn Signed Ch Fuchs
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine French 19th century Napoleon III Sèvres style porcelain and ormolu-mounted covered urn, the 360 degree painted urn centered with an 18th century romantic scene of two ladies a...
Ormolu
Pair of 19th Century French Gien Faience Urns, Hand-Painted, Louis XV
By Gien
Located in Winter Park, FL
A pair of 19th century French Gien faience urns with hand-painted decoration. Nice form with double handles and square pedestal base. Hand-painted in blue, orange, yellow, and green ...
Faience
A Pair of Grand Tour Griotte Marble and Bronze Cassolettes After Clodion
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A very finely cast French Napoleon III bronze garland festooned cassolettes with grotesque mask handles raised on round stepped griotte marble bases. The urn shaped body of t...
Griotte Marble, Bronze
19th c Pair Palace Sized Rouge Marble and Bronze Mounted Cassolettes Urns
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Elevate your interior to true palace-level grandeur with this exceptional pair of palatial-sized rouge marble and gilt bronze mounted cassolettes—monumental decorative urns that emb...
Marble, Bronze
19th French Cast Iron Urn
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Heavy 19th French Louis XV cast iron urn with patina.
Iron
Pair of Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Paris Pink Porcelain Covered Urns
Located in Montreal, QC
This pair are charmingly painted in oval reserves with mother and child within a gilt jeweled border, and verso with wild flowers. Each domed cover is painted correspondingly with a ...
Bronze
19th Century Famille Verte Chinese Porcelain Lidded Urn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very decorative 19th century Famille Verte Chinese porcelain lidded urn. The urn has a wonderful design of water lilies with butterflies and assorted foliage amidst a yellow backgr...
Ormolu
Large 19th Century French Napoleon III Sèvres Style Porcelain Ormolu Mounted Urn
Located in Tarry Town, NY
An impressive Large 19th Century French Napoleon III Sèvres Style porcelain and ormolu-mounted covered urn, dating to approximately 1870. Masterfully crafted, this exceptional decora...
Ormolu
Massive Pair of Chinese Turquoise Porcelain, French Dore Bronze Mounted Vases
Located in New York, NY
A magnificent and exceptional pair of massive antique French 18th century Louis XV period doré bronze and Chinese Turquoise ground porcelain hand engraved basket weave form vases. Th...
Bronze
French Mid 19th Century Louis XV St. Ormolu And Glazed Porcelain Centerpiece
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant French mid 19th century Louis XV st. Ormolu and glazed Porcelain lidded centerpiece/urn. The Turquoise colored lidded bowl is made of Chinese glazed porcelain and is r...
Ormolu
Set Four (4) French Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze White Marble Urns / Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Two matched pairs of impressive gilt bronze mounted white marble urns in the French Louis XV style, 21 1/2 inches tall, later drilled and brass hardware added to accommodate sockets ...
Marble, Bronze
$1,544Sale Price|20% Off
18thc Large Antique French Sevres Porcelain Vase/ Covered Urn Ammon-Ra w/Bronze
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Opa Locka, FL
Stunning and Rare Large 18thc French Louis XV Marked Sevres Porcelain Covered Urn/ Vase Ammon-Ra. Pristine condition. Vibrant beautiful coloring. Mark 1758-59. Estate find from the S...
Porcelain
Pair of 19th Century French Gilt Bronze Mounted Cassolettes
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Fine Pair of Louis XV style Cassolettes, ormolu mounted Fleur de Peche Marble Lidded Urns with flame finial and raised on paw feet with t tripartite base. France, circa 1880. Dimen...
Marble, Bronze
Pair of French 19th Century Louis XV St. Ormolu and Marble Lidded Urns
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and most impressive pair of French 19th century Louis XV st. ormolu and Sarrancolin marble lidded urns. Each urn is raised by a beautiful pierced ormolu base with exceptio...
Marble, Ormolu
Pair of 19th Century Sevres Porcelain Hand Painted Cobalt & Gilt Decorated Urns
Located in Germantown, MD
Pair Of 19th Century Sevres Porcelain Hand Painted Cobalt And Gilt Decorated Two-Handle Urns in good condition. Hand-painted different scenes on each side. No cracks or repairs. Just...
Metal
Stunning Royal Blue Sevres Bronze Ormolu Mounted Figural Compote Centerpiece
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This exquisite Royal Blue Sevres Compote Centerpiece exemplifies the luxury and refinement of 19th-century French porcelain artistry combined with the e...
Bronze
19th C. Sevres Style Porcelain Painted Mounted Chateau des Tuileries Style Urn
Located in Germantown, MD
A 19th Century Antique French Sevres Style Hand Painted and Mounted Chateau des Tuileries Style covered urn with Gilt Highlights and Front & Back Panels of variegated flowers Scenes....
Bronze
Samson - Pair of porcelain vases in the taste of the Company of the Indies
By Samson & Cie
Located in GRENOBLE, FR
A fine pair of tall porcelain potiches / urns decorated with rich polychromatic patterns in the taste of China and the Company of the Indies during 18th century. Our vase are a late ...
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Royal Blue Signed Sevres of Paris Figural Urn
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This exquisite early 20th-century Sevres of Paris urn is a masterpiece of porcelain artistry, embodying the elegance and craftsmanship that the Sevres factory is renowned for. Featur...
Bronze
Wonderful Large French Sevres Cobalt Blue Bronze Cherub Putti Ormolu Urn Vase
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Large French Sevres Signed On The Bottom Cobalt Blue With Bronze Cherub / Putti Climbing A Bamboo Fence With Draping Garlands Ormolu Mounted Urn / Vase
Bronze, Ormolu
$19,850Sale Price / set|43% Off
Fine Pair of French 19th Century Marble and Gilt Bronze-Mounted Flambeaux Urns
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine pair of French 19th century Rouge-Royal marble and figural gilt bronze-mounted flambeaux urns surmounted with four ormolu figures of dolphins supporting the center urn with th...
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Signed Sevres Bronze Ormolu Figural Urn
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This late 19th-century French Sevres urn is a stunning example of exquisite craftsmanship, featuring intricate bronze ormolu mounts and rich hand-pai...
Bronze
Monumental Pair Gold Dore' Figural Maiden Blue Porcelain Sevres Attributed Urns
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a striking pair of monumental pair of bronze mounted porcelain urns with gorgeous detail in regard to the detail of the faces and floral garlands and designs. The bronze is a...
Bronze
Pair of Ormolu Bronze and Red Marble Urns, French 19th Century
Located in El Monte, CA
A unique pair of marble urns with decorative ormolu bronze mountings. The combination of the reddish pink marble and superb bronze work creates a striking contrast, emphasizing the d...
Marble, Bronze
Pair of Louis XV Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted and Marble Cassolets
Located in New York, NY
A stunning Pair of Louis XV Style gilt-bronze mounted and fleur de Pêcher Marble Cassolets. The bronze work is highly refined and ornaments are inspired by the Rocaille style.. Orig...
Marble, Ormolu
$12,450Sale Price|32% Off
French 19th-20th Century Louis XV Style Ormolu-Mounted Marble Urn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th-20th century Louis XV style ormolu-mounted Fleur de Pêcher marble vase or urn with a gadrooned cover surmounted by a pomegranate finial, above a tapering ovoi...
Marble, Bronze
Large cobalt servers urn with lid
Located in Augusta, GA
Late 19th century French servers urn painted on both sides and spins on base
Porcelain
Pair of Doré Bronze Mounted Chinese Porcelain Rooster Red Ground Covered Jars
Located in New York, NY
A fabulous and large pair of 19th century Louis XVI style doré bronze mounted Chinese porcelain rooster red ground covered jars/covered vases...
Bronze
Pair of Antique French Transitional Ormolu-Mounted Rouge Griotte Marble Vases
By Henry Dasson
Located in New York, NY
A pair of antique French transitional ormolu-mounted rouge griotte marble covered vases or urns Last quarter of the 19th century attributed to Henry Dasson Each with domed lid with...
Griotte Marble, Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Brèche Violette Marble and Ormolu Urn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exceptional French 19th century Louis XV st. Brèche Violette marble and ormolu urn. The impressive urn/trophy is raised by a square ormolu base with concave corners and decorative...
Marble