Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Biedermeier Style
The authentic Biedermeier furniture on 1stDibs is representative of the first modern European decorative style not dictated by the tastes of the aristocracy. Following the Napoleonic wars, a growing, wealthy urban middle class in the German-speaking states of Central Europe began to demand rights and privileges once granted only to nobles. To avoid trouble, the upwardly striving confined their political discussions to one another’s homes. And so the salon was born.
Cabinetmakers in cities such as Vienna, Berlin and Mainz began to offer goods that reflected the tastes and needs of the new class. The makers of Biedermeier chairs, tables and other furniture used little or no gilding, silver hardware or other lavish ornament. Ebonized trims are common on Biedermeier cabinetry, and neoclassical elements — lyre-shaped chair splats, carved scrollwork, table supports shaped like Greek columns. But the strongest aesthetic statement came from the wood — richly-grained, honey-colored, often book-matched veneers of walnut and fruitwood.
There are two iconic Biedermeier furniture forms, both made to outfit rooms designed for conversation. One is the sofa, deeply upholstered with a strong, architectural wooden frame. The second is the circular pedestal table, which stood at the center of the room, offering a surface on which to place coffee and cake services; or to roll out a map, or sketch out ideas on paper.
“Biedermeier” was originally a derogatory term — it derives from the pen names of two German magazine writers who mocked bourgeois manners. Looking at the elegant and refined antique, new and vintage Biedermeier furniture offered on 1stDibs, that is now an amusing irony.
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Style: Biedermeier
19th Century Oak and Fruitwood Intarsia Jewelry Box
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A 19th Century Biedermeier Swedish Jewelry box in oak with an ornamental inlay decoration. The fine intarsia work, featuring a floral pattern, is...
Category
1840s Swedish Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Wood, Oak, Paper, Fruitwood
18th Century German Hammered Copper
Brass Bread Box, Kitchen Utensil
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful antique 18th century German bread box. Perfect for decoration in your old country kitchen. The piece is in good used antique condition with patina and a view minor dents. S...
Category
Mid-18th Century German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass, Copper
Austrian Biedermeier Jeweled Silver Gilt Casket with Cameos, 1846
Located in New York, NY
Austrian Biedermeier silver gilt casket, 1846. Bellied, lobed, and rectangular. Hinged cover same and concave with raised center and swing-mounted scroll bracket cast handle with flowers. Hardstone mounts including porphyry and lapis lazuli as well as cabochon jewels. On front two turquoise cabochon...
Category
1840s Austrian Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver
Exquisite Antique Cherrywood Jewelry Casket
Located in Stahnsdorf, DE
Exquisite Antique Cherrywood Jewelry Casket – Finely Ebonized & Intricately Inlaid
This distinguished antique jewelry casket is a true testamen...
Category
1850s German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Cherry
Biedermeier Box, Ice Birch, Brass, Germany, circa 1840
Located in Regensburg, DE
Biedermeier Box, Ice Birch, Germany, circa 1840
Beautiful, simple Biedermeier casket box from Germany, circa 1840.
Ice birch veneer on oak and softwood painted black on the inside....
Category
Mid-19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
$755 Sale Price
20% Off
Red Biedermeier Lidded Box in Overlay Glass
Located in Hamburg, DE
Immerse yourself in the elegance of the Biedermeier era with this exquisite lidded box made of overlay glass. This piece stands out due to its masterful ...
Category
1850s French Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
Continental Austrian Burl and Satinwood Box
Located in Queens, NY
Continental Austrian burl walnut and satinwood banded small box with a bevelled glass inset top
Category
19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Burl
R
Y Augousti Style Jewelry Decorative Box Tobacco Leaves Hardwood Bronze Ibex
Located in Miami, FL
Lovely R & Y Augousti attributed Jewelry, Watch or decorative Box in Tobacco Leaves over Hardwood with black Velvet inlay.
In Clover shape with Bronze Ibex Knob in the Biedermeier Pe...
Category
Late 20th Century French Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Bronze
French Brown Hat Box for Cylinders, Early 19th Century
Located in Hamburg, DE
French brown hat box for cylinders, early 19th century. Rare old leather hat box for top hats. This old hat box in the shape of a cylinder is an original fro...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Leather, Fabric
$356 Sale Price
40% Off
Biedermeier Beadwork, Pens Casket, Case, Box
Located in Hamburg, DE
Beautifully crafted Biedermeier pencil box from Germany mid - late 19th century. The casket is leather wrapped, embossed and has a push button closure. From the inside the box is lac...
Category
1870s German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Leather, Beads
$235 Sale Price
40% Off
Biedermeier Jewelry Box, Cherry Wood, Ash, Brass, Southern Germany circa 1820
Located in Regensburg, DE
Restored Biedermeier Jewelry Box from South Germany around 1820
Cherry veneered on softwood with inlays in ash veneer. Brass fittings, hinges and working lock.
Restored and hand-poli...
Category
1820s German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
$941 Sale Price
20% Off
Very Fine Biedermeier Period Tea Caddy of Bombe Form in Exotic Woods, circa 1830
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very fine and visually striking Biedermeier Period tea caddy of exceptional quality, demonstrating a highly elevated form and a most complex application of exotic woods. The hinged...
Category
Early 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Zebra Wood, Yew, Amboyna, Satinwood
Late Biedermeier Box, Birch Solid Wood, Northern Germany, circa 1840
Located in Regensburg, DE
Beautiful, unadorned late Biedermeier casket box made of solid birch wood from northern Germany, circa 1840.
* Ebonized diamond as key crest.
* Original brass lock and hinges.
* Insi...
Category
1840s German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
Late Biedermeier Box, Walnut and Walnut Burl, Austria circa 1850
Located in Regensburg, DE
Large late Biedermeier box in walnut, hand-made in Austria around 1850.
* Veneered in walnut and walnut burl on thick (2.2 cm / 0.87 in) stained beechwood inside.
* Interior lined wi...
Category
1850s Austrian Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
Biedermeier Box, Mahogany, Burlwood, Oak, Inlays, South Germany circa 1840
Located in Regensburg, DE
Beautiful, high-quality late Biedermeier casket box from southern Germany, circa 1840.
Mahogany and (probably walnut) burl wood veneer on oak and maple.
Numerous inlays in maple and...
Category
1840s German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass, Iron, Gold Leaf
$974 Sale Price
20% Off
Augarten Maria Theresa Porcelain Dresser Box
Lid
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage porcelain dresser or jewelry box features square form with sculptural lid, inspired by antique Biedermeier style boxes, with dark green floral decor with black outline and go...
Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ceramic, Pottery, Porcelain
$248 Sale Price
20% Off
Biedermeier Box, Walnut Veneer on Maple, Austria, circa 1840
Located in Regensburg, DE
Beautiful, unadorned Biedermeier casket box in amazing walnut veneer from Austria, circa 1840.
Very nicely grained walnut veneer on solid maple wood. In the lid is a mirror glass inl...
Category
Mid-19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass, Iron
$646 Sale Price
20% Off
Switzerland Mahogany Ebonized Hinged Music Box with Three Cylinders, C. 1880
Located in Charleston, SC
Rare Switzerland mahogany & ebonized hinged music box with the original crank, three interior paper labels, and cylinders. Music box is stamped by maker and is In working condition, ...
Category
1880s Swiss Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Steel
Walnut Biedermeier Casket with Mirror and Removable Tray, circa 1830
Located in Darmstadt, DE
A finely crafted walnut veneered casket from the Biedermeier period, around the mid-19th century. The box is veneered in beautifully grained walnut on a spruce body, while the base i...
Category
19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Mirror, Walnut, Spruce
$1,797 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Cherrywood Biedermeier Casket
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Very beautiful small box from the time of Biedermeier, made of cherrywood. In the box is in the lid a mirror and the upper part is as an insert to take out. In very good restored con...
Category
Late 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Cherry
$832 Sale Price
28% Off
Mint C. and Large Antique Display Shell Box w. Beveled Glass Top
Silver Spoons
Located in Lisse, NL
Fine quality and condition, 1860s box with perfect working silver lock and key.
This handcrafted spoon box is another one of our recent great finds. It comes with beautifully shaped...
Category
Mid-19th Century Dutch Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver
Biedermeier Walnut Miniature Blanket Chest
Located in Darmstadt, DE
The miniature chest was made of walnut and dates back to the early Biedermeier period at the beginning of the 19th century. A very nice small rare furniture...
Category
Early 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Spruce, Walnut
$2,733 Sale Price
20% Off
Large Biedermeier Box or Chest, Walnut Veneer, Brass, South Germany circa 1820
Located in Regensburg, DE
Large Biedermeier Box or small chest in walnut veneer from Southern Germany around 1820.
Original brass handle. Ebonized key escutcheon and edges. Restored and hand-polished with she...
Category
1820s German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
$1,036 Sale Price
20% Off
Biedermeier Box, Ash Veneer, South Germany, circa 1830
Located in Regensburg, DE
Biedermeier Box, Ash Veneer, South Germany circa 1830
Ash veneered on softwood.
Original brass handle and pressed brass fitting
Restored and shellac hand-polished
Dimensions: H 12....
Category
1830s Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ash
$646 Sale Price
22% Off
Vintage Boho 19th Century Burl Wood Box
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Experience the breathtaking beauty of natural materials with this exquisite antique burl wood box, a superb example of 19th-century craftsmanship...
Category
19th Century British Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Burl
Swedish Biedermeier Karelian Birch Hat Box
Located in Queens, NY
Swedish Biedermeier-style (20th Century) Karelian birch round shaped hat box with leather strap.
Category
20th Century Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Leather, Birch
Biedermeier Jewelry Box, Walnut, Ebony, Maple, South Germany circa 1830
Located in Regensburg, DE
Beautiful Biedermeier Jewelry or Make-up box from South Germany circa 1830.
Inside with hinged mirror. A long drawer at the bottom front.
Restored and hand-polished with shellac.
Category
1830s Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
$941 Sale Price
20% Off
Cubic Biedermeier Box, Mahogany and Maple, Austria, circa 1840
By Biedermeier
Located in Regensburg, DE
Cubic Biedermeier box, mahogany and maple, Austria circa 1840
Rare cubic shaped decorative box form the Biedermeier period.
Mahogany veneered with maple inlays. Oak base. Restored a...
Category
1840s Austrian Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Mahogany, Maple, Oak
$789 Sale Price
20% Off
Small Money Box "Magdalena" in the Style of Stobwasser Braunschweig
Located in Hamburg, DE
Small money box " Magadalena" in the style of Stobwasser Braunschweig. The piggy bank is made of painted tin and is reminiscent of the tin boxes finely painted by Stobwasser Braunschweig. The painting of the money tin...
Category
1840s German Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Tin
$224 Sale Price
34% Off
Golden 750 Biedermeier Box Painting Portrait of Little Girl Vienna Made 1828
Located in Vienna, AT
Golden biedermeier round box with lovely portrait of a little girl.
Vienna / Austria, made 1828
Finest golden item of best manufacturing quality!
Specifications:
The lid of round golden box...
Category
1820s Austrian Antique Biedermeier Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold
Biedermeier decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Biedermeier decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative boxes created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, more furniture and collectibles, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Biedermeier decorative boxes made in a specific country, there are Europe, Germany, and Austria pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for decorative boxes differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $207 and tops out at $22,500 while the average work can sell for $1,064.