Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Neoclassical design emerged in Europe in the 1750s, as the Age of Enlightenment reached full flower. Neoclassical furniture took its cues from the styles of ancient Rome and Athens: symmetrical, ordered, dignified forms with such details as tapered and fluted chair and table legs, backrest finials and scrolled arms.
Over a period of some 20 years, first in France and later in Britain, neoclassical design — also known as Louis XVI, or Louis Seize — would supersede the lithe and curvaceous Rococo or Louis XV style.
The first half of the 18th century had seen a rebirth of interest in classical antiquity. The "Grand Tour" of Europe, codified as a part of the proper education of a patrician gentleman, included an extended visit to Rome. Some ventured further, to sketch the ruins of ancient Greece. These drawings and others — particularly those derived from the surprising and rich archaeological discoveries in the 1730s and ’40s at the sites of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum — caused great excitement among intellectuals and aesthetes alike.
Neoclassical furniture is meant to reflect both grace and power. The overall appearance of neoclassical chairs, tables and cabinetry is strong and rectilinear. These pieces are, in effect, classical architecture in miniature: chair and table legs are shaped like columns; cabinets are constructed with elements that mirror friezes and pediments.
Yet neoclassicism is enlivened by gilt and silver leaf, marquetry, and carved and applied ornamental motifs based on Greek and Roman sculpture: acanthus leaves, garlands, laurel wreaths, sheaves of arrow, medallions and chair splats are carved in the shapes of lyres and urns. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
As you can see from the furniture on these pages, there is a bit of whimsy in such stately pieces — a touch of lightness that will always keep neoclassicism fresh.
Find antique neoclassical furniture today on 1stDibs.
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Paper
1970s German Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Blown Glass
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Textile, Resin
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Blown Glass
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood, Paint
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Ceramic
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Blown Glass
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Acrylic
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Textile
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Mohair, Hardwood
1880s American Antique Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Iron
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Acrylic
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Textile
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Acrylic, Wood
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Acrylic
1830s Italian Antique Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Textile
1970s German Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Cotton
1990s American Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Textile
Early 20th Century German Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Porcelain, Fabric, Cotton, Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Czech Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Blown Glass
Early 20th Century German Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Composition
1930s German Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Composition
1910s German Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wire
Late 20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Blown Glass
1930s German Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Mercury Glass
1910s German Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Mercury Glass
Early 1900s German Antique Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
19th Century Mexican Antique Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Tin
1910s German Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Mercury Glass
1910s German Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
1960s Japanese Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Textile, Wood
1960s Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wool, Plastic
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Pewter
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Hardwood
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Fabric, Wood
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Iron
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
Early 20th Century German Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
19th Century Antique Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Walnut









