Redwell Wood Farm / Potters Bar / Hertfordshire, EN6 3NA, UK | USD $, Yen, Euro and all major currencies accepted. Change Site Language | Help | Your Cart (0)
Canonbury Antiques Canonbury Antiques
 
UK UK: +44 (1707) 644877
USA USA: + 1 (877) 650-7261
USA: + 1 (877) 650-7261UK: +44 (1707) 644877
  • Categories
  • Styles & Period
  • Room
  • SALE
  • Sell Items
  • Find Me an Item
  • Film & TV Hire
  • Contact
  • Visit Showroom
  • About
 
Subscribe to our newsletterand get 10% OFF!
search

Shop by Type
  • Dining Tables
  • Dining Sets
  • Art Deco
  • Tables
  • Dining Chairs
  • Seating and Chairs
  • Objet d Art
  • Bookcases
  • Bronzes
  • Desks
  • Buddha Statues
  • Lamps and Lighting
  • Steamer Trunk Luggage Cases
  • French Boulle Furniture
  • Architectural Salvage
  • Curios
  • Silver Plate
  • Oil Paintings
  • Cabinets and Chests
  • Chairs
  • Architectural
  • Fountains and Garden
  • Mirrors
  • Chinese Porcelain
  • Porcelain
  • Dressers and Sideboards
  • Tea Caddies
  • Glassware
  • Mirrored Furniture
  • Clocks

Shop by Style
  • 17th Century Antiques
  • 18th Century Antiques
  • 1920s Furniture
  • 1930s Furniture
  • 19th Century Antiques
  • 20th Century Antiques
  • Adams Antiques and Furniture
  • Aesthetic Movement
  • Antique Gilding and Gilt
  • Antique Painted Furniture
  • Apprentice Pieces
  • Art Deco
  • Art Nouveau
  • Arts and Craft
  • Belle Epoque Antiques
  • Biedermeier
  • Black Lacquer
  • Boulle Furniture
  • British Antiques
  • Burmese Furniture
  • Campaign and Military Furniture
  • Champleve
  • Charles X Antiques
  • Chinese Antiques
  • Chinoiserie
  • Chippendale
  • Classical Garden
  • Classical Interiors
  • Cloisonne
  • Colonial / Campaign
  • Continental Antiques
  • Craquelure
  • Damascus Antiques
  • Danish Antiques and Mid Century Designs
  • Dutch Marquetry Antiques
  • Ebonized Antique Furniture
  • Edwardian Antiques
  • Edwards and Roberts Antiques
  • Elkington Silver Plate
  • English Antiques
  • Epstein Furniture
  • Farmhouse Dining Furniture
  • Farmhouse Furniture
  • Flemish Antiques
  • Francois Linke
  • French Antiques
  • French Empire
  • French Regence
  • George Bullock Antiques
  • George II
  • George III Antiques
  • Georgian Antiques
  • Gillows and Co Antiques
  • Gothic Antiques
  • Grand Tour Antiques
  • Henry Dasson Bronze Artist
  • Hepplewhite
  • Hobbs and Company Antiques
  • Hollywood Regency
  • Indian Antiques
  • Irish Antiques
  • Italian Antiques
  • Jacobean Antiques
  • Japanese Antiques
  • Lacquer and Ebonized Furniture
  • Lambs of Manchester
  • Louis XV Antiques
  • Louis XVI
  • Malachite Antiques
  • Maple and Co Antiques
  • Marquetry Inlay
  • Mid Century Modern Furniture
  • Napoleon III
  • Neo-Classical
  • Parquetry Inlay
  • Pietra Dura
  • Queen Anne
  • Regency Antiques
  • Roaring Twenties Interiors
  • Rocaille
  • Rococo
  • Sheffield Silver Plate
  • Sheraton
  • Sheraton Revival
  • Swedish Antiques
  • Syrian Moorish and Islamic Furniture
  • The Garden
  • Vernis Martin Lacquer
  • Victorian Antiques
  • William and Mary Antiques
  • William IV Antiques

Shop by Room
  • Castle Chic
  • Art Deco Apartment
  • Aviator Furniture
  • Classical Garden
  • English Country House Antiques
  • Farmhouse Kitchen
  • Gentlemans Club
  • Georgian Drawing Room
  • Grand Tour Garden
  • Medieval Banquet
  • Parisian Apartment
  • Regency Dining Room
  • Roman Villa
  • The Dining Room
  • The Garden
  • The Hallway
  • The Kitchen
  • The Library
  • The Living Room
  • The Lounge
  • The Study
  • Urban Loft
  • Victorian Dining Room
  • William IV Dining Room
WITH VIDEOS
Global Shipping
Global Shipping
Secured Site
Amex
Master Card
Visa
Discover

Returns Policy 7

French Antiques - A Guide To Main Epochs

GO BACK
all

Relevant categories:

Date
Nov
09
2023

To View Our Range of French Antiques Please Click Here

French Side Cabinet Empire Commode Satinwood

(Above photo - French Side Cabinet Empire Commode Satinwood )

French antiques encompass a wide array of styles and periods, each with its own distinctive characteristics. Here's a guide to some of the most notable types of French antiques:

Louis XIV (1643-1715):

Style: Known for its opulence, grandeur, and baroque design.
Characteristics: Elaborate carvings, rich materials (like gilt bronze and marquetry), large furniture pieces, and heavy ornamentation.
Popular Items: Armoires, commodes, and canopied beds.

Louis XV (1715-1774):

Art Nouveau Galle Lamp Mushroom Vintage 1900s Interiors Frosted Glass

(Above photo - Art Nouveau Galle Lamp Mushroom Vintage 1900s Interiors Frosted Glass )

Style: Emphasizes elegance, grace, and asymmetry.
Characteristics: Curved lines, delicate motifs, rococo ornamentation, and the use of lighter colors and woods.
Popular Items: Bombe chests, chaise lounges, and serpentine tables.

Louis XVI (1774-1792):

Pair Empire Arm Chairs French Gilt Fauteils

(Above photo - Pair Empire Arm Chairs French Gilt Fauteils )

Style: Reflects a return to classical forms, symmetry, and neoclassical design.
Characteristics: Straight lines, geometric shapes, fine details, and a focus on precise craftsmanship.
Popular Items: Writing desks, oval back chairs, and gueridons.

Empire (Early 19th Century):

Pair Linke Pedestal Stands French Inlay Ormolu

(Above photo - Pair Linke Pedestal Stands French Inlay Ormolu )

Style: Inspired by ancient Roman and Napoleonic motifs.
Characteristics: Symmetry, heavy and luxurious designs, dark woods, and classical motifs like laurel wreaths and sphinxes.
Popular Items: Console tables, sleigh beds, and Egyptian Revival pieces.

Art Nouveau (Late 19th to Early 20th Century):

Boulle Bureau Plat Desk French Marquetry Inlay

(Above photo - Boulle Bureau Plat Desk French Marquetry Inlay )

Style: Emphasizes natural forms, organic shapes, and highly decorative elements.
Characteristics: Curved lines, floral motifs, and a focus on craftsmanship and intricate designs.
Popular Items: Tiffany lamps, glassware, and furniture with flowing, nature-inspired designs.

Art Deco (1920s-1930s):

French Grandfather Clock Kingwood Inlay

(Above photo - French Grandfather Clock Kingwood Inlay )

Style: Geometric shapes, sleek lines, and a modern aesthetic.
Characteristics: Bold colors, luxurious materials (like chrome, glass, and lacquer), and a sense of glamour and sophistication.
Popular Items: Cocktail bars, angular furniture, and decorative objects.

Provincial Antiques:

Style: Varied styles from different French regions, such as Provence or Normandy.
Characteristics: Rustic and simple designs, often featuring natural wood, simple carvings, and a more relaxed feel.
Popular Items: Farmhouse tables, ladder-back chairs, and armoires.
When looking for French antiques, it's essential to authenticate pieces by examining craftsmanship, materials, and period-specific details. Remember, condition and provenance greatly affect the value of the antique. Whether it's ornate Louis XIV furniture or the sleek lines of Art Deco pieces, French antiques offer a rich and diverse history of design and craftsmanship that continues to captivate collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.

Related Articles:

Antique Sofa Tables - Regency And Victorian Buying Guide From Canonbury

Antique Hall Tables - Regency Consoles For Elegant Interiors

French Console Tables From Canonbury Antiques Including Empire And Louis XVI Hall Table

5 Ways To Use French Empire Side Tables - Canonbury Antiques

Envelope Table

What Are Occasional Tables Used For 

French Empire Console Tables from Canonbury Antiques

Recently Viewed Items

Products Mentioned

 

More from our Knowledge Base

Adams Revival Furniture Key Features Origins and Historical Context Introduction JAN.24.2026

Adams Revival furniture refers to late-19th and early-20th-century furniture inspired by the designs of the Scottish architect and designer Robert Adam and his circle. This revival emerged during the Victorian and Edwardian periods, when collectors and designers rediscovered the elegance of early Neoclassical design and sought lighter, more refined interiors after decades of heavy Victorian ornament.

MORE
all

What Defines a Classical Interior? JAN.16.2026

A classical interior is defined by balance, proportion, and an enduring sense of order rooted in the design principles of antiquity. Rather than following trends, classical interiors draw on architectural rules and aesthetic ideals that have remained relevant for over two thousand years resulting in spaces that feel calm, dignified, and timeless.

MORE
all

Antique Extending Dining Tables: How Do They Work? JAN.15.2026

Antique extending dining tables are among the most ingenious and practical pieces of historic furniture. Designed to adapt to changing social needs small family meals one day, large formal dinners the next they combine craftsmanship, mechanical innovation, and elegant design. Understanding how antique extending dining tables work not only helps buyers appreciate their quality, but also plays a crucial role in assessing originality, condition, and value.

MORE
all

 

TOP OF THE PAGE
Top of the Page
  • SHOPPING
  • Shopping Cart
    Shopping Cart (0)
  • Buying Online
  • Get a Gift Voucher
  • Sold Items
  • CANONBURY INFO
  • Knowledge Base
  • About Us
  • Customer Testimonials
  • News
  • Newsletter
  • Sell your Antiques
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • CUSTOMER SERVICE
  • FAQs
  • Shopping
  • US Customer Service
  • Return Policy
  • SITE LANGUAGES
  • Our site can be translated into most languages using the Google Translate tool below:

  • SHIPPING
  • Shipping to United States
  • Shipping to Europe
  • Shipping to Rest of World
    FOLLOW US ON
  • You Tube
  • Facebook
  • Wordpress
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Flickr
  • SHIPPING
  • Shipping to United States
  • Shipping to Europe
  • Shipping to Rest of World
    FOLLOW US ON
  • You Tube
  • Facebook
  • Wordpress
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Flickr
+ 44 01707 644877
+ 44 01707 644717
  • CONTACT US

  • Confirm that you are human:
    1 + 4 =


  • SHOPPING
    Shopping
  • Shopping Cart
    Shopping Cart (0)
  • How to Buy
  • Get a Gift Voucher
  • Sold Items
  • CANONBURY INFO
    Shopping
  • Knowledge Base
  • About Us
  • Customer Testimonials
  • News
  • Newsletter
  • Sell your Antiques
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • CUSTOMER SERVICE
    Shopping
  • FAQs
  • Shopping
  • US Customer Service
  • Return Policy
  • SHIPPING
    Shopping
  • Shipping to United States
  • Shipping to Europe
  • Shipping to Rest of World
  • CONTACT US
    Shopping

  • Confirm that you are human:
    1 + 4 =


© - Canonbury Antiques - Redwell Wood Farm / Potters Bar / Herfordshine, EN6 3NA, UK

Website Developed by Nulence

© - Canonbury Antiques

Redwell Wood Farm / Potters Bar / Herfordshine, EN6 3NA, UK

Website Developed by Nulence