18th Century French Antiques Guideline

There are so many different categories of antiques and collectibles from this period in French history that mentioning all of them would be nearly impossible. Therefore, this article will focus on some of the most popular pieces of the time period.

Furniture
Furniture is a very broad subject when it comes to antiques, but generally all of the furniture from a period can be easily classified. It is a standard rule that most of the furniture from a time period will feature the same lines and styles. There were two main periods in the 18th century, the Regence period and the Louis XVI period, with just a bit of Baroque in the early part of the century. There are a few Baroque pieces classified as 18th century. This period only extended about a decade into the 18th century so there aren't as many pieces as other periods. Regence period furniture is characterized by the use of dark woods and solid lines. Most pieces feature very little embellishment, save some carvings and a few ornate handles. Pieces in the Louis XVI period closely resemble those of the previous period, but with a few variation. Typically the woods used weren't quite as darkly stained, and there was a bit more embellishment with parquet features and more carving. Other furniture pieces begin to show heavy gold embellishments and molding, typical of the French style.

Objects d'Art
Objects d'Art are generally classified as knick knacks or accessories to a room. These things, like clocks, vases, candelabras, and other pieces of art were very prominent in the 18th century. One popular item during this century was a raised chess board. The tremendously popular game provided an outlet for most French families when entertainment was hard to come by. These raised wooden tables usually featured fluted legs with the chessboard painted directly on the table top. Clocks are also a large part of decoration during this time. Many of the clocks are towering affairs made of dark wood with intricate carvings. Because there was no modern electricity in the 1700s nearly all homes used candlelight. Wall sconces were necessary and many were beautifully made, mostly out of cast iron or another metallic substance. The sconces were usually tall, opulent, and able to hold a half dozen candles or more. Candelabras were much smaller, but could still hold several candles. Most candelabras of the 18th century were gilted with a handle to allow for easy carrying.