Louis XVI
Louis XVI furniture marks the shift from the curves of French Rococo to the discipline of Neoclassicism: straight tapered legs, fluted columns, garland and rosette ornament, and the restraint of ancient Greece and Rome filtered through the sensibility of the French court. The finest pieces — by Riesener, Weisweiler, and their contemporaries — are among the most refined furniture ever made. Austin Auction Gallery has sold over 2,300 Louis XVI and Louis XVI-style lots from Texas and Louisiana estates.
What it's Worth
Quality Louis XVI-style pieces — commodes, secretaires, fauteuils, bergères, console tables — typically bring $500–$4,000 at auction. Pairs of fauteuils or bergères in Louis XVI frames with appropriate upholstery bring $1,000–$6,000 per pair. Pieces with Sèvres or other quality porcelain plaques bring $1,500–$8,000+ depending on the quality and condition of the plaques. Genuine 18th-century French pieces with ébéniste stamps bring $5,000–$60,000+; documented pieces by named masters (Riesener, Weisweiler) reach six figures at international auction. David Roentgen pieces — though rare in American collections — are among the most valuable 18th-century European furniture in existence.
Reproduction pieces $500–$4,000; pieces with porcelain plaques $1,500–$8,000+; period pieces $5,000–$60,000+
