Boulle (pronounced "bool") refers to a type of decorative furniture that was popular in France during the 17th and 18th centuries. The term "boulle" is derived from the French cabinetmaker André-Charles Boulle, who perfected the technique and popularized the style in the late 17th century.

Boulle furniture is characterized by its intricate inlay work, which typically features designs made from brass or copper on a black lacquer background. The inlay designs can be quite elaborate and often depict intricate floral or architectural motifs. The technique involves inlaying thin sheets of metal, such as brass, into a wooden substrate such as ebony. Boulle furniture can range from desks, tables, cabinets, commodes and many other types of furniture.

The Boulle technique was used primarily for luxury items and was commissioned by the French Royalty, nobles, and wealthy individuals. Boulle furniture is highly prized for its skillful craftsmanship and intricate designs, and more...

27 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

A French rosewood, tortoiseshell and cut brass inlaid boulle…

French Rosewood Boulle Cigarette Box by Asprey, Late 19th Century

A French rosewood, tortoiseshell and cut brass inlaid boulle cigarette box, retailed by Asprey, London, late 19th century the fine rectangular box and slightly domed cover decorated all over with trailing foliage, opening to a cedar lined interior,…

A French rosewood and boulle writing box, mark of Bassy a Pau,…

French Rosewood and Boulle Writing Box, 19th Century, Marked Bassy

A French rosewood and boulle writing box, mark of Bassy a Pau, 19th century, the hinged top decorated with tortoiseshell and brass inlay in the Berainesque manner, containing bottles and pen compartment, the fall front with a tooled leather surface and an…

19th century French portrait miniature on ivory, signed Fabry,…

French Portrait Miniature of Young Woman in Boulle Frame

19th century French portrait miniature on ivory, signed Fabry, of a beautiful young woman with papillote curls and red velvet draped over left shoulder, signed middle right, 8.5 cm x 6.5 cm, set within a boulle frame with tortoishell and brass inlay, 12.5…

19th century French boulle decanter box, the hinged folding lid…

19th Century French Boulle Decanter Box with Pull-Out Drawers

19th century French boulle decanter box, the hinged folding lid revealing an adapted interior with 4 pull out drawers

A French portable foldout boulle inkwell with drawer below…

French Boulle Inkwell with Drawer

A French portable foldout boulle inkwell with drawer below length 25.5 cm

19th century French boulle cased perfume bottle set the case…

French Boulle Perfume Bottle Set with Opaline Glass Bottles

19th century French boulle cased perfume bottle set the case beautifully decorated with tortoiseshell veneer and engraved brass some chips to veneer), with two internal fitted perfume bottles both blue opaline glass, ornate gilt with various miniature…

A French boulle Louis XV style casket, height 20 cm, width 36…

French Boulle Louis XV Style Casket - Antique Treasure

A French boulle Louis XV style casket, height 20 cm, width 36 cm, depth 29 cm

19th century boulle inlaid box for restoration, 32.5 cm wide,…

Boulle Inlaid Box for Restoration - 19th Century

19th century boulle inlaid box for restoration, 32.5 cm wide, 25 cm deep, 12.5 cm high

Small 19th century boulle trinket box, oblong shape, hinged top…

Boulle Trinket Box with Brass Inlays

Small 19th century boulle trinket box, oblong shape, hinged top with traditional brass inlays (af)

An antique French tea caddy in boulle style marquetry, 19th…

19th Century French Boulle Tea Caddy

An antique French tea caddy in boulle style marquetry, 19th century, in mahogany, faux tortoiseshell finish with intricate brass inlay. Double well tea caddy inside, coated interior, lids with delicate ivory handles (faults). Some losses, key is missing.…

A 19th century French Boulle tortoiseshell and brass inlaid…

French Boulle Tortoiseshell Inkstand with Glass Inkwells

A 19th century French Boulle tortoiseshell and brass inlaid inkstand, of box form with two pen troughs and carrying handle flanked by cut glass inkwells, a single drawer to the frieze, width 28.5 cm.

Rare French Boulle inlaid tea caddy with faux tortoiseshell…

French Boulle Inlaid Tea Caddy with Baccarat Crystal Bowl

Rare French Boulle inlaid tea caddy with faux tortoiseshell finish inlaid with brass. Baccarat crystal bowl and original fittings. Ex: Aronson Antiques.

Antique Boulle framed portrait miniatures each a Portrait of a…

Boulle-framed Women's Portrait Miniatures

Antique Boulle framed portrait miniatures each a Portrait of a Woman in formal dress, 1 signed centre right, illegible, in decorative brass frames, on tortoiseshell ground, 8 cm x 6 cm approx, each image.

A French Napoleon III boulle and cut brass cave a liqueur,…

French Boulle Liqueur Cabinet with Gilded Decanters

A French Napoleon III boulle and cut brass cave a liqueur, retailed by Raimond, Paris, 19th century, rectangular, with a serpentine edge, the whole veneered in scarlett tortoise shell with a fine cut brass inlay. The lid lifting to reveal a fitted…

Victorian boulle & burr walnut jewellery box, 28.5 cm wide, 11…

Victorian Boulle & Burr Walnut Jewellery Box with Veneer Chips

Victorian boulle & burr walnut jewellery box, 28.5 cm wide, 11 cm high, numerous veneer chips around the base

Antique French Boulle liquer box, approx 27 cm high, 32 cm wide,…

Antique French Boulle Liquer Box - 27x32x25cm

Antique French Boulle liquer box, approx 27 cm high, 32 cm wide, 25 cm deep

Antique French 19th century Boulle encrier, approx 9.5 cm high,…

19th Century French Boulle Encrier

Antique French 19th century Boulle encrier, approx 9.5 cm high, 23 cm long, 16 cm wide

A French boulle inkstand, later 19th century, with two inkwells…

Boulle Inkstand with Berainesque Brass Inlay

A French boulle inkstand, later 19th century, with two inkwells and curved compartments for writing accessories, profusely brass inlaid in the Berainesque manner to the scarlet ground, further decorated with rope twist and guilloche band and trims,…

A Napoleon III boulle casket, French, 19th century, 14 cm high,…

Napoleon III Boulle Casket, 19th Century

A Napoleon III boulle casket, French, 19th century, 14 cm high, 32.5 cm wide, 25 cm deep

19th century French Boulle inkstand (slight A/F)

Antique French Boulle Inkstand (A/F)

19th century French Boulle inkstand (slight A/F)

A Boulle gilt bronze decorated inkstand, French, 19th century,…

Boulle gilt bronze inkstand, 19th century French

A Boulle gilt bronze decorated inkstand, French, 19th century, 9 cm high, 27 cm wide and 19 cm deep

A boulle writing box, French, 19th century, 11 cm high, 32 cm…

19th Century French Boulle Writing Box

A boulle writing box, French, 19th century, 11 cm high, 32 cm wide, 24 cm deep

Boulle writing box veneered with cut brass and scarlet tortoise…

Boulle Writing Box with Cut Brass and Tortoise Shell Veneer

Boulle writing box veneered with cut brass and scarlet tortoise shell and filled mother of pearl. Designed with a fall front mechanism, with key. Dimensions 26.5 x 10 x 8 cm

Boulle French second Republic period writing box veneered…

Regency-style French Writing Box with Brass and Tortoise Shell Veneer

Boulle French second Republic period writing box veneered overall with incised and cut brass and scarlet tortoise shell, executed in the Regency style and detailed with a symmetrical arrangement of ribbonry and split acanthus. The interior fitted with…

A hand painted nude portrait miniature in boulle frame, the…

Nude Portrait Miniature in Boulle Frame

A hand painted nude portrait miniature in boulle frame, the kneeling woman in a lakeside landscape being startled by a bird, the tortoiseshell frame with decorative scrolling cut brass inlay, ivory detail to the edge. 14 cm x 12 cm

Boulle style double ink stand

Boulle Double Ink Stand

Boulle style double ink stand

Pair of boulle framed portrait miniatures of ladies in period…

Boulle-framed portrait miniatures of ladies in period dress

Pair of boulle framed portrait miniatures of ladies in period dress (2) 15.5 x 14 cm