Are most French armoires actually 18th century?

No. Only eight of the listings are marked 18th Century, and the earliest dated entries are 1780. The weight sits much later. Two hundred of the 277 cleanly dated listings fall between 1880 and 1929, with 79 in the 1920s alone, so half the dated stock is 20th century.

What does a Louis XV armoire mean in a title?

Twenty-one titles use the word Louis, but most read "Louis XV style" or "Louis XVI style". Those cases sit in date fields of 1890 to 1920. The name describes the shape and the ornament, not the reign it was made in.

Which timbers turn up most often?

Oak leads by a distance, named in 99 titles, and carved oak appears together in 40 of them. Bleached oak is a recurring finish on the 1900s to 1920s cases. Walnut follows with 49 titles and mahogany with 42. Pine accounts for 29, mostly the provincial wardrobes. Rosewood, satinwood, kingwood, amboyna, tulipwood and birds eye maple each appear once or twice.

Do these wardrobes come apart for moving?

Fifteen titles say the case dismantles or is knockdown, and almost all of those are provincial pine. It was a practical piece of joinery that has become a selling point in its own right. The rest of the category makes no claim either way.

How many French wardrobes come up for sale?

Sixty-four dealers have listed them on Sellingantiques, and around twenty-five come to market in a year. That makes it a steady category rather than a scarce one, with 360 titles behind the figures.

What painted finishes appear in the listings?

Painted appears in 60 titles, about a sixth of the category, making it the second big group after carved oak. Titles name plummet grey, downpipe grey and eau de nil. Two describe the paint as original.