British Colonial Server
Antique 19th Century Antiguan British Colonial Sideboards
Mahogany
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Buffets
Oak
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Serving Tables
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century Caribbean British Colonial Desks and Writing ...
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century Philippine British Colonial Sideboards
Brass
Late 20th Century Philippine British Colonial Console Tables
Grasscloth, Bamboo
Antique Early 19th Century English British Colonial Sideboards
Mahogany
20th Century American British Colonial Serving Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Dressers
Brass
Late 20th Century British Colonial Console Tables
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Jamaican Regency Serving Tables
Mahogany
People Also Browsed
18th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Oil
2010s American American Colonial Lanterns
Wrought Iron
Late 20th Century North American British Colonial Armchairs
Cane, Mahogany
Antique 1880s Victorian Dining Room Tables
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish British Colonial Commodes and Ches...
Bamboo, Cane
Mid-20th Century Philippine British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Grasscloth, Faux Bamboo
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Nesting Tables and Stacking Tables
Bamboo
Vintage 1970s Unknown British Colonial Desks
Grasscloth, Bamboo, Rattan
Antique 19th Century Indian British Colonial Chairs
Wood, Cane
Early 20th Century European Anglo-Indian Side Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Chinese British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
20th Century English Anglo-Indian Armchairs
Cane, Teak
Mid-20th Century Indian Anglo Raj Barware
Marble
Vintage 1920s Indian Anglo-Indian End Tables
Rosewood
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
20th Century Italian British Colonial Table Lamps
Brass
Recent Sales
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Serving Tables
Mahogany, Rosewood
Antique 18th Century European British Colonial Console Tables
Wood
Vintage 1970s Rustic Serving Tables
Limestone
20th Century American British Colonial Serving Tables
20th Century American British Colonial Sideboards
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Sideboards
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century Caribbean British Colonial Sideboards
Brass
Antique 19th Century Caribbean British Colonial Serving Tables
Antique 19th Century Philippine Anglo-Indian Serving Tables
Bone, Mahogany
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Serving Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century British Colonial Buffets
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century British British Colonial Carts and Bar Carts
Marble
Antique 19th Century Jamaican British Colonial Serving Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Philippine British Colonial Cabinets
Brass
20th Century English British Colonial Side Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1920s British Colonial Sideboards
Elm
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Serving Tables
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century Jamaican British Colonial Serving Tables
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Serving Tables
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Cabinets
Bamboo, Reed
20th Century American British Colonial Sideboards
Mahogany
Antique Mid-19th Century Caribbean British Colonial Sideboards
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Shelves
Mahogany
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Coconut
Antique 19th Century British British Colonial Serving Tables
Marble
20th Century American British Colonial Console Tables
Bamboo
20th Century American British Colonial Console Tables
Faux Bamboo
Vintage 1930s British Colonial Sideboards
Oak, Walnut
Antique 1820s Jamaican British Colonial Serving Tables
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Shelves
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Buffets
Teak, Bone
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Sideboards
Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Sideboards
Brass
Late 20th Century Philippine British Colonial Serving Tables
Grasscloth, Bamboo
Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Sideboards
Mid-20th Century North American British Colonial Carts and Bar Carts
Cherry
Antique 19th Century Caribbean British Colonial Shelves
Antique 19th Century Jamaican British Colonial Cupboards
Mahogany
British Colonial Server For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a British Colonial Server?
A Close Look at british-colonial Furniture
Typically made of mahogany, teak or bamboo and featuring a range of fabrics and prints with botanical patterns, antique British Colonial furniture and decor varies as it involved local materials and techniques and spanned centuries of design styles.
As the British Empire expanded from the 16th to the 20th century, its conquest and control of colonies around the world bolstered its wealth through the extraction of resources. Including colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia, this spread of often violent subjugation imposed British culture, language and faith on Indigenous peoples. The design of homes was included in this expression of imperial power, with government officials, merchants and military officers creating homes mimicking the luxuries they were used to in England.
Local artisans were commissioned to replicate British designs, resulting in versions of Regency, Chippendale, Sheraton and other styles of furniture being crafted from mahogany, rosewood, ebony and teakwood as opposed to beech and oak, which were more common in Europe. Whereas the colonial furniture for the Portuguese and Dutch regularly had motifs of indigenous flora and fauna, the British tended to want more exact reproductions of their home country’s designs.
To escape the summer heat in places such as India and the Caribbean, British colonizers relocated to airy houses in the hills or plantations, leading to foldable chairs and collapsible desks in the style of military campaign furniture. Rather than upholstery as they might have in Europe, chairs and sofas in the British Colonial style had rattan and cane seating for these higher temperature climates. The contrast between the light textiles and the dark colors of the sturdy furniture became a defining aesthetic of British Colonial interiors.
Find a collection of antique British Colonial outdoor furniture, seating, bedroom furniture, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.