Arts and Crafts Furniture
Emerging in reaction to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated handcrafted design as a part of daily life. The history of Arts and Crafts furniture has roots in 1860s England with an emphasis on natural motifs and simple flourishes like mosaics and carvings. This work is characterized by plain construction that showcases the hand of the artisan.
The earliest American Arts and Crafts furniture dates back to the start of the 20th century. Designers working in this style in the United States initially looked to ideas put forth by The Craftsman, a magazine published by Wisconsin native Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and founder of the Craftsman style. Stickley’s furniture was practical and largely free of ornament. His Craftsman style drew on French Art Nouveau as well as the work he encountered on his travels in England. There, the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement included William Morris, who revived historical techniques such as embroidery and printed fabrics in his furnishings, and Charles Voysey, whose minimal approach was in contrast to the ornamentation favored in the Victorian era.
American Arts and Crafts work would come to involve a range of influences unified by an elevation of traditional craftsmanship. The furniture was often built from sturdy woods like oak and mahogany while featuring details such as inlaid metal, tooled leather and ceramic tiles. The style in the United States was led by Stickley, whose clean-lined chairs and benches showcased the grain of the wood, and furniture maker Charles Rohlfs, who was informed by international influences like East Asian and French Art Nouveau design.
Hubs in America included several utopian communities such as Rose Valley in Pennsylvania and the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony in New York, where craftspeople made furniture that prioritized function over any decoration. Their work would influence designers and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built some of the most elegant and iconic structures in the United States and likewise embraced a thoughtful use of materials in his furniture.
Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s Spanish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
1920s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
1960s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cherry, Walnut, Wenge
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Wrought Iron
1890s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Nickel
Early 1900s Irish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Early 1900s American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Elm
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
1940s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
1920s British Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Canvas
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Canvas
1890s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Furniture
Marble
20th Century Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Late 19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Other
1970s Scandinavian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood, Pine
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wrought Iron
Early 2000s Persian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wrought Iron
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1960s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Art Glass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1950s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster, Wire, Brass
19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
2010s North Korean Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
1910s European Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood, Boxwood
1960s Spanish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1940s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Epoxy Resin, Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Art Glass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Macassar, Oak
1930s Austrian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak