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.
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1950s Spanish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass
1890s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Cherry
Early 1900s French Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Scottish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic, Terracotta
Early 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fruitwood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Resin
20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Oak
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century Swedish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s Irish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Resin
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stained Glass
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pewter
20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1890s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wrought Iron
2010s Chinese Arts and Crafts Furniture
Acrylic
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Enamel, Pewter
1880s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1960s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal, Wire
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Resin
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pine
1970s Spanish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bamboo
Mid-20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Hardwood
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cane
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Hardwood
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
1910s Japanese Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak