With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the arts and crafts iron you’re looking for. A arts and crafts iron — often made from
metal,
iron and
wrought iron — can elevate any home. Find 960 options for an antique or vintage arts and crafts iron now, or shop our selection of 14 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished piece. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer arts and crafts iron, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. When you’re browsing for the right arts and crafts iron, those designed in
Arts and Crafts,
Art Nouveau and
Mid-Century Modern styles are of considerable interest. Many designers have produced at least one well-made arts and crafts iron over the years, but those crafted by
Bradley & Hubbard,
Merve Kahraman and
Cupioli made in Italy are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
Prices for a arts and crafts iron can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $75 and can go as high as $39,000, while the average can fetch as much as $1,962.
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.