The Yorkshire, England-born Charles Francis Annesley Voysey is considered a pioneer of modern architecture — and the Arts and Crafts designer is as well known for his fabrics, carpets, wallpaper and other furnishings as he is for his celebrated building projects.
The son of a reverend who founded the Theistic Church in London, Voysey was the third of 10 children. Inspired by his father's teachings, Voysey adhered to principles of simplicity and reliability in all of his work, principles that defined the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain to which the architect would one day be linked.
C.F.A. Voysey received his education at home and subsequently studied for a time at Dulwich College. He didn't consider himself an intellectual and chose the field of architecture because it was the only profession where he didn't have to pass any examinations. After completing his education, Voysey went on to apprentice under Gothic Revivalist architect John Pollard Seddon.
In his mid-20s, Voysey established his architectural practice and was securing design commissions for modest residences. He was meanwhile beginning to design wallpaper and rugs that featured decorative floral motifs for the likes of textiles manufacturers such as Turnbull & Stockdale and wallpaper producers Jeffrey & Company.
Rather than embellishing his textiles with depictions of realist scenes, Voysey favored stylized patterns that drew on the natural world — the large-scale flowers, birds and forest creatures that populated his works undoubtedly influenced the Art Nouveau movement.
Voysey also produced uncomplicated furniture such as sideboards with oak finishes and Shaker-style doors and panels. In every area of design, he favored minimalism — Voysey found inspiration in the work of William Morris and became friendly with Arts and Crafts architect Edward Schroeder Prior. Voysey worked in limited colors and avoided the ornamental excess that was associated with Victorian furnishings and interiors.
By 1890, Voysey's architectural practice had begun to flourish, and after 1900, he insisted on creating every aspect of the homes he was designing, such as interiors and furnishings, an attribute he shared with Frank Lloyd Wright. He produced carpets for Alexander Morton & Co. in Donegal — Gustav Stickley, founder of the American Craftsman style, sold these carpets in his catalogs — and became well known for his design of country homes, which harkened back to the days of simple, thatch-roofed cottages. A number of Voysey’s furnishings and textiles are held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Find antique Charles F.A. Voysey furniture on 1stDibs.
Arts and Crafts Donegal Rug by C.F.A. Voysey by Doris Leslie Blau
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
Arts and Crafts Donegal Rug by C.F.A. Voysey Size: 11'0" × 12'8" (335 × 386 cm) A masterful example of the Arts and Crafts movement, this rare Irish Donegal rug designed by C.F.A. Vo...
Wool
Antique Arts & Crafts Wool Rug by C.F.A. Voysey, Hand-Knotted, Doris Leslie Blau
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
Antique English Arts & Crafts Wool Rug by C.F.A. Voysey Size: 12'2" × 15'7" (370 × 474 cm) Color: Green, Ivory, Pink, Red, Taupe, Violet This exquisite antique Arts & Crafts ...
Wool
Doris Leslie Blau Antique 1880s Donegal Rug Fragment by C.F.A. Voysey
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
Antique 1880s Donegal Rug Fragment by C.F.A. Voysey Size: 3'0" × 3'7" (91 × 109 cm) This exquisite 1880s Donegal rug fragment is a rare and evocative textile artwork from the celebra...
Wool
Gorgeous Antique Donegal Arts & Crafts Style Rug Designed by Gavin Morton
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1900 Irish Arts and Crafts hand-knotted wool rug, 10'4" x 13'6" (124 x 162 in). Condition: good, wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading. Overall Good Condition....
Wool
1880s Ivory and Gold Antique French Aubusson Savonnerie Rug 17'9" x 17'9"
By Aubusson Manufacture
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1880 French Aubusson hand-woven wool rug, 17'9" x 17'9" (213 x 213 in), in ivory and gold tones. Condition: good, repaired. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fadi...
Wool
$7,123
W 60.24 in L 91.74 in
Arts & Crafts Donegal Light Blue Wool Rug Attributed to Gavin Morton, circa 1910
By Gavin Morton
Located in Milan, IT
The Donegal carpet factory was responsible for the weaving of the most significant hand-knotted carpets of the Arts & Crafts period. Guided initially by British architect-designers s...
Wool
$68,000
W 136 in L 200 in
1900s Gavin Morton Red Antique Donegal Arts & Crafts Carpet 11'4"x16'8" Wool Rug
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1900 Irish Arts and Crafts hand-knotted wool rug, 11'4" x 16'8" (136 x 200 in), in red tones. Condition: good, repaired. Antique Large Coral Donegal, Arts & Crafts Ireland Geometric Knotted Rug, Circa Date: 1900s. This exceptional example of Irish weaving represents the pinnacle of the Arts & Crafts movement's influence on textile production in the British Isles. Donegal rugs are highly prized among collectors of antique rugs for their robust construction and sophisticated design pedigree. Type: Donegal Arts and Crafts...
Wool
$68,000
W 150 in L 176 in
1900s Red Green Donegal Arts & Crafts Carpet by C.F.A. Voysey 12'6" x 14'8" Rug
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1900 Irish Arts and Crafts hand-knotted wool rug, 12'6" x 14'8" (150 x 176 in), in red and green tones. Condition: good, repaired. Minor fading. Antique Donegal, Arts ...
Wool
Mansour Handwoven Arts & Crafts Donegal Rug, Wool, Kashmir, New Design
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Originally designed and crafted in Donegal Ireland in early 1900s, this magnificently decorative brand new Donegal-inspired carpet was hand woven and created in Kashmir. This Arts & ...
Wool
New Hand-Woven Brown Floral Arts & Crafts Voysey-Inspired Rug
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This breathtakingly decorative Voysey inspired rug from Egypt features the early 1900s Arts & Crafts design and a beautiful coloration. 100% natural wool pile. Brand new.
Wool
1900s Antique Donegal Arts & Crafts Carpet by C.F.A. Voysey 16'9"x21' Rug
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1900 Irish Arts and Crafts hand-knotted wool rug, 16'9" x 21' (201 x 252 in). Condition: good, repaired. Wear consistent with age and use. Small scatted areas of re-pil...
Wool
$45,500
W 176 in L 254 in
1920s Antique Ivory Geometric Donegal Arts & Crafts Ireland Large Oversized Rug
Located in New York, NY
Antique Oversized Donegal - Arts & Crafts Ireland Allover Geometric Rug, Country of Origin: Ireland, Circa Date: 1920s. This exceptional example of the donegal Arts & Crafts ...
Wool
1910s Mustard Yellow Antique Irish Donegal Arts and Crafts Carpet 15' x 32'
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1910 Irish Arts and Crafts hand-knotted wool rug, 15' x 32' (180 x 384 in), in yellow tones. Condition: good, overall Good Condition. Early 20th Century Irish Donegal ...
Wool
Large Hand-Woven Antique Wool Arts & Crafts Donegal Rug 13'10"x23'6"
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This traditional handwoven Irish Arts & Crafts rug has a light camel-brown field with an overall design of golden-yellow meandering and scrolling dense leafy vine terminating at each end with a row of six rosettes, in the center with a larger burnt-orange similar rosette flanked at each side and end by smaller lilac flowerheads within a stylized open lozenge medallion, with further similar smaller open lozenges at each end containing lilac and burnt-orange centerpieces...
Wool
$36,000
W 128 in L 159 in
1920s Yellow Rose Rosettes Irish Donegal Arts Crafts Carpet 10'8"x13'3" Wool Rug
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1920 Irish Arts and Crafts hand-knotted wool rug, 10'8" x 13'3" (128 x 159 in), in yellow and rose tones. Condition: good, wear consistent with age and use. Overall Goo...
Wool
$16,500
W 124 in L 138 in
Extraordinary Rose-Pink Antique Donegal Arts-Crafts Rug Designed by Gavin Morton
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1900 Irish Arts and Crafts hand-knotted wool rug, 10'4" x 11'6" (124 x 138 in), in pink and rose tones. Condition: good, repaired. Wear consistent with age and use. Ove...
Wool
Antique Donegal Arts & Crafts Rug in Blue with Floral Patterns
Located in Long Island City, NY
This antique 9x13 Arts & Crafts rug is a rare new Irish Donegal rug in our classic curations. Hand-knotted in wool circa 1920-1930. Further on the Design: This masterpiece is one of the few of its kind Josh has curated, and it’s an exemplar of the clear Persian and Oushak rugs that inspired European weavers in its period. This particular Irish Donegal rug boasts a montage of intricate floral patterns in sage green, red, and pink on the sky-blue background. That play of whimsical, vibrant tones on a more cool background achieves a gorgeous presence in this one-of-a-kind piece. This is a sophisticated, grand collectible, and a large-size rug with vast applications. Further on the Condition: This antique Donegal rug...
Wool
$75,000
W 159 in L 172 in
Antique Donegel Voysey Rug in Red with Colorful Floral Pattern - Rug & Kilim
Located in Long Island City, NY
Made with hand-knotted wool and originating from Ireland circa 1910-1920, this antique Donegel Voysey rug is a 13x14 collectible from the revered arts and crafts movement On the Des...
Wool
Doris Leslie Blau Antique Donegal Rug Fragment by C.F.A. Voysey
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
Doris Leslie Blau Antique Donegal Rug Fragment by C.F.A. Voysey Size: 1'10" × 3'5" (55 × 104 cm) This rare antique Donegal rug fragment is a striking example of C.F.A. Voysey’s singu...
Wool
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H 49.22 in W 20.48 in D 19.49 in
Oak Arts & Crafts Ladies High-Back Armchair by Charles F.A. Voysey, 1900s
By Charles Voysey
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Magnificent and rare Arts & Crafts ladies high-back armchair. Design by Charles Francis Annesley Voysey. Striking English design from the 1900s. Solid oak frame with original rush se...
Rush, Oak
Voysey Billiard Snooker POOL Table Oak 1910 in Stock
By Charles Voysey
Located in Radstock, GB
A beautiful full size 12ft x 6ft oak billiard or snooker table circa 1907, designed by C F A Voysey, elegant clean lines with tapering chamfered legs. The table has been sympathetically cleaned and lightly waxed by hand to ensure an original arts and crafts feel. An identical table was designed by Voysey for 'The Homestead' Frinton- On- Sea, see attached PDF image: The table would have been manufactured by one of the premier London billiard table companies of the time. The cushion rubbers have been replace with NR professional rubbers and covered in WSA approved Strachan traditional green cloth, this can be changed in colour if required. As specialist dealers we are able to arrange delivery and installation at an extra cost if required. Charles Francis Annesley Voysey...
Oak
C.F.A. Voysey Arts & Crafts Upholstered Sofa, circa 1900
By Charles Voysey
Located in CA, CA
C.F.A. Voysey (1857-1941) Arts & Crafts upholstered sofa, circa 1900 A magnificent and extremely rare sofa covered in original ‘The Owl’ woollen fabric designed by renowned Arts & Crafts architect and designer C. F. A. Voysey, woven by Alexander Morton & Co., Davel. Design for 'The Owl' wallpaper and textile pattern, showing pairs of owls and nests of chicks, large foliage and white berries, amongst foliage and white berries 1897 The upholstered back, bolster arms and seat with fringed...
Wood
Vintage Arts & Crafts Rug
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
This circa 1920 vintage Arts & Crafts rug by Voysey contains an all-over design of floral motifs in orange, blue and beige against a field of gray-green. A thick orange border featur...
Wool
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H 44.5 in W 39 in D 5 in
CFA Voysey, Attributed to George Wright a Cast Iron Fireplace with Feeding Crows
By Charles Voysey
Located in London, GB
C.F.A Voysey, probably made by George Wright. A rare cast iron fireplace with feeding character crows dining in a field, reminiscent of gentleman in tails. The fireplace has been p...
Iron
Vintage Arts & Crafts Rug
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
This circa 1920 vintage Arts & Crafts rug by Voysey contains an all-over design of floral motifs in orange, blue and beige against a field of gray green. Size: 11'0" × 8'3".
Wool
Sold
H 60 in W 40 in D 5 in
Arts and Crafts Cast Iron Fireplace by C.F.A Voysey, Made by Thomas Elsley
By Thomas Elsley, Charles Voysey
Located in London, GB
C.F.A Voysey a cast iron fire place with his signature heart motif made by Thomas Elsley. This timeless design retains it’s original bars and grate.
Iron
A Rare Pair of Arts & Crafts Oak Chairs by C F A Voysey
By Charles Voysey
Located in London, GB
C F A Voysey. Made by Liberty and Co. A rare pair of oak chairs. Literature: Cooper, Jeremy `Victorian & Edwardian Furniture & Interiors`, Thames & Hudso...
Oak
Arts & Crafts Rug
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
Arts & Crafts Rug
Art and Crafts Rug by Voysey
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
An early 20th century Arts and Crafts carpet designed by C.F.A. Voysey, the brown field with enlarged curving rose blooms and leaves, with a wide border with accolades of the same fl...
Wool
An Arts & Crafts by Voysey Rug
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
An Arts & Crafts by Voysey (Size Adjusted) Rug Circa 1910.
Wool
A Voysey Rug
By Charles Voysey
Located in New York, NY
A Voysey rug Circa 1900.
Wool