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Gustav Stickley

American, 1858-1942

Gustav Stickley was one of the principal figures in the American Arts and Crafts movement and the creator of the Craftsman style. As a furniture designer and publisher of the magazine The Craftsman, he adopted many of the ideals of the British design reform movement and popularized both its philosophy and its aesthetics in the United States.

Born in Wisconsin, Stickley moved with his family to Pennsylvania when he was a teenager and began working in his uncle’s chair factory in the town of Brandt. There, he learned the techniques of late-19th-century furniture making at a time when the vogue was for Victorian revival furniture, which was characterized by extensive ornamentation.

In 1883, Stickley established a furniture company called Stickley Brothers with two of his brothers, Albert and Charles (Gustav’s other siblings, Leopold and John George, would later form L & J.G. Stickley Inc.). When Stickley Brothers foundered, he partnered five years later with salesman Elgin Simonds to form a new firm, Stickley & Simonds, which produced traditional furniture that appealed to the burgeoning American middle class. The success of this venture enabled Stickley to travel to Europe, where he discovered the writings of John Ruskin and William Morris, the two preeminent thinkers of the British Arts and Crafts movement. Stickley also traveled to France, where the Art Nouveau movement impressed him with its imaginative designs and skilled craftsmanship.

Stickley parted ways with Simonds at the turn of the 20th century and decided to focus his creative energies on producing furniture in what became known as the Craftsman style, incorporating some of the elements of the designs and movements he had encountered in Europe.

The pieces Stickley created, which he stamped with the logo of a joiner’s compass, were rectilinear, largely free of ornament, made of oak, and built in such a way that the nature of their construction was plainly visible — all reflections of the tenets of the Arts and Crafts movement. While some people referred to Stickley’s furniture as Mission furniture — a term that references the furnishings of the Spanish missions in California — Gustav commonly called his work “Craftsman” owing to the inspiration he found in the British Arts and Crafts movement.

Stickley benches and rocking chairs were popular, and his leather-upholstered armchairs combine practicality, comfort and an understated silhouette. He also made side tables — an unusual example designed during the early 20th century was adorned with an octagonal Grueby Pottery tile in a cool shade of green, which made it an ideal piece for an art pottery collector.

In 1901, Stickley launched The Craftsman magazine, which contained articles on all manner of domestic topics, from gardening and cooking to art and design, as well as poetry and fiction. In addition to popularizing Stickely’s own designs, the magazine acquainted Americans with the Arts and Crafts style in all its forms through its graphic design and the bungalows, art pottery, and hammered-copper lamps pictured in its pages. It also encouraged readers to practice craft themselves, promoting an early form of the do-it-yourself ethos. 

In 1904, Stickley founded the Craftsman Home Builders' Club, which allowed subscribers to his magazine to order architectural plans for the Arts and Crafts–style structures that were featured in its pages; eventually, this became one of its most popular features.

An ill-timed attempt to set up a New York showroom led to Stickley’s filing for bankruptcy in 1915. The outbreak of World War I, waning interest in the Arts and Crafts style, and increased competition all conspired to thwart Stickley's efforts. The Craftsman ceased publication a year later. When he died, in 1942, Arts and Crafts had been replaced by modernism as the favored aesthetic. It enjoyed a resurgence, however, in the 1970s, and Stickley is now regarded as one of the most important American designers in the first half of the 20th century.

Find antique Gustav Stickley tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$1,730
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Materials
Related Creators
SUPERB Antique GUSTAV STICKLEY Table circa 1907 - W7021
By Gustav Stickley
Located in Shamokin Dam, PA
SUPERB Antique Gustav Stickley Table circa 1907 - W7021 “The table is in good condition with no cracks or repairs, top has been refinished STURDY and STRONG.” This SUPERB Antique E...
Category

Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Antique Gustav Stickley

Materials

Oak

Rare SUPERB Early Gustav Stickley Hall Bench
By Gustav Stickley
Located in Shamokin Dam, PA
Rare SUPERB early Gustav Stickley hall bench with original leather and tacks . This is a rare early Gustav Stickley Hall Bench with the original leather back. This model is from the...
Category

Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Gustav Stickley

Materials

Leather, Oak

Antique GUSTAV STICKLEY Stand from "THE NEW FURNITURE" Collection c.1900
By Gustav Stickley
Located in Shamokin Dam, PA
GUSTAV Stickley Stand from his “THE NEW FURNITURE” Collection c. 1900. On Jan 1900 Gustav Stickley completed his first project of series of small furniture's he called "THE NEW FURNI...
Category

Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Gustav Stickley

Materials

Oak

Gustav Stickley Sideboard Model #814 with Original Bronze Hardware C1905
By Gustav Stickley
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Spectacular early (1905) Gustav Stickley mission oak arts & crafts sideboard with the most desirable hardware, bronze strap hinges & door , drawer pulls. All hand hammered exclusive...
Category

Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Antique Gustav Stickley

Materials

Bronze

Gustav Stickley Antique Mission Oak Arts & Crafts Extension Dining Table
By Gustav Stickley
Located in South Bend, IN
A rare and exceptional antique Mission or Arts & Crafts quarter sawn oak extension dining table By Gustav Stickley USA, Circa 1900 Measures: 53.5"W x 53.5"D x 29.88"H. Extends up ...
Category

Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Antique Gustav Stickley

Materials

Oak

Extremely Rare Model 238 Gustav Stickley Table - W7996
By Gustav Stickley
Located in Shamokin Dam, PA
Extremely Rare Gustav Stickley Table Model # 238- W7996 Signed with BOX decal as pictured. This is a RARE antique Gustav Stickley table MODEL #238 in very good condition. The top h...
Category

Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Gustav Stickley

Materials

Oak

ANTIQUE Nice GUSTAV STICKLEY Spindled Table, Circa 1908 - W7675
By Gustav Stickley
Located in Shamokin Dam, PA
ANTIQUE nice GUSTAV STICKLEY spindled table, Circa 1907 - W7675 This is a nice antique Gustav Stickley spindled table made from a great selection of quarter sawn oak. It is in good ...
Category

Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Gustav Stickley

Materials

Oak

Antique Gustav Stickley 2-Drawer Desk - W7642
By Gustav Stickley
Located in Shamokin Dam, PA
This is an antique Gustav Stickley 2-Drawer Desk from the early 1900s. It has the b beautiful original finish with minor stains on top (as can be seen in photos). There are two lett...
Category

Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Gustav Stickley

Materials

Oak

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Gustav Stickley furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Gustav Stickley furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Gustav Stickley furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Gustav Stickley were created in the Arts and Crafts style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Stickley Brothers, Grand Rapids Furniture Co., and Larkin & Co.. Prices for Gustav Stickley furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $125 and can go as high as $12,995, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,898.

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