Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
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.
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Clay
2010s Chinese Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Acrylic
2010s Moroccan Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Earthenware, Clay
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Stone, Silver
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Silver
1920s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper, Brass
Early 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
1930s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1930s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal
1920s Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Clay
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
2010s Moroccan Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Clay, Earthenware
2010s Moroccan Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Clay, Earthenware
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 20th Century German Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze, Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
2010s North Korean Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
2010s North Korean Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1960s Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Art Glass
2010s North Korean Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Resin, PVC
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze, Enamel
2010s North Korean Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
2010s North Korean Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
20th Century German Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1970s German Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Stoneware
Early 2000s Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Stone
2010s North Korean Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
2010s North Korean Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Resin, PVC
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery
1970s British Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Art Glass
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron, Wire
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1970s German Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Stoneware
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Art Glass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper, Wrought Iron
20th Century Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze, Sterling Silver
1930s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Clay, Pottery
1950s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery, Clay
1880s Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century Swedish Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
1970s German Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Stoneware
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver, Bronze
1970s German Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Stoneware
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver, Bronze