Authentic antique Shaker furniture is hard to come by, but not exceedingly rare. “Shaker style” describes furnishings and interiors that are both warm and simple, centered on unpretentious wooden chairs, tables and cabinets without ornament or embellishment.
The term derives from the popular name for an all-but-vanished American religious sect, whose members crafted modest household furniture and objects as part of their belief in purposeful living and simplicity in all things.
Members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing — called Shakers, derisively, because they writhed and danced in religious ecstasy during worship — arrived in the United States from England in 1774. Within 50 years, the sect had established 19 self-sufficient communities from Maine to Kentucky, where they lived pure, humble and industrious lives.
The furniture and objects the Shakers made reflected their strict rules of behavior. Pieces such as ladder- and slat-back chairs and trestle tables were painstakingly crafted from native woods like maple and cherry, using traditional methods such as mortise-and-tenon and dovetail joinery and lathe turning. They employed strong, straight lines and symmetrical proportions, and decoration of any kind — carving, veneers, inlays — was prohibited, as it would encourage the sins of pride and vanity.
The Shakers movement included some 6,000 members at its peak in the 1860s, but the group practiced celibacy and could attempt to sustain their flock only by recruiting new adherents. Modernity proved too alluring. Today only one tiny Shaker community, in Maine, still exists, though the sect’s heritage is preserved at several historical sites.
To support their communities, the Shakers sold furniture to outsiders, who appreciated its superb quality. While the “Shaker style” label is today given to many plain, simple wooden pieces, it should also denote superior construction and solid materials. As elements in interior design, Shaker furnishings work best in a quiet decor. Modest pieces such as these can become lost among more ornate works. The style is most suitable to a country home — although a Shaker chair or cabinet can make a striking counterpoint in a modernist, urban setting.
Shaker furniture and objects have a deep appeal for their warmth, honesty and graceful simplicity, which make them welcome almost anywhere.
Find antique Shaker furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Swedish Folk Art Birch-Bark Cradle Basket
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rustic and beautiful folk art birch-bark cradle basket from Sweden. The basket is crafted in a traditional Nordic artisanal style, made from woven birch bark and leather. The upper e...
Birch, Leather
Oblong Wooden Basket
Located in South Salem, NY
Vintage basket with great shape & short, stout and sturdy handle. The basket was previously painted and has since been used so there is a worn patina of paint and wood. Great for sto...
Wicker, Wood
Vintage Studio Pottery Oblong Bowl - Yellow
Located in Asheville, NC
Stunning vintage studio pottery from 1970s/80s. Oblong decorative bowl in dark mustard yellow.
Ceramic
$544Sale Price|20% Off
H 20 in W 24 in D 14 in
XL Vintage Wicker Tote Basket with Wooden Handles & Hinged Lid c1970s
By Hermès, Ralph Lauren
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This extra-large vintage wicker tote basket is a beautifully handcrafted piece, perfect for both functional use and decorative display. Featuring a sturdy wooden frame with curved wo...
Wicker, Wood
$1,804
H 14.97 in Dm 22.05 in
Large Antique Northern Swedish Woven Birch Root Decorative Basket with Handle
Located in Kramfors, SE
Large antique root basket from northern Sweden. The basket is woven with birch root around the 1880s and is unusually large. Good vintage condition with some minor marks and traces o...
Birch
$390 / item
H 10 in W 13 in D 13 in
Chinese Wooden Rice Measure Baskets with Handles and Metal Accents, Sold Each
Located in Yonkers, NY
Three rustic Chinese rice measure wooden baskets from the mid 20th century with brown color, handles and metal accents. They are priced and sold individually. Immerse yourself in the rustic charm of these mid-20th century Chinese rice measure baskets...
Metal
Oriental Fisherman Basket with Large Wooden Handle
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage Chinese style fisherman or grain basket features the traditional shape with rounded sides and wooden rim and large handle. The strong, flexible wicker or willow strips are skillfully woven into a delicate pattern that emphasizes the rounded form of the basket; prominent solid wood elements juxtapose the fine texture of the weave. The basket is in good vintage condition with beautiful, age-appropriate patina on wood; its convenient size and shape allow it to be used as decorative storage piece, large ikebana basket...
Wicker, Rattan, Bentwood
19th Century Swedish Folk Art Bowl
Located in Bozeman, MT
Swedish Wabi-Sabi ;) 19th century Swedish folk art turned bowl. Very well made, light, thin walls and with fantastic patination, dated 1868.
Wood
19th Century French Folk Art Storage Basket
Located in Allerum, SE
Unusually large 19th century French folk art storage basket. coiled construction with straw and bark. Ca 1890 France.
Straw
Qing Dynasty Period 19th Century Pear-Shaped Wooden Grain Basket
Located in Yonkers, NY
An antique Chinese Qing Dynasty period handmade pear shaped wooden grain basket from the 19th century, with varnished finish and iron hardware. Created in China during the Qing Dynas...
Iron
Art Deco Fruit Basket – Hand-Carved Wooden Bowl, France, 1930s
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This is a rare Art Deco fruit basket, hand-carved in solid brown wood, likely made in France during the 1930s. The design is particularly distinctive, featuring sculpted representations of actual fruits, integrated into the body of the bowl itself — a remarkable example of functional sculpture. Main Features: Period: Art Deco – circa 1930s Origin: France Material: Carved wood, brown tone Patina: Beautiful aged patina, slightly dark with warm reflective highlights Handle: The basket’s handle is elegantly curved, featuring smooth lines typical of the Art Deco movement Usage & Style: This piece blends decoration and function: it can be used as a fruit bowl or simply as a centerpiece in a living or dining room. Its original shape, fine carving, and historical charm make it perfect for a vintage or Art Deco–inspired interior. Keywords: Art Deco wooden basket, fruit bowl sculpture, French Art Deco decor, carved wood centerpiece...
Wood
20th Century French Wooden Champagne Grape Harvesting Basket
Located in High Point, NC
This 20th Century French wooden champagne grape harvesting basket embodies the utilitarian charm of rural winemaking traditions. Crafted from solid wood with rope handles, it was ori...
Wood
$548
H 3.15 in W 13 in D 9.06 in
Wooden Fruit Basket - Decorative Bowl - Mid Century Modern, France 1960s
Located in ROUEN, Normandie
Wooden Fruit Basket - Decorative Bowl - Mid Century Modern, France 1960s Braided wooden basket made of wooden pearls and rectangles assembled together. Nice geometric pattern and s...
Wood, Olive
19th Century Small Swedish Folk Art Woven Basket
Located in Kramfors, SE
Northern Swedish small folk art basket made during the mid 1800s. The basket has the original paint. Handmade from tree roots that are braided. Good antique condition consistent with...
Organic Material
Turn of the Century Century Shaker "Picket Fence" Basket
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique turn of the Century Century Shaker "Picket Fence" Basket, circa 1900, a rectangular work basket made of tulip - poplar wood with broad independent staves nailed to solid wood bottom and interconnected by heavy gauge wire, with opposing swing handles of twisted wire with turned wooden handles. Basket is in original dark red stain. This type of basket was only made in the Southern Shaker villages; this one was likely made in the South Union Community in Kentucky (1807 - 1922). Intended for pretty heavy duty work, such baskets were typically used for carrying laundry and gathering wood...
Wire
19th Century Shaker Herb Gathering Basket
Located in Chicago, IL
An incredible 19th century American shaker herb gathering basket with a double bentwood rim, two carved and bentwood handles, and a fantastic patina that only time can bestow. Can be...
Ash
19th Century American Oak Splint Basket
Located in Chicago, IL
A beautiful 19th century American gathering basket tightly woven with thin oak splints, a double-banded rim, and wonderful patina.
Oak
Large Antique Sycamore Dairy Bowl, English, 18th Century
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Large sycamore dairy bowl crucially in unrestored condition. Wonderful colour and patina. Great condition. Please note we offer free shipping.
Sycamore