In 1880, polymath designer William Morris declared: “If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” His words encapsulated the Aesthetic Movement, which prized beauty above all and blurred the lines between fine art and the decorative arts, particularly through lavishly crafted furniture pieces.
The Aesthetic Movement, whose major proponents included author Oscar Wilde, flourished from the 1860s to the 1880s and was mostly popular in England and the United States. Design expositions like the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, as well as the publishing of how-to books for interior design, helped disseminate Aesthetic Movement bedroom furniture, serveware, coffee tables and other items, especially to the middle class.
The establishment of new art museums, art clubs and a rising passion for collecting at the time contributed to a growing appreciation for art. Morris’s founding of Morris & Co. in 1862 and the commercializing of this “cult of beauty” by the Liberty store in London, starting in the late 19th century, further disseminated the idea of a domestic space that was thoughtfully and floridly designed.
Leading Aesthetic Movement furniture designers included E.W. Godwin, who drew on Japanese influences and whose work reflected a wider enthusiasm for imported East Asian art. British designer Christopher Dresser created textiles, ceramics and more that were also inspired by Japanese decorative art but were representative of additional diverse design sources that ranged from Egypt to Mexico.
The Aesthetic Movement’s eclecticism resulted in dazzling interiors. Japanese fans were positioned on Renaissance-inspired cabinets with brass hardware, while mantels made of rich walnut or finely carved ebonized wood and adorned with painted Minton tiles mingled with cast-iron chairs against a backdrop of floral wallpaper. In 1881, in New York City, stenciled checkerboard motifs and painted floral murals could be found under an opalescent glass chandelier in a luxurious dressing room designed by German émigré cabinetmaker-decorator George Alfred Schastey. Amid the rise of the industrial age, the style’s promotion of art in everyday life would inform the Arts and Crafts Movement and Art Nouveau.
Find a collection of antique Aesthetic Movement seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture and antiques on 1stDibs.
Fabulous Mother of Pearl Lacquer Jewelry Box with Birds of Patadise
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Fabulously decorated with rich ly carved mother of pearl on black lacquer jewelry box with 4 small drawers with metal butterfly handles, each side richly encrusted with mother of pea...
Mother-of-Pearl
$6,675Sale Price|25% Off
A Boucheron Paris 18k Gold Silver & Ruby Vermeil Minaudiere Circa 1940
By Boucheron
Located in Tarzana, CA
A Boucheron Paris 18k Gold, Silver & Ruby Vermeil Minaudiere Circa 1940, of rectangular form with a hinged cover the top of the cover with pierced vermeil scrolling foliage the flow...
Gold, Silver
19th Century Brass Inlaid Walnut Box
Located in Houston, TX
19th century Brass inlaid walnut box. This stunning decorative box or jewelry box has beautiful brass inlay and trim with the original tufted satin interior.
Walnut
Vintage Limoges Jmmet Seignolles plates & box Souvenir de son Vogage a Lourdes
By Limoges
Located in Neguri, Vizcaya
Set of Elegant vintage Limoges box and two plates. Marked on base as “Jammet Seignolles Souvenir de mon voyage á Lourdes”. -Memories of my trip ...
Enamel, Gold Leaf
Furstenberg Germany Vintage Flower Round Gold Leaf Trinket Plate
Located in Neguri, Vizcaya
Furstenberg Germany vintage flower round gold leaf trinket plate Perfect gift for your special someone. Dimensions: Diameter 10 cm (3.93 inches) A s...
Gold Leaf
Ceramic Decorative Flower and Vegetation Chinese Plate Signed WL, 1896
Located in Neguri, Vizcaya
Ceramic decorative flower and vegetation chinese plate signed Perfect gift for your special someone. Dimensions: Diameter 20 cm (37.86 inches) A series of three make the matchin...
Ceramic
Furstenberg Germany Vintage Flower Round Gold Leaf Trinket Plate
Located in Neguri, Vizcaya
Furstenberg Germany vintage flower round gold leaf trinket plate Perfect gift for your special someone. Dimensions: Diameter 10 cm (3.93 inches) A s...
Gold Leaf
$960Sale Price|52% Off
Aesthetic Movement Trinket Box, Painted Wood, England, Circa 1900
Located in Spencertown, NY
The box with scenes of lilliputian figures
Wood
Furstenberg Germany Vintage Violet Flowers Round Gold Leaf Trinket Plate
Located in Neguri, Vizcaya
Furstenberg Germany vintage flower round gold leaf trinket plate Perfect gift for your special someone. Dimensions: Diameter 10 cm (3.93 inches) A s...
Gold Leaf
Porcelain Peint Main Vintage Slot Machine Trinket Box by Limoges
By Limoges
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful porcelain peint main (hand painted) vintage slot machine trinket box by Limoges, circa 1980s. This piece is in very good vintage condition with no chips or cracks and measu...
Porcelain
Jewelry Box Brass Swan Bird Red Lacquer
Located in New York, NY
A '70 modern red lacquer or high-gloss 'demi-lune' box with inlayed brass swan bird design, circa 1970s. A chic decorative box for jewelry (as demonstrated)...
Brass
Vintage Christofle Silver Plated Decorative Box
By Christofle
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Signed Vintage Christofle Silver Plated Decorative Box. Nicely cast with beautiful design. This would have held cigarettes or trinkets. In very good...
Silver Plate
$9,800
H 4 in W 11 in D 15 in
Japanese Momoyama Period Black Lacquer and Mother of Pearl Box, 16th Century
Located in Austin, TX
A fine and unusual Japanese black lacquer and mother of pearl inlaid box, Momoyama Period, 16th century, Japan. The large box and cover featu...
Lacquer, Abalone
Vintage wooden Trinket Jewelry Box
Located in Seattle, WA
This Vintage wooden box possibly oak is perfect for trinkets or Jewelry. It has slidable and removable compartments. This Piece has nice patina and character. Vintage Condition as p...
Wood
Vintage Italian Silverplate Decorative Box, Signed Gucci
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Italian silverplate decorative box, signed Gucci. Brass band detail on top with polished black onyx cabochon. Interior is wood. Stamped Gucci on back near hinge, with Gucci p...
Onyx, Silver Plate, Brass
$1,025
H 10 in W 11.75 in D 6 in
Japanese Lacquer Box with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay and Parquetry Drawers
Located in Yonkers, NY
A finely crafted Japanese tabletop cabinet from the early 20th century, this compact storage piece is richly detailed with traditional decorative techniques and export-era flourishes...
Wood
Marie Antionette Style Limoge Box
By Limoges
Located in Asheville, NC
Beautiful porcelain Limoges box hand-painted rose flowerettes adorned with painted gold designs and gold hardware.
$27,500 / set
H 3.68 in W 1.02 in D 1.3 in
CARTIER Paris 1900 Edwardian Nécessaire Case In 18Kt Gold With Green Lacquer
By Cartier
Located in Miami, FL
A Nécessaire case designed by Cartier. This is a fantastic nécessaire case box created in Paris France during the Edwardian period by the jewelry house of Cartier, back in the 1900....
Gold
$320
H 3 in W 11 in D 7.25 in
Asian Geisha Girl Scene Mother of Pearl Inlaid Black Lacquer Jewelry Box
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
Here is a fine quality heavy black lacquer jewelry box with a wonderful line carved mother of pearl inlay geisha girl scene on the top and flower and diamond repeat patterns around t...
Wood
$375
H 0.5 in W 3 in D 3 in
Porcelain Peint a la Main Vintage Crossword Puzzle Trinket Box by Limoges w/ Box
By Limoges
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful porcelain peint a la main (hand painted) vintage crossword puzzle trinket box with original presentation box by Limoges, circa 1980s. This unusual piece is in very good vin...
Porcelain
Ceramic Sheet Music Form Decorative Box
Located in Tarrytown, NY
Ceramic bundled sheet music form decorative box.
Ceramic
$485
H 2.5 in W 4.25 in D 4.25 in
Mother of Pearl Abalone Seashell Jewelry Box, Moorish Design Style, ca. 20th C
Located in New York, NY
A beautifully crafted hexagonal jewelry box inlaid with luminous mother‑of‑pearl and abalone seashell, executed in the Moorish design style, circa mid‑20th century. The lid centers a...
Abalone, Mother-of-Pearl
$6,500
H 5 in W 8.25 in D 12 in
Genuine Large Mother of Pearl Decorative Jewelry Box (12" x 8.25" x 5", 9.5 lbs)
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful rectangle jewelry box handmade from the finest top grade Mother of Pearl. This stunning Mother of Pearl box is perfect to store your beauti...
Other
Early 19th Century Faux Tortoise Shell Inlaid Box
Located in Greenwich, CT
Charming early 19th century box decorated in faux tortoise shell and having zig zag patterned string inlay, the interior with fitted tray for use as a jewelry or work box and retaini...
Ebony, Wood
Sold
H 32 in W 20 in D 15 in
Superb Early 20th Century Aesthetic Movement Majolica & Gilt-Metal Jewelry Box
By Minton
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Very Fine and Rare English Early 20th Century Aesthetic Movement Hand Painted Majolica and Gilt-Metal Figural Jewelry Box on Stand, probably by ...
Metal