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
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
$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
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
Antique Lacquered Paper Mache Sewing or Jewelry Box with Inlaid Carved Shell
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This large antique paper mâché and lacquered box is unsigned, but presumed to have been made in England in circa 1870 in the period Aesthetic Movement style. The box was made as a sewing chest, but could be adapted for other purposes such as a jewelry box. The box is composed of paper mâché with a glossy black lacquered finish. The stepped top has scalloped edges and a detailed border of inlaid mother of pearl done with a floral motif. The central portion of the box's top is done with large pieces of mother of pearl or abalone shell and accented with flaked gilt details. The front and sides of the box are accented with hand-painted gilt detailing and the inside of the top is hand painted with floral accents. The inner tray of this box is divided into several compartments, some having fabric covered lids with molded handles. The inside of the box is paper lined in the same blue patterned paper as the tray. There is small brass lock on the front of the box, but there is no key. The box is finished with round squat biscuit shaped feet. Please note that due to the composition of this box, it may only be shipped within Canada.
Paper
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
$960Sale Price|52% Off
Aesthetic Movement Trinket Box, circa 1900
Located in Spencertown, NY
The box with scenes of lilliputian figures
Wood
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 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
Vintage Wooden Trinket Box
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT Small Walnut trinket box lined with felt. Original felt on the bottom. Shown with life size hand model for scale. CREATOR Unknown. DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1940-1970. ...
Felt, Wood
Vintage Cobalt Blue Royal Limoges France 22-Karat Gold Trinket Box
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 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
$2,682
H 28.15 in W 20.28 in D 15.16 in
Rare Restored Burr Walnut & Tunbridge Inlaid Sewing Work Box Table Carved Feet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning fully restored heavily carved Victorian walnut sewing table with ornately inlaid Tunbrid...
Walnut
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.
Syrian Moorish Jewelry Box, Inlaid Wood & Mother of Pearl, 20th C.
Located in Queens, NY
Middle Eastern Syrian style wooden jewelry box intricately inlaid with geometric patterns and accented with pieces of mother of pearl, with patinated brass hardware and a hinged lid ...
Brass
$550
H 2.25 in W 3.25 in D 4.75 in
14 Lacquered Paper Mache Trinket Boxes Russian Kashmir Indian Burmese Thailand
Located in Dayton, OH
Collection of 14 vintage hand-painted, lacquered paper mache lacquerware trinket / keepsake / cigarette / storage boxes, from the Russian, Kashmir, Indian, Burmese, and Thailand regi...
Lacquer
$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
$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
$220
H 5.25 in W 3.88 in D 2.25 in
Ulm Minster Church Jewelry Trinket Box Metal, Vintage German Souvenir, 1950s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Gorgeous vintage metal jewelry box. A beautiful decorative item in metal inside covered with cloth. Made in Germany, circa 1950s. Nice addi...
Metal
Sold
H 5.75 in W 11 in D 8.25 in
Antique Lacquered Paper Mache Sewing or Jewelry Box with Inlaid Abalone Shell
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This large antique paper mâché and lacquered box is unsigned, but presumed to have been made in England in circa 1870 in the period Aesthetic Movement style. The box was made as a se...
Paper
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