Inspired by the Arts & Crafts style in England, which rebelled against the mechanization of the Industrial Revolution with a proud emphasis on handcrafted design, American Craftsman style similarly pushed against the lavishness of the Victorian era. Coined by Wisconsin-born Gustav Stickley, a furniture designer and publisher of The Craftsman magazine, American Craftsman furniture would influence homegrown styles that followed, such as Mission and the Prairie School.
Like the popular early 20th-century Craftsman houses — which feature meticulous woodwork on everything from built-in bookcases in the living room and cabinetry in the kitchen to earth-toned exteriors with exposed rafters — American Craftsman furniture was all about handmade storage cabinets, bedroom furniture, chairs and other pieces built with organic materials. “Simplicity and straightforwardness of construction has always been the leading characteristic of Craftsman furniture,” Stickley stated. And while he is often credited with most of the designs at the Craftsman Workshops in Eastwood, New York, others such as Harvey Ellis were influential in shaping the straight-backed chairs, beds with vertical slats and tables with exposed joinery that came to define the style.
Highly utilitarian with no unnecessary flair, American Craftsman furniture was designed to emphasize the essence of its modest construction and promote the natural beauty of the wood. Solid oak, cherry, walnut and mahogany were all favored by the movement’s principal figures. Another attribute commonly associated with the style is the integration of subtle details like tooled leather, inlaid metal and hammered iron handles.
Owing to the outbreak of World War I, the popularity of American Craftsman style waned as consumer spending dropped and furniture companies shifted to the production of wartime materials and goods specified in government contracts. Yet, by the 1960s, there was a renewed appreciation for this foundational modern American style, with Stickley and his contemporaries in demand for the clean, simple lines and sturdy construction of American Craftsman furniture.
Find a collection of antique American Craftsman chests, nightstands, seating, decorative objects and more furniture on 1stDibs.
Hand Hammered & Polished Copper Candlesticks by Hessel Studios California
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous simple and elegant arts & crafts style hand hammered copper candlestick holder made by Hessel Studios in San Rafael California. Tall sinewy...
Copper
Pair of American Tiffany Sterling Silver Monkey Candlesticks
Located in Southampton, NY
Pair of American Tiffany sterling silver monkey candlesticks.
$540Sale Price|20% Off
Studio Craft, Candle Holder, 1980s
Located in South Jordan, UT
Hand carved walnut studio craft candle holder. Created using a thick slab of walnut and hand finished to hold three candles. This piece is signed "Feb 81' Thibit of St. Croix" on the...
Walnut
$4,500 / set
H 11.07 in W 5.25 in D 5.25 in
Large Pair of Neoclassical Sterling Silver Column-Form Candlesticks
Located in New York, NY
Large pair of Neoclassical (made in the Victorian Period), sterling silver column-form candlesticks, Sheffield, England, year-hallmarked for 1898, Henry Wigful - maker. Each candlestick measures 11 1/6 inches high x 5 1/4 inches deep x 5 1/4 inches wide. Columns are swirled in design. The capital of each column is designed with acanthus leaves. The base of each candlestick is decorated with profiles of the Green Man (a good luck symbol...
Sterling Silver
Pair of Italian Empire Silver Candlesticks, Milan, circa 1810
Located in Vienna, AT
Pair of elegant Empire candleholders on an unfilled base, conical structure, offset olive-shaped grommets with a flat, plate-shaped drip edge, smoo...
Silver
$765Sale Price / item|30% Off
H 8.27 in W 4.73 in D 4.73 in
Pair of Candle Holder Sterling Silver Antique Rococo Style Candlesticks, 1937s
Located in Wembley, GB
An exquisite pair of antique Rococo-style silver candlesticks by the distinguished Swedish silversmith C.G. Hallberg, Stockholm, circa 1937. Each piece is pressed, cast, and finely c...
Gold Plate, Silver, Sterling Silver
$8,850Sale Price / set|70% Off
H 9.75 in Dm 5.5 in
Pair of Sterling Silver Cymric Candlesticks, Archibald Knox for Liberty and Co
Located in CHARLESTON, SC
Exceedingly Rare and Important pair of Museum quality old English sterling silver Cymric candlesticks. Exceptional example of silver from the Art...
Sterling Silver
$1,060Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 10.5 in W 5.38 in D 4.25 in
Pair of American Edwardian Sterling Silver Candlesticks by Gorham
By Gorham Manufacturing Company
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Edwardian sterling silver candlesticks. Made by Gorham in Providence in 1905. Each: Ovoid, tapering, and fluted shaft with interlaced script monogram; stepped oval foot. Urn ...
Sterling Silver
$950 / set
H 2.25 in Dm 2.5 in
Pair of Sterling Silver Mid-Century Modern Candlesticks by Timo Sarpeneva
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Mid-Century Modern, sterling silver candlesticks, hallmarked for Stockholm, Sweden, circa 1950s, Timo Sarpeneva, maker. Each candlestick measures 2 1/4 inches high x 2 1/2 in...
Sterling Silver
$320 / set
H 7.5 in W 6.5 in D 2.2 in
Pair of Sculptural Brass and Black Ring Candle Holders, Postmodern, 1980s
Located in Toronto, CA
Strikingly architectural and refined, this pair of Postmodern candleholders exemplifies the sculptural sophistication of 1980s European design. Each piece features a bold black circu...
Metal, Brass
$539Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 13.78 in W 5.12 in D 3.15 in
Matthew Hilton. Brutalist candle holders, England, 1980s
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
Brutalist candlesticks by Matthew Hilton, England, 1980s, set of 2. Sculptural shapes made of aluminium. Totally timeless pieces for any current interior with a classic or contempora...
Aluminum
$754
H 7.29 in W 5.71 in D 7.09 in
Indian Bronze Cobra Candlestick, Naga Lamp, Hand-Hammered, Circa 1930
Located in ROUEN, Normandie
Indian Bronze Cobra Candlestick, Naga Lamp, Hand-Hammered, Circa 1930. This sculptural candlestick is a rare early 20th-century Indian bronze Naga lamp, depicting a rearing cobra em...
Metal, Bronze
Sculptural Candle Holders in Burnished Metal, Set of 3, Italy, 1980s
Located in Brescia, Brescia
Enhance your interior decor with these incredible sculptural candle holders, a set of three exquisite pieces from Italy, crafted in the 1980s. These candle holders are a stunning exa...
Metal
Set of Four Swedish Folk Art Rooster Candle Holders, 1980s
Located in Frederiksberg C, DK
Set of Four Swedish Folk Art Rooster Candle Holders, 1980s Charming set of four Swedish folk art candle holders, crafted in the 1980s and shaped as stylised roosters. Made from soli...
Wood
$22,463Sale Price / set|24% Off
H 10.5 in W 4.5 in D 4.5 in
1763 Pair of George III Sterling Silver Candlesticks by William Cafe, English
By William Cafe
Located in North Miami, FL
Introducing an exceptional pair of George III sterling silver candlesticks, meticulously created in 1763 by the skilled silversmith William Café. These candlesticks stand as a testam...
Sterling Silver
Antique Brass Sabbath Candle Holders
Located in New York, NY
This Pair of Shabbas Candle Holders, rendered in hand wrought brass with refined and classical banded detailing originate from the United States, Circa 1910. Designed to be lit prio...
Brass
Rare American Studio Craft Movement Candlestick by Ronald Hayes Pearson
By Ronald Pearson
Located in Rochester, NY
American Studio Craft movement modernist pewter pricket candlestick by master silversmith - Ronald Hayes Pearson ( 1924-1996 ) A very rare ...
Pewter, Metal
Authentic 20th Century Devil Head Candlestick Holders
Located in South Charleston, WV
Pair of cast iron Devil Head Candlestick holders. Measure 4.5" x 3.5" Verified as authentic originals. Produced in the early 20th century, these doubl...
Iron
Sold
H 8 in W 12 in D 8.5 in
Craft Revival Hand-Forged Iron Hay Fork, Ceramic & Cork Triple Candelabrum
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Handcrafted Art Studio reshaped iron hayfork & hand thrown glazed ceramic triple candlestick. Featuring a reshaped, hand-forged three pronged vintage iron hay fork with handcrafted b...
Iron
Chicago Craftsman Sterling Silver Candle Snuffer by Randahl
By Randahl Shop
Located in New York, NY
Craftsman sterling silver candle snuffer. Made by The Randahl Shop in Chicago. Domed bell bowl and straight flat handle with loop terminal. Hallm...
Sterling Silver
Blown Glass Oil Lamp by Jon Wolfard
By Jon Wolfard
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A masterfully executed blown glass oil lamp having a cylindrical form encasing a dramatic floating round oil receptacle.
Blown Glass
David N. Ebner Four Cast Bronze Candleholders
Located in Bellport, NY
Four cast bronze twisted stick form candleholders by Internationally renowned artist and craftsman David N. Ebner. The holders can be purchased in pairs. Through the use of stripp...
Bronze
Pair of Folk Art Owl and Moon Candle Sconces c. 1920
By Tom Hill
Located in Camden, ME
Whimsical pair of copper candle holders hand riveted to brass plated moons with hammered owls. Slightly different quirky sconces great for the cottage or anywhere two owls might hang out. Slight loss of plating and minor other damage consistent with a pair of 80 year old gently used candle holders.
Tin, Copper