Sometimes called “knock-down” furniture, campaign furniture was designed to be folded, collapsed, taken apart and packed flat to load onto a ship or a camel’s back. Although mobile furniture for military campaigns dates back to the Romans, the British Army in its global conquests in the 18th and 19th centuries defined the style with sturdy and elegant pieces. Even in a tent thousands of miles from London, a four-poster bed, dining table and seating could simulate the comforts of home.
Antique and vintage campaign-style furniture was also initially designed as propaganda. The mahogany and teak structures were part of a purposeful demonstration of power in these campaigns, with the colonizing military officers imposing their culture and view of what they considered “civilized” on a given land and its peoples. Designers and manufacturers including Thomas Butler, Ross & Co. of Dublin, and Morgan & Sanders contributed to the rapid production of this furniture as the British Empire expanded through Africa, Asia and Australia.
Campaign furniture was utilitarian as well as refined, fitted with recessed brass handles and brass angles on stackable chests and other case pieces to protect vulnerable corners. The Wellington chest was one of the most famous pieces to come out of this style, named for the Duke of Wellington, who slept in his campaign bed long after his battles were over.
The flexibility of campaign-style furniture would influence 20th-century Scandinavian modernists such as Kaare Klint, Mogens Koch and Arne Norell. For his 1930s Safari chair, Klint drew on the simple Roorkhee chair, named for a town in northern India. The lightweight and adaptable campaign-style seat was created in the late 19th century and had no fixed joinery. The Roorkhee’s influence can also be seen in the Wassily chair, a pared-down work of tubular metal and durable canvas conceived by legendary Bauhaus instructor Marcel Breuer.
Now, 21st-century designers like Jomo Tariku and Dokter and Misses are creating pieces that recognize the contributions of African artisans to campaign furniture in order to reframe this style without overlooking its difficult past.
Find a collection of authentic antique and vintage campaign bedroom furniture, chairs, decorative objects and other pieces on 1stDibs.
Genuine Cowhide 5" x 7" Photo Frame
Located in Miami, FL
Offered is an Italian-crafted cow-hide and leather photo frame that fits a 5" x 7" photograph below the protective glass shield. The frame measures 10.375" W, 0.375" D, and 12.5" H.
Cowhide, Leather, Glass, Paper
$210 / item
Italian Leather and Wood Round Photo Frame
Located in Miami, FL
Offered is a round photo frame made in Italy of fine wood and supple leather. The frame is 11" in diameter, 0.625" in thickness. The round center i...
Leather, Glass, Wood
$877
H 4.73 in Dm 8.86 in
Dior Round Photo Frame in Golden Brass, Lucite and Vienna Straw, Italy, 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
Stunning round picture frame made of golden brass and Lucite, enriched inside with Vienna straw. This incredibly stylish photo frame is attributed to a Dior Home design and was produ...
Brass
Italian Photo Frame Handmade Wood, Double Heart
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Double Heart is a unique arge Italian hand crafted wood double photo frame by sculptor Massimo Pasini. Wood is a very warm material and it is very m...
Wood
1960s Italian Square Chrome Photo Frame
Located in Florence, Tuscany
A gorgeous small 1960s Italian photo frame made in chrome. The frame itself is square but the aperture for displaying a photo is a circle. An iconic 1960s design in good condition.
Chrome
$176Sale Price|20% Off
H 10 in W 8 in D 0.75 in
Genuine Pink Quartz/Glass 5” x 7" photo frame by Tozai Home, 2015
By Tozai Home
Located in South Salem, NY
Tozai Home’s 5" x 7" Genuine Pink Quartz frame transforms any photo into a statement piece. Can hold a vertical or horizontal photo. The thick, polished quartz sides reveal the natur...
Rose Quartz
ITALIAN Photo Frame Silver Handmade , Trust
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Trust is an Italian photo frame silver handmade by Laura G Art with Heart. A stylized orange-flower design provides a well-wishing motif for Tr...
Silver
Puiforcat - Sterling Silver Photo Frame
By Puiforcat
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Sterling silver photo frame from Maison Puiforcat With guilloché decoration Minerva hallmark 1st title Puiforcat silversmith hallmark Length: 32.2 cm Width: 26.2 cm Weigh...
Sterling Silver
Napoleon III bronze photo frame
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Napoleon III bronze photo frame Origin France Circa 1900 Napoleon the Third style gilt bronze frame decorated with perfectly set colored stones Materials Gilded bronze and paste ston...
Multi-gemstone, Bronze
$299Sale Price|20% Off
H 2.37 in W 1.97 in D 0.79 in
Antique Picture Frame, Brass Photo Frame, France, 2 x 3 cm
Located in Greven, DE
Beautiful picture frame, France circa 1930. Picture size: 2 cm x 3 cm. Brass frames are distinguished by their characteristic golden color, which intensifies over time through the fo...
Brass
Vintage Round Scalloped Capiz Photo Frame - India
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A round vintage scalloped capiz photo frame. This piece will be a great addition to a bedside table, bookshelf, or side table. The frame is created from pearlized capiz which is arra...
Shell
1950s Round Perspex Photo Frame
Located in Florence, Tuscany
A very pretty Italian plexiglass and brass photo frame. This frame perfectly houses a small circular photo on a desk. It is made of three concentric tubes of plexiglass held together...
Brass
1960s Resin Photo Frame for Two Photos.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Resin photo frame for two photos from the 1960s. H: 15,5cm, W: 20cm, D: 2cm Contact us before ordering to confirm product availability.
Resin
Large Photo Frame Walnut Wood, Humour Wood
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Humour wood is a large wood photo frame, a design edition of the Italian collection of picture frames Laura G Art with Heart. It is realized by Italian handcrafts in walnut wood. It...
Wood
Burchell's Zebra Skin and Mahogany Wood Frame
Located in New York, NY
Burchell's zebra skin and mahogany wood frame for a 5" X 7" photo. Beautifully hand made in Kenya by local artisans exclusively for Creel and Gow.
Mahogany, Zebra Hide