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
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
Vintage Burl Wood & Chrome Double Photo Frame
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant vintage double photo frame featuring a rich burl wood veneer panel accented by a polished chrome border. The frame holds two square images side by side, creating a stylish di...
Metal
$856
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
Navy Blue Shagreen Photo Frame
Located in New York, NY
Elevate your treasured memories with this Navy Blue Shagreen Photo Frame, a sophisticated accent that merges timeless elegance with modern texture. The frame is wrapped in a rich sha...
Shagreen
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
Onyx Shagreen Photo Frame
Located in New York, NY
Elevate your treasured memories with this Onyx Shagreen Photo Frame, a sophisticated accent that merges timeless elegance with modern texture. The frame is wrapped in a rich shagreen...
Shagreen
Genuine Pink Quartz/Glass 5” x 7" photo frame by Tozai Home, 2015
By Tozai Home
Located in New York, 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
Unusual Italian Photo Frame with Fruits
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
O/1785 - Made by a Florentine designer some years ago, it's an unusual photo frame, with fruits and leaves in silver-plated brass - a very nice young object for Your home ! Uniq...
Brass
Clear Murano Photo Frame
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage photo frame with hand blown clear Murano "Torciglione" glass border / Made in Italy circa 1960s Measures: Height: 13 inches / width: 10 inches / depth: 2 inches For photo siz...
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
$627
H 3.15 in Dm 11.62 in
Midcentury Round Picture Photo Frame in Purple Lucite and Brass, Italy 1970s
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury beautiful round picture photo frame in purple lucite and brass. Made in Italy in the 1970s.
Metal, Brass
Pink Leather Photo Frame by Fabio Ltd
By Fabio Ltd.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pink ostrich leather and nickel-plated picture frame by Fabio Ltd Measures: Height 10.5 inches, width 8.5 inches, depth 1 inch Photo size 5 inches by 7 inches LAST 1 in stock in Los ...
Nickel
Gabriella Crespi Circular Brass and Burl Wood Photo Frame, Italy 1970s
Located in Milan, IT
Gabriella Crespi circular brass and burl wood picture frame, Italy 1970s Signed Gabriella Crespi.
Brass
Photo frame, France, 1970
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
The photo is not provided. A charming set of four antique French earthenware plates dating from the early 20th century. Each piece features a different hand-painted design: scenes o...
Glass
Aquamarine Murano Glass Photo Frame
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
This beautiful vertical photo frame is purely in the vénitien glass manufacturing tradition.The technique uses to get this rich twisted rope effect is called "torciglione" and requi...
Brass
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