Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Emerging in reaction to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated handcrafted design as a part of daily life. The history of Arts and Crafts furniture has roots in 1860s England with an emphasis on natural motifs and simple flourishes like mosaics and carvings. This work is characterized by plain construction that showcases the hand of the artisan.
The earliest American Arts and Crafts furniture dates back to the start of the 20th century. Designers working in this style in the United States initially looked to ideas put forth by The Craftsman, a magazine published by Wisconsin native Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and founder of the Craftsman style. Stickley’s furniture was practical and largely free of ornament. His Craftsman style drew on French Art Nouveau as well as the work he encountered on his travels in England. There, the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement included William Morris, who revived historical techniques such as embroidery and printed fabrics in his furnishings, and Charles Voysey, whose minimal approach was in contrast to the ornamentation favored in the Victorian era.
American Arts and Crafts work would come to involve a range of influences unified by an elevation of traditional craftsmanship. The furniture was often built from sturdy woods like oak and mahogany while featuring details such as inlaid metal, tooled leather and ceramic tiles. The style in the United States was led by Stickley, whose clean-lined chairs and benches showcased the grain of the wood, and furniture maker Charles Rohlfs, who was informed by international influences like East Asian and French Art Nouveau design.
Hubs in America included several utopian communities such as Rose Valley in Pennsylvania and the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony in New York, where craftspeople made furniture that prioritized function over any decoration. Their work would influence designers and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built some of the most elegant and iconic structures in the United States and likewise embraced a thoughtful use of materials in his furniture.
Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Alabaster
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Brass
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Mirror, Wood
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Iron
1940s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Wood
20th Century Unknown Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Driftwood
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Alabaster
Mid-17th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Art Glass
Early 20th Century Asian Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Palmwood, Reclaimed Wood
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Alabaster
1940s Central African Vintage Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Bronze
2010s Ukrainian Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Metal
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Wood
15th Century and Earlier American Antique Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Agate
21st Century and Contemporary British Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Bronze, Gold Leaf
20th Century Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Nickel
1930s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Steel
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Slag Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Brass
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Lucite
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Brass
Mid-20th Century Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Lucite
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Onyx, Travertine, Marble, Carrara Marble, Gold Leaf
1890s Danish Antique Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Wood, Fruitwood
Late 19th Century British Antique Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Oak
2010s American Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Crystal, Quartz, Concrete
Early 20th Century African Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Alabaster
Mid-20th Century European Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Mirror, Wood
1870s German Antique Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Porcelain
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Metal, Bronze
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Alabaster, Bronze, Brass
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Oak
1950s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Organic Material
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Alabaster
2010s Balinese Arts and Crafts Natural Specimens
Shell