Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
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.
20th Century Scandinavian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Silver Plate
1960s Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Iron
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Art Glass
Early 20th Century Chinese Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Agate, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
2010s Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Leather, Wicker
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Steel
Late 19th Century Congolese Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal, Metallic Thread
1880s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
1970s British Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Art Glass
2010s South African Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wire
2010s German Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Oak
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Japanese Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Soapstone
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper, Wrought Iron
20th Century Austrian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Porcelain, Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century German Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Danish Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pewter
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Terracotta
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper, Brass
Mid-19th Century Indian Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass, Copper
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
20th Century Japanese Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Indian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Straw, Leather
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 1900s Scottish Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Mirror, Wood
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Majolica
Early 20th Century Unknown Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
1920s Swiss Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Late 19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper, Brass
Late 19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 1900s German Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron
1910s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper