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.
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1930s Austrian Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
2010s Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Cypress
Late 19th Century British Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper, Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Silver
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Oak
1920s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1980s Argentine Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Plaster
1920s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery
Late 19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Pottery
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
1870s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Majolica, Pottery
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1920s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Multi-gemstone, Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Stoneware
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
Mid-20th Century Balinese Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Cane, Boxwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver, Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1940s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver, Bronze
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pewter
2010s North Korean Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Resin, PVC
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze, Copper
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Silver Plate
1880s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Earthenware
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Olive
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron, Wire
19th Century German Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1910s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 20th Century German Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
Late 20th Century Japanese Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin