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
Oak
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver
1960s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Murano Glass
1910s Danish Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Marble
Mid-20th Century Thai Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Enamel, Sterling Silver, Silver
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Hardwood
Early 20th Century Canadian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Early 20th Century Thai Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 1900s European Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1920s Austrian Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Terracotta
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze, Wrought Iron
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Steel
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Terracotta
2010s Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Cypress
1960s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Cut Glass
1930s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
Late 19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Silver
1890s Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
20th Century Mexican Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Reed
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Hardwood
1910s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Britannia Standard Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Clay
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Swiss Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Earthenware, Majolica
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1910s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Mid-19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Earthenware
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Oak
20th Century Thai Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Giltwood
1970s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 20th Century Japanese Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Silver, Enamel
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wrought Iron
1940s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Walnut
Early 20th Century Danish Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze
1910s Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
EPNS
1940s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Silver, Copper
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
1890s European Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Iron
Early 20th Century Russian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Silver
Early 20th Century German Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Fruitwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Stone, Silver
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery