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 Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pewter
1910s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
Early 1900s German Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass, Copper
Mid-20th Century German Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1960s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Stoneware
Mid-20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Leather
Early 20th Century Danish Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal
1970s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Clay
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century Swiss Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal
Mid-20th Century Thai Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal, Copper
Early 20th Century Norwegian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver, Enamel
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Opaline Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze, Gold Plate
2010s Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Gold
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Walnut, Burl
15th Century and Earlier American Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Agate
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood
Late 19th Century British Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Glass
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Oak
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Porcelain, Plastic
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass, Copper
Late 20th Century Korean Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Mother-of-Pearl, Lacquer
Early 2000s Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Stone
Late 19th Century Czech Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Maple
1920s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Mahogany, Oak, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
21st Century and Contemporary American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1910s German Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Oak, Zebra Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Bronze
1910s Danish Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Indian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
Early 20th Century Indian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Pottery
1980s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Wood, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Resin
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Aluminum
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Carnelian, Copper
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Amethyst, Metal
1970s Thai Vintage Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic, Earthenware
20th Century German Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Copper
2010s French Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Cherry
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Steel
2010s American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Decorative Objects
Sterling Silver, Bronze