Typically made of mahogany, teak or bamboo and featuring a range of fabrics and prints with botanical patterns, antique British Colonial furniture and decor varies as it involved local materials and techniques and spanned centuries of design styles.
As the British Empire expanded from the 16th to the 20th century, its conquest and control of colonies around the world bolstered its wealth through the extraction of resources. Including colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia, this spread of often violent subjugation imposed British culture, language and faith on Indigenous peoples. The design of homes was included in this expression of imperial power, with government officials, merchants and military officers creating homes mimicking the luxuries they were used to in England.
Local artisans were commissioned to replicate British designs, resulting in versions of Regency, Chippendale, Sheraton and other styles of furniture being crafted from mahogany, rosewood, ebony and teakwood as opposed to beech and oak, which were more common in Europe. Whereas the colonial furniture for the Portuguese and Dutch regularly had motifs of indigenous flora and fauna, the British tended to want more exact reproductions of their home country’s designs.
To escape the summer heat in places such as India and the Caribbean, British colonizers relocated to airy houses in the hills or plantations, leading to foldable chairs and collapsible desks in the style of military campaign furniture. Rather than upholstery as they might have in Europe, chairs and sofas in the British Colonial style had rattan and cane seating for these higher temperature climates. The contrast between the light textiles and the dark colors of the sturdy furniture became a defining aesthetic of British Colonial interiors.
Find a collection of antique British Colonial outdoor furniture, seating, bedroom furniture, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
60-Piece Wedgwood 'Wellesley' Bone China Dinner Service
By Wedgewood
Located in Germantown, MD
60-piece Wedgwood 'Wellesley' Bone China Dinner Service Comprise of: 11 Dinner 11.75" in diameter, 11 salads 8.5" in diameter, 8 soup 8.5" in diameter, 8 bread 6.5" in diameter, 8 s...
Bone, Porcelain
$900Sale Price|50% Off
A Rare Chamberlains Worcester 1798 "Disce Pati" Admiral Duncan Armorial Plate
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
An extremely rare late 18 Century Admiral Duncan Chamberlains Worcester porcelain plate, the centre with an armorial crest of a ship in full sail beneath the banner ‘Disce Pati" within a wide spiral border of salmon pink stripes and gilt foliage sprays. There is some age related rubbing of the gilding but the plate is otherwise in great condition with no visible cracks chips or repairs. "Disce Pati" in Latin meaning "Learn to Suffer...
Porcelain
Antique Continental Floral Painted Porcelain Dinner Service
Located in London, GB
63-Piece Antique German Floral Porcelain Part Dinner Service Continental, c.1900 Largest plate: 36cm in diameter, 5cm in depth Smaller plates: 23.5cm in diameter, 2.5cm in depth. Th...
Porcelain
Tête-à-tête tea service Wedgwood
By Wedgwood
Located in Delft, NL
Tête-à-tête tea service by Wedgwood A Black on yellow cane Jasperware wedgwood stoneware with black lines and scene of Putti A serving tea set with a serving plate, 2 plates, a tea...
Stoneware
$16,374 / set
H 1.58 in W 12.6 in D 10.63 in
Chamberlains Armorial Plate Set from the Carnatic Service Nawab of the Carnatic
Located in London, GB
Chamberlains received an order for two magnicent services which were made for Nawab of the Carnatic, Azam Jah (r.1819-1825), around 1820 (India). The pink set...
Porcelain
Chamberlain Worcester Porcelain Large Orange-Ground Botanical Vase
Located in Downingtown, PA
Chamberlain Worcester Porcelain orange-ground Botanical Campana-Form Vase, circa 1840. The Chamberlain Worcester Porcelain vase is of campana-form with an orange ground body overlai...
Porcelain
Large English Porcelain Dinner Service, Minton, circa 1845
Located in New York, NY
With a soft turquoise ground, painted with a fine spray of flowers, with gilt scroll and dash borders. Comprising pair of covered tureens and stands, pair of vegetable tureens, well and tree platter...
Porcelain
$12,500 / set
H 1 in Dm 9.75 in
Spode New Stone China Imari Dinner Service, Pattern 3504, Eighty-Four Pieces
By Spode
Located in Downingtown, PA
Spode New Stone China Imari Dinner Service, Pattern 3504, Eighty-Four Pieces Circa 1822–1825 The Spode New Stone dinner service of eighty-four pieces ...
Ironstone, Ceramic
$7,980Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 4 in W 12 in D 12 in
133 Piece House of Puiforcat Kiang She Dinner Service for 12 by Limoges, France
By Puiforcat
Located in Morristown, NJ
20th c., France, a magnificent Chinese-inspired service from the 18th century "Kiang She" (on white background) from Puiforcat. 133 pieces of gilt and polychrome enameled porcelain, decorated with Koi fish and flowers, each piece signed with maker, pattern and "Limoges France" to underside. As this pattern is no longer produced this is a very rare opportunity to acquire a large service for 12. Boasting exceptional savoir-faire, the House...
Porcelain, Paint
18th Century Italian Doccia Porcelain Dinner Service
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
A dinner service comprising six dinner dishes and six soup dishes made by the Doccia Porcelain Manufactory, circa 1750. Italy was the site of Europ...
Porcelain
$75,000 / set
H 1.25 in Dm 8.5 in
English Chamberlain Worcester Porcelain Part Dessert Service, circa 1815
Located in New York, NY
Comprising footed compote, pair of covered sauce tureens, one gallery (partially restored), pair of lozenge-shaped dishes, pair of kidney-shaped dishes, four shell dishes, four squar...
Porcelain
$2,500 / set
H 5 in Dm 10 in
Eva Zeisel Castleton China Porcelain "Museum Dinner Service" Four Place Settings
By Eva Zeisel
Located in Sharon, CT
The set consists of 25 pieces: Four cups and four saucers 6 5/8" x 2 1/2", four dinner plates 10 1/2" diameter, four soup bowls 7 13/16" x 2", four salad plates 8 1/4" diameter, four...
Porcelain
$3,950
H 8 in W 9 in D 6 in
Antique Chamberlain Worcester English Porcelain Pug Mother Dog & Puppy Figurine
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A rare, early 19th century English hard-paste porcelain pug & puppy figurine. These early English figurines are all modeled after the Meissen facto...
Porcelain
$5,750 / set
H 9.5 in Dm 7 in
Superb Pair of Regency Period Chamberlain-Worcester Armorial Sauce Tureens
By Robert Chamberlain (b.1736)
Located in Palm Beach, FL
A pair of Regency period tureens vibrantly painted in underglaze cobalt blue with richly gilded dolphin supports and top. On the side of each tureen is the crest of the family of Ble...
Porcelain
HERMÈS & LIMOGES “Les Toucans”, 1986 – Partial Dinner Service
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
**HERMÈS & LIMOGES “Les Toucans”, model designed in 1986** Partial dinner service in polychrome enamelled porcelain decorated with toucans perched on branches, comprising 30 pie...
Porcelain
1950s Wedgwood Imari Pattern Dinner Plate
By Wedgwood
Located in Stamford, CT
1950s Wedgwood Imari pattern dinner plate. Stamped Wedgwood on the underside. Made for William H. Plummer & Co. in New York City.
Porcelain
$24,562 / set
H 1.97 in W 23.63 in D 9.45 in
Royal Copenhagen Ichthyological Porcelain Part Dinner 'Fish-Service'
Located in London, GB
A Royal Copenhagen Ichthyological porcelain part dinner 'fish-service' Danish, 20th century Plates: height 2cm, diameter 24cm Long dish: height 5cm, width 60cm, depth 24cm Cons...
Porcelain
Collection of 227 Pieces of Flow Blue China
Located in Stamford, CT
The count of 188 pieces is good antique china with some minor flaws. This set includes an additional 39 pieces of chipped or cracked pieces that might be useful on display or restored. One company is Touraine by Stanley Pottery, marked England. Price is for whole set of 227 pieces. The 188 Good Pieces: 25 cups. 4"dia. 30 saucers 6" dia 27 dinner plates. 10" dia 39 soup plate. 9" dia 15 dessert/salad plates. 8" dia 15 fruit bowls 5.5" dia. 11 pitchers/creamers/gray boats...
Porcelain
Pair of Blue and White Leaf Form Staffordshire Porcelain Trays
Located in Leesburg, VA
Pair of Blue and White Leaf Form Staffordshire Porcelain Trays Anonymous Staffordshire, England; First half of the 19th century Porcelain blue transferware Approximate size: 5.25 (l) x 5 (w) x 1.5 (h) ea. A pair of leaf-form blue transferware dishes...
Porcelain
Sold
H 1.25 in W 5.25 in D 5 in
Three Blue and White Staffordshire Porcelain Leaf Form Dishes - Canton style
Located in Leesburg, VA
Three Blue and White Staffordshire Porcelain Leaf Form Dishes with Canton style Chinoiserie scenes Anonymous Staffordshire, England; First half of the 19th century Porcelain blue transferware Approximate size: 5.25 (l) x 5 (w) x 1.5 (h) ea. The present suite of three leaf-form blue transferware dishes...
Porcelain
Sold
H 5.75 in W 3 in D 2 in
Antique English Staffordshire Porcelain Figurine Boy with Rabbit Pheasant 6”
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique 19th century Staffordshire porcelain figure in the shape of a boy standing next to a rabbit hutch and grasping a pheasant.
Porcelain
Sold
H 3.75 in W 2.75 in D 1.5 in
Antique Miniature English Staffordshire Porcelain Spaniel Dog Figurine
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique miniature Staffordshire porcelain figurine in the shape of a red and white King Charles spaniel with gold collar.
Porcelain
Sold
H 2.75 in W 1.75 in D 1.25 in
Vintage Miniature English Staffordshire Porcelain Seated Dog Spaniel Figurine
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage 3" porcelain figurine in the shape of a white and red spotted King Charles Spaniel, similar in style to old Staffordshire porcelain.
Porcelain
Sold
H 4.25 in W 3.5 in D 3.5 in
6pc Vtg English Crown Staffordshire Fox Hunting Tea Coffee Cups Mugs Saucers Box
Located in Dayton, OH
"Vintage six piece assorted lot of Crown Staffordshire porcelain featuring a spiraling landscape scene of a fox hunt with dogs, horses and equestrian figures. Lot includes one coffee mug, one tea cup and saucer, one demitasse and saucer, and a British bone china (not Crown Staffordshire) round trinket...
Porcelain
Sold
H 16.5 in W 6 in D 5.5 in
2 Large and Antique German Dresden School Hand Painted & Gilt Porcelain Figures
Located in Big Flats, NY
A pair of large antique German Dresden School porcelain figures feature hand painted courting couple in countryside setting, gilt highlights throughout, blue anchor and "Made in Germ...
Porcelain
Sold
H 7.75 in W 4 in D 3.5 in
Pair of German Meissen Figural Porcelain Colonial Courting Couple, circa 1880
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique pair of German Miessen hand-painted porcelain figures depicts courting couple in woodland setting, gilt highlights throughout, crossed sword mark on bases, circa 1880. Mea...
Porcelain