Sometimes called “knock-down” furniture, campaign furniture was designed to be folded, collapsed, taken apart and packed flat to load onto a ship or a camel’s back. Although mobile furniture for military campaigns dates back to the Romans, the British Army in its global conquests in the 18th and 19th centuries defined the style with sturdy and elegant pieces. Even in a tent thousands of miles from London, a four-poster bed, dining table and seating could simulate the comforts of home.
Antique and vintage campaign-style furniture was also initially designed as propaganda. The mahogany and teak structures were part of a purposeful demonstration of power in these campaigns, with the colonizing military officers imposing their culture and view of what they considered “civilized” on a given land and its peoples. Designers and manufacturers including Thomas Butler, Ross & Co. of Dublin, and Morgan & Sanders contributed to the rapid production of this furniture as the British Empire expanded through Africa, Asia and Australia.
Campaign furniture was utilitarian as well as refined, fitted with recessed brass handles and brass angles on stackable chests and other case pieces to protect vulnerable corners. The Wellington chest was one of the most famous pieces to come out of this style, named for the Duke of Wellington, who slept in his campaign bed long after his battles were over.
The flexibility of campaign-style furniture would influence 20th-century Scandinavian modernists such as Kaare Klint, Mogens Koch and Arne Norell. For his 1930s Safari chair, Klint drew on the simple Roorkhee chair, named for a town in northern India. The lightweight and adaptable campaign-style seat was created in the late 19th century and had no fixed joinery. The Roorkhee’s influence can also be seen in the Wassily chair, a pared-down work of tubular metal and durable canvas conceived by legendary Bauhaus instructor Marcel Breuer.
Now, 21st-century designers like Jomo Tariku and Dokter and Misses are creating pieces that recognize the contributions of African artisans to campaign furniture in order to reframe this style without overlooking its difficult past.
Find a collection of authentic antique and vintage campaign bedroom furniture, chairs, decorative objects and other pieces on 1stDibs.
French Antique Confit Pot Yellow Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Pottery
French Antique Confit Pot Yellow Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Pottery
French Antique Confit Pot Green Yellow Redware Yellowware Art Pottery France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Pottery
French Antique Confit Pot Cruche Yellow Redware Yellowware Art Pottery France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot Cruche from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for watter . This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique pott...
Pottery
Italian Large Pines Decorated Terracotta Vase, 1940s
Located in Milan, IT
Italian large pines decorated terracotta vase, 1940s.
Terracotta
French Confit Pot
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
19th C French confit pot. 1890. Has some historical damage. Dimensions 11.5 inches (29 cms) High 9.5 inches (24 cms) Diameter.
Pottery
French Confit Pot
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
19th C French confit pot. 1890. Has some historical damage. Dimensions: 12.5 inches (32 cms) High 11.5 inches (29 cms) Diameter.
Pottery
Small 19th Century Yellow Glazed French Ceramic Confit Jar #3
Located in Munich, DE
Beautiful small confit jar with its characteristic yellow glaze. Confit jars were used primarily in the South of France for the preservation of meats such as duck or goose for dishes such as cassoulet or foie gras...
Terracotta
Compton Pottery Celtic Style Terracotta Pot
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
An English Compton Pottery Celtic style terracotta pot or planter dating from the early 20th century. With its spectacular red colour and Art Nouveau style...
Terracotta
French Antique Pair of "Pebble-Pot" Raised Garden Planters
Located in East Point, GA
A French pair of 22" tall raised outdoor planters from the early 20th century. This antique pair of planters from France have been made of cast stone and have playfully decorated sheathed exteriors which have been tiled with stone pebbles...
Cast Stone
Large Green Terracotta Confit Pot, France 19th Century
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A large and beautiful antique Provençal terracotta confit pot, glazed in a stunning deep green. Featuring two side handles, this pot would have originally served a very utilitarian purpose in a French kitchen, stored in a stone-lined larder or outhouse to keep all...
Earthenware, Terracotta
19th Century French Terracotta Planter, Green Glazed, Circa 1850
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th century green glazed terracotta pottery jar or planter from the Southwest of France. Hole in bottom. Minor losses to glaze and chipped rim. A beautiful garden ornament, founta...
Terracotta
Various French Confit Pots
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Various 19th C French confit pots. 1880. Prices range from £100 - £200 per pot. Dimensions of smallest pot - 7"D x 9"H Dimensions 16 inches ...
Pottery
$390
H 11 in W 11 in D 9 in
Vintage French Provincial Yellow Terracotta Glazed Confit Pottery Jar w/ Handles
Located in New Orleans, LA
Vintage hand-made French Provincial yellow terracotta glazed confit pottery jar with handles. Per the last photo we have a few of these in various sizes...
Pottery
$365Sale Price|20% Off
H 2.25 in Dm 11.75 in
Rare Sgraffito Redware Slip Decorated Pottery Charger Large Plate, 19th Century
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
A large charger plate made of Redware pottery, all hand decorated in the Sgraffito Slip Decorated technique, with a stylized floral pattern. Thi...
Earthenware
$8,822
H 18.12 in W 20.08 in D 20.08 in
Compton Pottery for Liberty’s Pair of Antique Neoclassical Terracotta Pots
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A matching pair of antique neoclassical style terracotta pots, stamped Liberty & Co and attributed to Compton Pottery. Dating from the early 20th century, these reclaimed terracotta...
Terracotta
Monumental 19th C Italian Glazed Pottery Planter
Located in Hudson, NY
This very good Italian tin glazed pottery planter is in an antique brazier form. The form from antiquity was used as a source of heat and for the burni...
Earthenware
Pair of Wedgwood & Bentley Agate Plant Pots
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
A pair of plant pots covered in marbled brown glaze emulating agate gemstone encircled with checkered rims accented in gold, made circa 1770 by Wedgwood &...
Creamware, Pottery
$360Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 3 in W 4.25 in D 4.25 in
Two Southwestern Native American Redware Pueblo Pottery Signed Bowls 20thC
Located in Big Flats, NY
Two Southwestern Native American Redware Pueblo Pottery Artist Signed Bowls 20thC Small 2 1/8" x 3" x 3" Large - 3" x 4 1/4" X 4 1/4" A pair of Sout...
Pottery
Sold
H 9.85 in W 9.85 in D 9.85 in
French Antique Confit Yellow Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Pottery
Sold
H 9.85 in W 9.85 in D 9.85 in
French Antique Confit Yellow Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Pottery
Sold
H 7.49 in W 6.7 in D 9.06 in
XL French Antique Confit Green Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Pottery
Sold
H 7.48 in W 7.87 in D 7.87 in
French Antique Confit Green Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Pottery
Sold
H 9.05 in W 9.84 in D 9.84 in
XL French Antique Confit Pot Green Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Pottery
Sold
H 8.66 in W 9.05 in D 9.05 in
XL French Antique Confit Green Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Pottery
Sold
H 12.2 in W 11.02 in D 9.48 in
XL French Antique Confit Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antiq...
Pottery
Sold
H 12.2 in W 11.02 in D 9.48 in
XL French Antique Confit Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antiq...
Pottery
Sold
H 13.78 in W 11.81 in D 8.26 in
XXL French Antique Confit Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antiq...
Pottery
Sold
H 13.39 in W 12.6 in D 11.02 in
XXL French Antique Confit Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antiq...
Pottery
XL French Antique Confit Pot Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antiq...
Pottery
XS French Antique Confit Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antiq...
Pottery
Sold
H 13.39 in W 12.6 in D 11.02 in
XXL French Antique Confit Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antiq...
Pottery
French Antique Confit Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antiq...
Pottery
Sold
H 14.86 in W 9.96 in D 14.86 in
Xxl French Antique Confit Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century. Originally used for storing preserves. This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antiq...
Pottery