British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
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.
20th Century Balinese British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood, Paint
20th Century Italian British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Terracotta
1970s Italian Vintage British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Brass
1970s Mexican Vintage British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Brass, Copper
18th Century Italian Antique British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Linen, Fruitwood
1990s North American British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
19th Century French Antique British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
Late 19th Century Indian Antique British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood, Paint
1930s French Vintage British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Marble, Bronze
15th Century and Earlier South American Antique British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Terracotta
Late 20th Century British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
20th Century American British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Pine
1980s American Vintage British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Mid-20th Century British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Ash
Mid-20th Century Italian British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Wicker, Reed
Mid-20th Century Italian British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Mid-20th Century Italian British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
1970s Tanzanian Vintage British Colonial Sculptures and Carvings
Ebony