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British Colonial Folk Art

BRITISH COLONIAL STYLE

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.

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Style: British Colonial
Antique British Colonial Sailors Valentine
Antique British Colonial Sailors Valentine

Antique British Colonial Sailors Valentine

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Enchanting 19th century English sailors valentine handcrafted in exotic seashells, in horse shoe form, lovingly arranged around an image of a steamship under a convex lens.

Category

19th Century English Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Organic Material

Antique Star Form Sailors Valentine
Antique Star Form Sailors Valentine

Antique Star Form Sailors Valentine

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Charming antique sailors valentine handcrafted in exotic seashells in a star form with a rocky coastline image under a convex oval lens.

Category

19th Century English Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Organic Material

Antique Victorian Cast Iron Bookbinding Press Screw Nipping Press
Antique Victorian Cast Iron Bookbinding Press Screw Nipping Press

Antique Victorian Cast Iron Bookbinding Press Screw Nipping Press

Located in Tyler, TX

EXCELLENT Antique Victorian Cast Iron Book Press~~c. 19th century Beautiful decorative Victorian era green book press nipping press 13" tall x...

Category

Late 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Iron

English Victorian Brass and Wood Cane
English Victorian Brass and Wood Cane

English Victorian Brass and Wood Cane

Located in Queens, NY

English Victorian wood cane with brass ball top and diamond hole design.

Category

19th Century British Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Brass

Antique American Country Clothes Iron
Antique American Country Clothes Iron

Antique American Country Clothes Iron

Located in Queens, NY

American Country-style (19th Century) wrought iron clothes iron with wood handle

Category

19th Century American Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Iron

Pair of Antique British Colonial Sailors Valentine
Pair of Antique British Colonial Sailors Valentine

Pair of Antique British Colonial Sailors Valentine

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Charming pair of 19th century British colonial sailors valentines handcrafted in exotic seashells around an image of a schooner under glass.

Category

19th Century English Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Organic Material

Carved Wood Colorful Life Size Palm Tree Sculpture
Carved Wood Colorful Life Size Palm Tree Sculpture

Carved Wood Colorful Life Size Palm Tree Sculpture

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Extraordinary tall vintage palm tree sculpture handcrafted in wood carved and paint decorated with leaves, coconuts, trunk, and weighted terra firma base.

Category

20th Century Balinese British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Hardwood, Paint

Antique British Colonial Heart Form Sailors Valentine
Antique British Colonial Heart Form Sailors Valentine

Antique British Colonial Heart Form Sailors Valentine

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Charming 19th Century English heart form sailors valentine ambitiously handcrafted with exotic seashells around a sailboat image as seen through a glass lens.

Category

Late 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Shell

English Country Wood & Iron Nautical Mallet

English Country Wood & Iron Nautical Mallet

Located in Queens, NY

2 English Country style wood and iron nautical deck mallet. PRICED EACH (19/20th Cent)

Category

19th Century British Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Iron

Painted Wrought Iron Anchor
Painted Wrought Iron Anchor

Painted Wrought Iron Anchor

Located in Queens, NY

Painted wrought iron anchor

Category

19th Century Unknown Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Iron

Pair of White Terracotta Lions
Pair of White Terracotta Lions

Pair of White Terracotta Lions

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Whimsical pair of Italian midcentury terracotta male and female lions with a white glaze and painted details. Although hardly ferocious these seated big c...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Terracotta

English Country Wooden Ship Wheel
English Country Wooden Ship Wheel

English Country Wooden Ship Wheel

Located in Queens, NY

English Country style wooden ship wheel with spokes. (19th Cent)

Category

19th Century British Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Rustic Country Carved Wooden Yoke
Rustic Country Carved Wooden Yoke

Rustic Country Carved Wooden Yoke

Located in Queens, NY

Rustic Country-style carved wooden yoke mounted as a wall decoration.

Category

19th Century Unknown Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Hanging Wicker Monkey after Mario Lopez Torres
Hanging Wicker Monkey after Mario Lopez Torres

Hanging Wicker Monkey after Mario Lopez Torres

By Mario Torres

Located in Oklahoma City, OK

A small hanging wicker monkey holding a grouping of leaves. This cute brown monkey is created from wicker and features arms and legs which are bent so t...

Category

20th Century American British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Wicker, Rattan, Paint

Complete Set of Pink Cloth Napkins and Faux Bamboo Brass Place Setting Set of 4
Complete Set of Pink Cloth Napkins and Faux Bamboo Brass Place Setting Set of 4

Complete Set of Pink Cloth Napkins and Faux Bamboo Brass Place Setting Set of 4

Located in Oklahoma City, OK

Make hosting and entertaining easy, with a vintage British Colonial style place setting. Over a year in the making, we’ve sourced hundreds of table settings from all over the globe and paired our favorites in a set. (See our other listings for more beauties in an array of different colors, styles and place settings from 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 16.) This set features a faux bamboo brass charger from India. It does have a slight patina to it, which makes it look even more storied. We’ve had these custom cloth napkins created just for this set. We’ve brought over this fabulous pink block print fabric from India and created 4 16” x 16” cloth dinner napkins...

Category

20th Century Indian British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Brass

Dressed Navy Sculpture, Floor Lamp  A Fibreglass mannequin in 19th Century dress
Dressed Navy Sculpture, Floor Lamp  A Fibreglass mannequin in 19th Century dress

Dressed Navy Sculpture, Floor Lamp A Fibreglass mannequin in 19th Century dress

Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

Dressed Navy Sculpture, Floor Lamp A Fibreglass mannequin in 19th Century dressed uniform, set on a pipework frame and topped with a hanging brass light, the mannequin is dated 1805...

Category

1960s Vintage British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Fiberglass

Oil on Canvas The Smoke 0f Battle signed J.C.Ambrose
Oil on Canvas The Smoke 0f Battle signed J.C.Ambrose

Oil on Canvas The Smoke 0f Battle signed J.C.Ambrose

Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

Oil on Canvas The Smoke 0f Battle signed J.C.Ambrose This is a Large Oil Painting on canvas, it is framed and has a brass plaque with the title of the painting Painted in the 20th C...

Category

1960s Vintage British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Canvas

Very Rare West Riding Constabulary Cast Iron Wall Plaque
Very Rare West Riding Constabulary Cast Iron Wall Plaque

Very Rare West Riding Constabulary Cast Iron Wall Plaque

Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

Very rare west riding constabulary cast iron wall plaque This branch of the British police force was established in 1825, Yorkshire was divided into ...

Category

1890s Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Iron

Trench Art
Trench Art

Trench Art

By British Colonial

Located in Glasgow, GB

These two fine egg cups are excellent examples of Trench Art from World War 1 . Expertly worked from two smaller shell casings . Crafted from US shell casings by a member of the Brit...

Category

1910s British Vintage British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Brass

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Sailor's Keepsake: Edwardian Shellwork Valentine Diorama of Ship
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19th Century English Sword Cane
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Late 19th Century English Sword Cane with a Snuff Top
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Located in High Point, NC

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Category

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19th Century Large Sailor's Valentine in Mahogany Case, circa 1880
19th Century Large Sailor's Valentine in Mahogany Case, circa 1880

19th Century Large Sailor's Valentine in Mahogany Case, circa 1880

Located in Nantucket, MA

Antique Large Sailor's Valentine in Mahogany Case, circa 1880, a hand-crafted shell collage with heart and rosebuds pattern within an eight-pointed star, set in a large mahogany octa...

Category

1880s Bajan Antique British Colonial Folk Art

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Pre Columbian Ancient Pedestal bowl Charci / Nariño Latin American Antiques
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Ca. 1900 RUSTIC Hanging Cabinet, Scandinavian Country Style Farmhouse Cupboard
Ca. 1900 RUSTIC Hanging Cabinet, Scandinavian Country Style Farmhouse Cupboard

Ca. 1900 RUSTIC Hanging Cabinet, Scandinavian Country Style Farmhouse Cupboard

$640Sale Price|20% Off

H 19.69 in W 11.03 in D 6.3 in

Ca. 1900 RUSTIC Hanging Cabinet, Scandinavian Country Style Farmhouse Cupboard

Located in Skien, NO

Primitive antique Arts and Crafts hanging cabinet, kitchen cabinet, key cabinet, small wall cupboard with stunning wood carving floral / dragon style pattern from the end of the 19th century / ca. 1900. Handcrafted / Handmade / Hand-Painted Victorian / National Romantic style / Arts and Crafts Style...

Category

Early 1900s European Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

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British Sailor's Woolwork of a Royal Navy Second Rate Battleship
British Sailor's Woolwork of a Royal Navy Second Rate Battleship

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British Sailor's Woolwork of a Royal Navy Second Rate Battleship, Circa 1875 The charming simple sailor's woolie depicts a starboard side view of a Royal Navy second rate battleship...

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20th Century Sword Cane
20th Century Sword Cane

20th Century Sword Cane

$2,300

H 35 in W 4 in D 2.75 in

20th Century Sword Cane

Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID

Sword cane with carved mahogany curved handle, brass collar with push pull mechanism that reveals a two sided 17 1/2" blade and brass ferrule. 2 3/4" x 4", blade 17 1/2", overall 35"...

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20th Century American British Colonial Folk Art

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Early Large Sailor's Valentine in Ebonized Case, circa 1920
Early Large Sailor's Valentine in Ebonized Case, circa 1920

Early Large Sailor's Valentine in Ebonized Case, circa 1920

Located in Nantucket, MA

Antique Large Sailor's Valentine in Ebonized Case, circa 1920, a hand-crafted shell collage with hear and rosebuds pattern set in a large ebonized octagonal shadowbox, wired on the r...

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1920s Bajan Vintage British Colonial Folk Art

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19th Century Double Sailor's Valentine
19th Century Double Sailor's Valentine

19th Century Double Sailor's Valentine

$5,800

H 9.13 in W 18.25 in D 1.25 in

19th Century Double Sailor's Valentine

Located in Nantucket, MA

Antique Double Sailor's Valentine, circa 1880, a pair of handcrafted shell collages mounted in mahogany octagonal shadowboxes, hinged together and mounted with a clasp and a chain for hanging. This valentine features a heart and the message "Forget Me Not." The valentine is in great condition, but does of course have a few shells that have come loose over the past century and a half. The cases remain in great condition as well. Each Measures: 9-1/8 in H x 9-1/8 in W Victorians in the Age of Exploration and its accompanying Eclectic Movement embraced arts and crafts from around the world. Shell boxes are frequently seen, and even the odd shell diorama...

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Previously Available Items
Antique Sailors Valentine Commemorating the Sinking of the Titanic
Antique Sailors Valentine Commemorating the Sinking of the Titanic

Antique Sailors Valentine Commemorating the Sinking of the Titanic

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Rare antique sailors valentine hand crafted in exotic seashells in the form of an anchor with a commemorative image of the RMS Titanic under a convex lens.

Category

20th Century English British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Organic Material

Antique British Colonial Sailors Valentine with Seashells
Antique British Colonial Sailors Valentine with Seashells

Antique British Colonial Sailors Valentine with Seashells

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Transporting 19th century English sailors valentine hand crafted in exotic organic seashells ambitiously arranged around a clipper ship image under a convex lens.

Category

19th Century English Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Shell, Organic Material

Zulu Walking stick
Zulu Walking stick

Zulu Walking stick

Sold

H 35.04 in W 0.79 in D 0.79 in

Zulu Walking stick

By Zulu's

Located in Glasgow, GB

A beautiful example of a Colonial Walking stick by the Zulu people of South Africa . Carved from local wood in the form of a Cricket Ball caught in the hand of the owner. A beautif...

Category

1920s Vintage British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Walking stick
Walking stick

Walking stick

Sold

H 35.44 in W 1.58 in D 1.58 in

Walking stick

By Cleghorn of Edinburgh

Located in Glasgow, GB

This is a very fine example of a late 19th century Briar wood walking stick from an Edinburgh workshop in Scotland . More used as an object of status than a walking stick but except...

Category

Late 19th Century Scottish Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Bog Wood

Two Antique Star Form Sailors Valentines
Two Antique Star Form Sailors Valentines

Two Antique Star Form Sailors Valentines

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Enchanting pair of 19th Century British Colonial sailors valentines handcrafted in exotic seashells ambitiously arranged around a convex lens displaying maritime images of a row boat...

Category

Late 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Shell

Vintage  Elephant Weathervane
Vintage  Elephant Weathervane

Vintage Elephant Weathervane

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H 21 in W 26.5 in D 5 in

Vintage Elephant Weathervane

Located in Palm Beach, FL

The African Elephant is a New England Weathervane Shop original. This elephant is a Lee Webber original vane as featured on Channel 5 Boston's Chronicle. Lee Webber is mentioned in s...

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Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Folk Art

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Brass

1940s  Wood Himachal Pot
1940s  Wood Himachal Pot

1940s Wood Himachal Pot

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H 7.88 in Dm 7.49 in

1940s Wood Himachal Pot

Located in Roma, IT

1940s Wood Himachal Pot This seemingly simple wooden vase is a design object of infinite beauty and elegance that can be placed in either an antique or a modern or contemporary set...

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Mid-20th Century Indian British Colonial Folk Art

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Very Rare Gigantic Champion Cricket Bat, Trade Sign
Very Rare Gigantic Champion Cricket Bat, Trade Sign

Very Rare Gigantic Champion Cricket Bat, Trade Sign

Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

Very Rare Gigantic Champion Cricket Bat, Trade Sign This is an unusual piece it is in remarkably good condition, it is made in Ash by the manufacturer to be used as an advertising piece...

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Mid-20th Century British Colonial Folk Art

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Pair of Italian Tole Flower Garnitures
Pair of Italian Tole Flower Garnitures

Pair of Italian Tole Flower Garnitures

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H 23 in W 16 in D 11 in

Pair of Italian Tole Flower Garnitures

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Rustic pair of Italian Tole or Painted metal lilies in full bloom with leaves and bulbs having acquired a perfect oxidized finish.

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian British Colonial Folk Art

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Royal Navy “Grog Tub”, Oak and Brass Sailor’s Rum Barrel
Royal Navy “Grog Tub”, Oak and Brass Sailor’s Rum Barrel

Royal Navy “Grog Tub”, Oak and Brass Sailor’s Rum Barrel

Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

Royal Navy “Grog Tub”, Oak and brass sailor’s rum barrel A super piece of British history, the barrel known as a “Grog Tub” was used to carry the Navy Rum ...

Category

Mid-20th Century British Colonial Folk Art

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Oak

Pericles Sailing Vessel Lidded Hand-Painted Chest
Pericles Sailing Vessel Lidded Hand-Painted Chest

Pericles Sailing Vessel Lidded Hand-Painted Chest

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Chest depicts the Pericles, Aberdeen built sailing vessel. Ship was built in 1877, chest is mid 19th century and I'm guessing the painting was done 50-7...

Category

Late 19th Century American Antique British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Wood

Tall African Wood Carved Giraffe Statue, Kenya
Tall African Wood Carved Giraffe Statue, Kenya

Tall African Wood Carved Giraffe Statue, Kenya

Located in Oklahoma City, OK

A tall carved wooden Giraffe statue from Kenya. This will be a fun addition to any space. We see it in a nursery or in a foyer. Dimensions: 36.5" t...

Category

20th Century Kenyan British Colonial Folk Art

Materials

Wood, Paint

British Colonial folk art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique British Colonial folk art for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Mid-20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage folk art created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art, decorative objects, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, paint and other materials. If you’re shopping for used British Colonial folk art made in a specific country, there are Europe, England, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original folk art, popular names associated with this style include and John Webber. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for folk art differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $180 and tops out at $10,800 while the average work can sell for $3,525.