Arts and Crafts Furniture
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.
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Early 20th Century Austrian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal, Brass, Wire
Early 20th Century Unknown Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
1940s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
Early 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster, Brass
1930s Swedish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fabric, Birch
1970s Dutch Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
2010s Afghan Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
1890s Czech Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Art Glass
20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wicker
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stained Glass
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stone, Travertine, Marble
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Upholstery, Oak
1920s British Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pine
1970s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
1880s French Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Porcelain
1920s Danish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Upholstery, Oak
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Chinese Arts and Crafts Furniture
Agate, Bronze
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Travertine, Marble
Late 19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood, Upholstery
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wrought Iron
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
1930s Czech Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Straw, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Late 19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Metal
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
1880s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Beech
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stained Glass
1980s Mexican Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Silver
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Iron
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak, Glass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
1920s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
1880s French Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Slag Glass
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1930s British Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak, Glass
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stained Glass, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Upholstery, Oak