Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
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.
Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.
1940s Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1940s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Silver, Sterling Silver
1940s Central African Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Bronze
Early 2000s Swiss Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Stainless Steel
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Early 20th Century Swiss Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Steel, Nickel
1950s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Aluminum
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Sterling Silver
Mid-19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Early 20th Century Saint Pierre and Miquelon Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Steel
1940s Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1950s British Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Sterling Silver
1940s Unknown Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1940s Spanish Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
1940s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1940s German Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Oak
1940s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Collectibles and Curiosities
Ceramic