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.
$190Sale Price / set|70% Off
Fab Pair Campaign Bamboo Tortoiseshell Folding Chairs
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Pair of vintage campaign bamboo with tortoiseshell finials folding chairs.
Bamboo
Set of Four 1970s British Colonial Burnt Bamboo Tortoise Chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Very good set of four British Colonial Style Burnt Bamboo Tortoise folding chairs. Well constructed and sturdy. An additional set of four is also available for purchase.
Bamboo
$1,992Sale Price|20% Off
British Colonial Teak Slipper Chair With Leather Upholstery
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Circa 1920's Hand carved Victorian Slipper chair constructed from Teak wood and re-upholstered in brown leather.
Teak
Rupert Bevan Croft Bar Stool (in customer's own choice of material/leather)
By Rupert Bevan
Located in London, GB
Inspired by our Croft Dining Chair, the Croft Bar Stool was created to give the design versatility, allowing the piece to move seamlessly between the dining room and into the bar. ...
Leather, Upholstery, Oak
Pair of Antique Caned British Colonial Planters Chairs
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Intriguing pair of early 20th century British Colonial plantation chairs handcrafted in indigenous mahogany with elegant form featuri...
Cane, Mahogany
Pair of 19th Century British Colonial Child's Chairs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of 19th century British Colonial chairs made for children with cane seats, nicely carved arms and half-moon legs.
Wood, Cane
Danish child chair 1930s
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Tiny child chair in stained pine. With the right amount of patina.
Pine
Antique British Colonial Teak and Rattan Hall Elbow Chair, C. 1900
Located in London, GB
Antique British Colonial Teak and Rattan Hall Elbow Chair, C. 1900 Good solid construction with historic repairs (please refer to photos). Please message for a specific destination...
Rattan, Teak
Rupert Bevan Croft Dining Chair (in customer's own choice of material/leather)
By Rupert Bevan
Located in London, GB
Our signature Croft Dining Chair sits comfortably in both traditional and contemporary settings, with its generous seat and elegant backrest. Legs and frame in solid oak with a light...
Leather, Upholstery, Oak
Early 20th Century Hand Carved Antique Wooden Oak Chair
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Art Nouveau Spiral Spindle Antique Chair. Made from walnut, American-made from the 1930's. Hand-carved. Purchased at an antique store in New Orleans.
Oak
Great Pair of Vintage Mahogany Planters Chairs
Located in Richmond, VA
Great pair of vintage mahogany planters chairs with canvas.
Canvas, Mahogany
Italian antique colonial bamboo wood and damask fabric chair, 1910s
Located in MIlano, IT
Colonial chair with wooden structure with round section slats and bamboo covering, padded seat and backrest covered in their original damask fabric. 1910 ca. Good general condition. ...
Fabric, Bamboo, Wood
Set of Six Bamboo and Wicker Folding Chairs
Located in Bridgehampton, NY
Set of six bamboo and woven wicker folding chairs whenever you need extra seating.
Bamboo, Wicker
Frank Gehry Easy Edges Chairs and Ottoman
By Frank Gehry
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Frank Gehry pair of easy Edges chair and ottoman. Easy Edges, Inc. Canada/USA, 1972. Laminated cardboard, masonite. Chair: 29¼ H × 23¼ W × 39 D in, ottoman: 14¾ H × 17¾ W × 30 D in (...
Masonite, Paper
English Child's Chair of Fruitwood with Rush Seat
Located in Austin, TX
A fine English child's chair from the 19th century, featuring a handsomely patinated fruitwood frame with splat back and rush seat.
Rush, Wood, Fruitwood
$1,400 / set
H 35 in W 18 in D 25 in
Set of Four Midcentury Tortoise Shell Style Burnt Bamboo Folding Chairs
By Ficks Reed
Located in Doylestown, PA
Beautiful set of four vintage tortoise shell burnt bamboo folding chairs. Great for extra side seating or dining chairs featuring an open weave rattan cane seat back and a space-savi...
Bamboo, Rattan
$17,740 / set
H 28 in W 25.2 in D 19.7 in
Set of 5 Contemporary Sculptural Bar Stool Brass Metal & Tobacco Leather
Located in Alcoy, Alicante
The Hug contemporary barstool is designed and conceived with a light aesthetic, the slight oscillation of the steel rod of 12 mm is complemented by the flexibility of the double 3.5 ...
Steel
Pair of French Folding Chairs
Located in New York, NY
Pair of antique French folding chairs with iron frames. Distinctive vertical beechwood slats form the backs and contrast nicely with the traditional horizontal slated seats.
Iron
Slipper Chairs by Edward Wormley for Dunbar Janus Collection
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Stylish and elegant slipper chairs by Edward Wormley for Dunbar ca' 1950's. Upholstered in Fret custom Italian silk velvet, luxurious to the touch, (samples available). Chocolate bra...
Mahogany
Vintage 1970s Bamboo Rattan Chairs, Set of 4
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and ...
Bamboo, Rattan, Leather
$4,226 / set
H 37.01 in W 19.69 in D 21.66 in
Set of 6 Bamboo Dining Chairs from Gasparucci Italo, 1970s
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Very nice set of 6 Italian dining chairs, fabricated in the 1970s by Gasparucci Italo. They are made of bamboo. The chairs are in good vintage condition. We work with professi...
Bamboo
$996Sale Price|20% Off
H 20.75 in W 17.5 in D 8 in
Mid-19th Century Child’s Grain Painted Miniature Chest of Drawers
Located in Nantucket, MA
Mid-19th century Benchmade child’s grain painted Miniature chest of drawers. A country piece in the American Empire style, with a step-back drawer and backsplash, above the case with...
Wood
$1,879
H 29.34 in W 15.16 in D 16.54 in
Rare circa 1890 Solid Fruitwood Brass Fitting Military Campaign Folding Chair
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this very rare circa 1890 antique Military Campaign fold chair in fruitwood with brass fittings A genuine Campaign used piece, very strong and l...
Brass
$3,900
H 25 in W 74.25 in D 25.5 in
British Colonial Handwoven Cane Turned Wood Spindle Frame Chaise Lounge Daybed
Located in Miami, FL
1950 refinished British Colonial handwoven Cane Chaise Lounge, Daybed or Sofa with turned Wood Frame and support Stretchers in brown Finish. Bohemian Chic Style with a graceful form ...
Cane, Wood
Pair Brighton Pavillon Burnt Bamboo Cane Chairs Pale Blue Cushions
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Just in this A pair of late early 20th century bamboo open armchairs in the Brighton Pavilion Taste each with an inserted black and gold lacquered figurative panel. New French Pale B...
Bamboo, Cane, Lacquer
Antique British Colonial Plantation Chair with Book Stand
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Rare and remarkable 19th Century English colonial plantation chair handcrafted in mahogany in elegant form, featuring a caned seat, turned an...
Brass
Sold
H 81.11 in W 27.96 in D 29.73 in
Early 19th Century Masonic Lodge Ceremonial Throne Chair with Magic Symbols
Located in London, GB
Antique Masonic Chair, Throne Chair, Gothic Chair, Occult Chair, Religious Antique Chair, Masonic Antique. Early 19th Century Masonic Lodge Ceremonial T...
Fabric, Paint, Wood
Thomasville Ernest Hemingway Anson Accent Chairs
By Thomasville
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on CONTINUE READING at the bottom of this page. Offering One Of Our Recent Palm Beach Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A Pair of Very Comfortabl...
Cotton, Mahogany
Edward Tuttle for McGuire Coastal Rattan Butterfly Chair
By Edward Tuttle, McGuire
Located in Norwalk, CT
Designed by Edward Tuttle for McGuire's Coastal Collection, this example of the sculptural peacock chair, known to many as the "butterfly" chair is in excellent condition. Featuring...
Rattan
Vintage Burnt Bamboo Tortoise Folding Chairs - a Set of 8
Located in Charleston, SC
British Colonial style burnt bamboo tortoise folding chairs, a set of 8. Most are in near perfect condition. But 2 have a missing slat on the back. Brass hardware and very sturdy.
Brass
A George VI 1937 Coronation Chair and Stool
Located in Faversham, GB
A George VI 1937 Coronation Chair and Stool designed by Edward Barnsley for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, London on 12th May 1937. The chairs for the coronation of King George ...
Velvet, Oak
Pair of Antique Plantation Chairs
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Standout pair of antique British colonial planters chairs crafted with mahogany in an unusual elegant form having inclined caned seats,...
Cane, Mahogany
Sold
H 37 in W 42 in D 25 in
Antique British Colonial Anglo Indian Teak Distressed Plantation Armchair
Located in Dayton, OH
Early 20th century British Colonial Anglo Indian plantation chair. Made from teak in mortise and tenon joinery with a relaxed lounged frame and long arms. Features a curved crest rai...
Teak
Sold
H 40.95 in W 24.41 in D 32.29 in
Rare 19th Century Campaign Chair by Herbert McNair Carved Oak and Tan Leather
Located in Reading, Berkshire
A Wonderful Antique 19th Century Ecclesiastical Campaign Chair by Herbert McNair Carved Oak & Polished Tan Leather Adjustable Reclining Seat. James Herbert MacNair (23 December 186...
Leather, Oak
Antique British Colonial Cane and Carved Teak Lounge Chair
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Beautiful antique carved teak and cane lounge chair. The beauty is truly in the details of this chair. The carved and turned wood are stunning. It's in excellent condition for its ag...
Cane, Teak
Set of Six Masonic Throne Armchairs in Oak, circa 1880
Located in Faversham, GB
A stunning set of six Masonic throne armchairs in oak. Carved triangular pediments with broad back panels and carved finials over a dished seat. Each armrest features two quatrefoil ...
Oak