American Craftsman Seating
Inspired by the Arts & Crafts style in England, which rebelled against the mechanization of the Industrial Revolution with a proud emphasis on handcrafted design, American Craftsman style similarly pushed against the lavishness of the Victorian era. Coined by Wisconsin-born Gustav Stickley, a furniture designer and publisher of The Craftsman magazine, American Craftsman furniture would influence homegrown styles that followed, such as Mission and the Prairie School.
Like the popular early 20th-century Craftsman houses — which feature meticulous woodwork on everything from built-in bookcases in the living room and cabinetry in the kitchen to earth-toned exteriors with exposed rafters — American Craftsman furniture was all about handmade storage cabinets, bedroom furniture, chairs and other pieces built with organic materials. “Simplicity and straightforwardness of construction has always been the leading characteristic of Craftsman furniture,” Stickley stated. And while he is often credited with most of the designs at the Craftsman Workshops in Eastwood, New York, others such as Harvey Ellis were influential in shaping the straight-backed chairs, beds with vertical slats and tables with exposed joinery that came to define the style.
Highly utilitarian with no unnecessary flair, American Craftsman furniture was designed to emphasize the essence of its modest construction and promote the natural beauty of the wood. Solid oak, cherry, walnut and mahogany were all favored by the movement’s principal figures. Another attribute commonly associated with the style is the integration of subtle details like tooled leather, inlaid metal and hammered iron handles.
Owing to the outbreak of World War I, the popularity of American Craftsman style waned as consumer spending dropped and furniture companies shifted to the production of wartime materials and goods specified in government contracts. Yet, by the 1960s, there was a renewed appreciation for this foundational modern American style, with Stickley and his contemporaries in demand for the clean, simple lines and sturdy construction of American Craftsman furniture.
Find a collection of antique American Craftsman chests, nightstands, seating, decorative objects and more furniture on 1stDibs.
1840s German Antique American Craftsman Seating
Leather, Beech, Lacquer, Paint
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique American Craftsman Seating
Wood, Oak
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Hardwood, Ash, Leather, Oak
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Hardwood, Ash
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Hardwood, Walnut
Early 20th Century American American Craftsman Seating
Wood
19th Century Antique American Craftsman Seating
Mahogany
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood
Mid-20th Century American American Craftsman Seating
Cane, Walnut
Late 19th Century American Antique American Craftsman Seating
Wood
1940s Brazilian Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Brass
2010s American American Craftsman Seating
Hardwood, Oak
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood
1950s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Leather, Wood
2010s American American Craftsman Seating
Hardwood, Oak
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood
1960s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Oak
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Hardwood, Walnut
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood
Mid-20th Century American American Craftsman Seating
Rush, Polystyrene, Maple
2010s American American Craftsman Seating
Walnut
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood, Walnut
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood, Walnut
1930s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Wrought Iron
1980s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Wood
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood
Mid-20th Century American American Craftsman Seating
Leather, Cherry
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood, Walnut
Late 20th Century American American Craftsman Seating
Maple
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood, Ash
2010s American American Craftsman Seating
Wood
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Hardwood, Cowhide, Ash
1970s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Oak
Early 19th Century American Antique American Craftsman Seating
Pine
Late 20th Century American Craftsman Seating
Upholstery, Wood
2010s American American Craftsman Seating
Wood
20th Century American American Craftsman Seating
Walnut, Burl
2010s Canadian American Craftsman Seating
Wood
Mid-20th Century American American Craftsman Seating
Wood, Walnut
Mid-20th Century North American American Craftsman Seating
Mahogany
1950s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Wood
1970s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Wood, Walnut
1980s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Maple, Walnut
1880s American Antique American Craftsman Seating
Hickory
1960s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Leather, Wood
1970s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Wood
Early 20th Century American American Craftsman Seating
Maple
1960s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American American Craftsman Seating
Maple
21st Century and Contemporary American American Craftsman Seating
Suede, Wood
2010s North American American Craftsman Seating
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American American Craftsman Seating
Wood, Paint
1950s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Poplar, Tulipwood, Walnut
1990s American American Craftsman Seating
Leather, Wood
1950s American Vintage American Craftsman Seating
Walnut