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Aesthetic Movement Buffets

AESTHETIC MOVEMENT

In 1880, polymath designer William Morris declared: “If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” His words encapsulated the Aesthetic Movement, which prized beauty above all and blurred the lines between fine art and the decorative arts, particularly through lavishly crafted furniture pieces.

The Aesthetic Movement, whose major proponents included author Oscar Wilde, flourished from the 1860s to the 1880s and was mostly popular in England and the United States. Design expositions like the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, as well as the publishing of how-to books for interior design, helped disseminate Aesthetic Movement bedroom furniture, serveware, coffee tables and other items, especially to the middle class.

The establishment of new art museums, art clubs and a rising passion for collecting at the time contributed to a growing appreciation for art. Morris’s founding of Morris & Co. in 1862 and the commercializing of this “cult of beauty” by the Liberty store in London, starting in the late 19th century, further disseminated the idea of a domestic space that was thoughtfully and floridly designed.

Leading Aesthetic Movement furniture designers included E.W. Godwin, who drew on Japanese influences and whose work reflected a wider enthusiasm for imported East Asian art. British designer Christopher Dresser created textiles, ceramics and more that were also inspired by Japanese decorative art but were representative of additional diverse design sources that ranged from Egypt to Mexico.

The Aesthetic Movement’s eclecticism resulted in dazzling interiors. Japanese fans were positioned on Renaissance-inspired cabinets with brass hardware, while mantels made of rich walnut or finely carved ebonized wood and adorned with painted Minton tiles mingled with cast-iron chairs against a backdrop of floral wallpaper. In 1881, in New York City, stenciled checkerboard motifs and painted floral murals could be found under an opalescent glass chandelier in a luxurious dressing room designed by German émigré cabinetmaker-decorator George Alfred Schastey. Amid the rise of the industrial age, the style’s promotion of art in everyday life would inform the Arts and Crafts Movement and Art Nouveau.

Find a collection of antique Aesthetic Movement seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture and antiques on 1stDibs.

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Style: Aesthetic Movement
Aesthetic Movement Burl Oak Serving Cabinet
Aesthetic Movement Burl Oak Serving Cabinet

Aesthetic Movement Burl Oak Serving Cabinet

Located in Greenwich, CT

Richly patinated late 19th century English burl wood serving cabinet, the highly figured and bookmatched top with thumb molded edge over three drawers retaining their elaborate mixed...

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1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Buffets

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Burl, Oak

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Solid Oak Cabinet, France, 1940s
Solid Oak Cabinet, France, 1940s

Solid Oak Cabinet, France, 1940s

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H 30.71 in W 74.81 in D 22.84 in

Solid Oak Cabinet, France, 1940s

Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija

Discover the allure of French craftsmanship with this charming and compact oak buffet from the 1940s. Despite its smaller size, this piece exudes timeless elegance and showcases the ...

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Charles Dudouyt - Cabinet - Oak - 1940s - France - Brutalist
Charles Dudouyt - Cabinet - Oak - 1940s - France - Brutalist

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By Charles Dudouyt, Gaston Poisson

Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija

An exceptional French Brutalist Art Deco vitrine cabinet from the 1940s, crafted in solid oak with striking architectural details. Discovered in Normandy, this piece reflects the cra...

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French Carved Oak Cabinet, France
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$4,500

H 29.53 in W 33.86 in D 18.51 in

French Carved Oak Cabinet, France

By Charles Dudouyt

Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija

A quiet yet resolute expression of mid-century French craftsmanship, this carved oak cabinet from the 1940s is imbued with a sense of order, geometry, and gravitas. Its sculpted door...

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Rare Cabinet / Highboard by Alfred Hendrickx for Bruxelles Expo 1958 Belform
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Rare Cabinet / Highboard by Alfred Hendrickx for Bruxelles Expo 1958 Belform

By Alfred Hendrickx, Belform, Perignem

Located in Ijzendijke, NL

A magnificent piece of design history, this vintage cabinet / highboard is designed by the famous Belgium designer: Alfred Hendrickx for Belform. However this is a special one of a k...

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1950s Belgian Vintage Aesthetic Movement Buffets

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Raw Solid Oak Cabinet, France, 1940s
Raw Solid Oak Cabinet, France, 1940s

Raw Solid Oak Cabinet, France, 1940s

$7,500

H 29.53 in W 74.81 in D 21.86 in

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By Charles Dudouyt

Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija

Credenza, solid oak, France, 1940s. Art Deco brutalist sideboard. The credenza consists of two storage facilities and covered with very detailed designed doors and in the center, ...

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Gaston Poisson - Inspired - Cabinet - Oak - 1950 - France - Brutalist
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By Charles Dudouyt

Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija

Geometric Oak Cabinet in the Spirit of Gaston Poisson, France, 1930s–40s Architect’s rigor in cabinetmaker’s oak — a compact essay in French geometric modernism. This striking cabin...

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English Oak Three-Drawer Credenza, Circa 1780
English Oak Three-Drawer Credenza, Circa 1780

English Oak Three-Drawer Credenza, Circa 1780

$8,500

H 33.5 in W 61.5 in D 19.5 in

English Oak Three-Drawer Credenza, Circa 1780

Located in Charleston, SC

English oak three-drawer credenza with oval period brasses, three lower case cabinet doors and terminating on original block feet, Late 18th Century.

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Aesthetic Movement Bonheur du Jour Secretary Desk Cabinet
Aesthetic Movement Bonheur du Jour Secretary Desk Cabinet

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$3,120Sale Price|20% Off

H 44.5 in W 28 in D 15 in

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Located in Pasadena, TX

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Aesthetic Movement bamboo and Lacquer Cabinet
Aesthetic Movement bamboo and Lacquer Cabinet

Aesthetic Movement bamboo and Lacquer Cabinet

$2,750

H 56.5 in W 20 in D 14.5 in

Aesthetic Movement bamboo and Lacquer Cabinet

Located in Laguna Beach, CA

With a bamboo pediment with an inset lacquer panel, lacquered top, raffia sides, a bamboo framed glass door with 3 shelves, resting on bamboo legs.

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1940s French Brutalist, Solid Oak Cabinet
1940s French Brutalist, Solid Oak Cabinet

1940s French Brutalist, Solid Oak Cabinet

$6,570

H 37.01 in W 62.01 in D 17.72 in

1940s French Brutalist, Solid Oak Cabinet

By Charlotte Perriand, Guillerme et Chambron

Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija

A rare 1940s French provincial cabinet, this solid oak piece reflects the restrained elegance of Alpine craftsmanship. Its architectural form is defined by recessed panel doors, scul...

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Early 20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Buffets

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French Louis XVI Style Server
French Louis XVI Style Server

French Louis XVI Style Server

$2,800

H 38.25 in W 45.25 in D 17 in

French Louis XVI Style Server

Located in BENSENVILLE, IL

French Louis XVI style Ebonized small two-door Server or French Ebonized Buffet, with a lower shelf and marble top. Our Old Plank finishing department just completed a very nice ebon...

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Victorian Aesthetic Movement Kimbel & Cabus School Lacquered Server, circa 1870
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Carved Oak Sideboard or Buffet or Credenza
Carved Oak Sideboard or Buffet or Credenza

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Sold

H 38.5 in W 64 in D 24 in

Carved Oak Sideboard or Buffet or Credenza

Located in Redding, CT

This heavily carved oak sideboard /Buffet has lots of storage. It has felt lined silver ware drawers on top, three cabinets in the middle and a single drawer at the bottom to store t...

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Aesthetic Movement buffets for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Aesthetic Movement buffets for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 19th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage buffets created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, oak and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Aesthetic Movement buffets made in a specific country, there are Europe, United Kingdom, and England pieces for sale on 1stDibs. 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 buffets differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,218 and tops out at $9,800 while the average work can sell for $6,813.