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Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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
Vintage Bamboo Corner Cabinet
Located in Summerland, CA
Very decorative fine English bamboo corner display cabinet. Etagere style with open shelves and glass door cabinet with over corner bevel mirrors..
Category

1920s English Vintage Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

Materials

Bamboo

Liberty & Co Aesthetic Movement Walnut Corner Cupboard with Embossed Bird Panel
Located in London, GB
Liberty & Co. A rare English Aesthetic Movement Walnut corner cupboard with embossed leather panel to the door, depicting a bird hovering above chrysanthemum, the door with Liberty'...
Category

1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

Materials

Walnut, Paper

Antique Aesthetic Movement Carved Cherry Faceted & Mirrored Corner Cabinet c1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique aesthetic movement corner cabinet offers cherry construction in faceted form with carved foliate frieze surmounting cast with single beveled glass door opening to shelved ...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

Materials

Metal

An Aesthetic Movement Mahogany Corner Cabinet with Incised Floral Decoration
Located in London, GB
An Aesthetic Movement Mahogany Corner Cabinet with floral decoration to the upper shelf area, and to the doors incised decoration of circul...
Category

Late 19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

Materials

Beech

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CRAFTIQUE Solid Mahogany Chippendale Style Corner Cupboard / Cabinet - D
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A Chippendale style corner cupboard by high-quality furniture maker Craftique. Solid mahogany with their Old Wood finish, crown & dentil molding to top, carved apron, and bracket feet. Upper cabinet features two fixed plate-grooved wooden shelves behind double doors, each with six panes of glass. Lower cabinet features storage with one fixed wooden shelf. Upper and lower cabinets each have a functioning lock and two keys are included. Made in Mebane, North Carolina, USA, in the late 20th century. Measures: 38 W 17 D 80.25 H, Requires along each wall: 30 D Exceptionally good condition with signs of light previous use...
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Late 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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Rare Arts & Crafts Oak Display Cabinet / Vitrine with Embossed Brass Decorations
Located in Lisse, NL
Beautifully handcrafted cabinet with embossed butterflies and flower baskets. This finest quality early 1900s, single door display cabinet with its original glass panels is a work of art in its own right and it is in good condition. This practical size antique cabinet is entirely hand crafted out of solid and the finest quality oak. However, what makes this one of a kind cabinet really stand out are the remarkable and highly stylish brass decorations. They are plentiful in numbers, remarkable in details and the depth and quality makes them noticable from further away as well. Especially the stylized butterflies and the rush baskets...
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Early 20th Century European Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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Franklin Solid Wood Corner Shelf, Walnut
Located in Cincinnati, US
The award nominated Franklin Shelf is a 90 degree corner shelf. This unique design allows for maximum storage space, while occupying a very small area. ...
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21st Century and Contemporary American Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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Wood, Cherry, Maple, Walnut

Mahogany English Corner Cabinet by Bevan Funnel, Reprodux, Curved Front Shape
Located in Toronto, CA
A lovely mahogany corner cabinet with a bowed shape curved front face, glass door with individual hand glazed panes. Single door top and bottom, bottom door is a figured mahogany centre panel with a mahogany cross band detail. Dentil moulding on the top cornice completes the design. Crafted by Bevan...
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20th Century English Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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1960s Corner Cabinet
Located in Milano, IT
Corner cabinet with drawers made of ash and mahogany veneer stained wood with polyester finish and enameled metal base.
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1960s Italian Vintage Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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Metal

1960s Corner Cabinet
1960s Corner Cabinet
H 38.39 in W 42.33 in D 33.67 in
Victorian Oak Corner Cabinet
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
For sale is a good quality Victorian solid oak corner cabinet, having a single beveled glass door, above two carved cupboard doors below, the cabinet stands on bun feet and remains i...
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19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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Oak

Victorian Oak Corner Cabinet
Victorian Oak Corner Cabinet
H 67.33 in W 34.26 in D 18.51 in
Corner Cabinet in Mahogany, 18th Century, Georgian
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Elegant English mahogany corner cabinet from the 18th century Very good quality corner cupboard which has braced windows. It is his ...
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Late 18th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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19th-C. English Aesthetic Movement Bamboo & Lacquer Wall Shelf W/ Mirror
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a late 19th century English burnt bamboo wall shelf with center mirror. Each of the three smaller shelves have lacquered black and russet decorations. The shelf has age appro...
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Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

Materials

Bamboo, Mirror, Lacquer

19th-C. French Corner Cabinet
Located in Ballard, CA
A single door painted French corner cabinet in the Louis XVI style. Made out of pine wood painted with light gray/blue and cream accents. Feature...
Category

19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

Materials

Iron

19th-C. French Corner Cabinet
19th-C. French Corner Cabinet
H 99.5 in W 42.25 in D 30.25 in
English Poker Work Corner Display Cabinet
Located in Wilson, NC
English Poker work corner display cabinet, the small top has a crested gallery. The center shelf has poker work designs with stylized lion heads and a stipp...
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1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

Materials

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18th Century Style Two-Door Corner Cabinet, Mahogany, Georgian Style
Located in Toronto, CA
This is a lovely mahogany corner cabinet in the 18th century Georgian styling. The top has two glass doors with 13 panels of hand glazed glass panels in each door. Behind which is a ...
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20th Century English Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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Vintage Danish Mid Century Rosewood Corner Cabinet - 072311
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Vintage Danish mid-century modern, made in the 1950's - Recently refurbished The piece is more than 65+ years old and some wear and tear can be expected, but we do everything we can...
Category

1950s Danish Vintage Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

Materials

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Previously Available Items
Aesthetic Period Hanging Corner Cabinet Attributed to Henry William Batley
By Henry William Batley
Located in Milford, NH
A fine Aesthetic period hanging corner cabinet fitted for key storage attributed to Henry William Batley (1846 - 1932), probably for Gillow and Company. An interesting figure in England’s nineteenth century Aesthetic Movement, Henry W. Batley was not only an original etcher and engraver but a designer of Aesthetic furniture, wallpapers, textiles and carpets. This ebonized cabinet has turned gallery balusters and finials on top and bottom and inset hand painted and gilded door...
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Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

Materials

Wood

Antique American Asthetic Movement Painted Corner Cabinet Signed, circa 1875
Located in Portland, OR
A rare and unusual antique American Aesthetic Movement painted corner cabinet, signed, circa 1875. The ebonized cabinet having a hand stenciled foliate border, the single door also h...
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1870s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Corner Cupboards

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Aesthetic Movement corner cupboards for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Aesthetic Movement corner cupboards for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage corner cupboards created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, hardwood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Aesthetic Movement corner cupboards made in a specific country, there are Europe, United Kingdom, and England pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original corner cupboards, popular names associated with this style include and Liberty & Co.. 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 corner cupboards differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,200 and tops out at $4,695 while the average work can sell for $2,744.

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