Aesthetic Movement Furniture
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
Period: Mid-20th Century
Italian Murano Glass Vintage Table Lamp
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
The true Murano artistically engraved glass table lamp: elegant and settable anywhere.
It is NOT necessary to change the power supply, but also use Your lamps with 110 W - 12 V.
Now...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Art Glass
1940's Turkish Flat-weave Kilim with Modern Southwestern Bohemian Style
Located in Dallas, TX
50770 Vintage Turkish Flat-weave Kilim Rug with Modern Southwestern Bohemian Style. With its bold expressive design, incredible detail and texture, this handwoven wool vintage Turkish Kilim rug is a captivating vision of woven beauty highlighting modern southwestern boho chic style. The abrashed field features an all-over geometric pattern composed of repeating Anatolian motifs in alternating colors. The ambiguous repetitive motifs unite together to form a diamond trellis (lozenge lattice). It is enclosed with a twig and ladder motif border running along the vertical sides of the composition. Though deceptively simple, this vintage Kilim area rug is steeped in Anatolian tradition with a Classic Southern design aesthetic. Step it up a notch and layer over a large jute, sisal, or seagrass rug...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
1960's Distressed Turkish Sivas Carpet Runner with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
52118 Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Runner with Gustavian Farmhouse Style. This hand-knotted wool distressed vintage Turkish Sivas runner features three stylized medallions patter...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Traditional Style
Located in Dallas, TX
50500 Vintage Red Turkish Oushak Rug, 07'02 x 10'00. Drenched in a palette of autumn’s last embers and steeped in the grandeur of Ottoman elegance, this hand-knotted wool vintage Tur...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
Large French Tazza Etched Cristal Pedestal Fruit Dish
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Large French Tazza etched crystal pedestal fruit dish
A beautiful piece of etched crystal showing pictures of fruits, the dish stands on a heavy steppe...
Category
Mid-20th Century Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Crystal
1950's Turkish Oushak Rug with Contemporary Style
Located in Dallas, TX
53559 Vintage Muted Turkish Oushak Rug, 05'03 x 09'03. Bathed in an ethereal hush of sunlit sand and dew-washed celadon, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak rug whispers a ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
1950's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Tribal Style
Located in Dallas, TX
52145 Vintage Turkish Oushak Rug Runner, 03'05 x 12'03. Woven like a verse from the earth’s own hymnal, this hand knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak runner unfolds with soulful inte...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
1950's Turkish Sivas Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
53162 Distressed Vintage Muted Turkish Sivas Rug, 08'02 x 11'02. Woven in the heart of Anatolia and gently kissed by time, this hand-knotted wool Turkish Sivas rug is more than a floor covering—it is an heirloom steeped in legacy, grace, and poetic restraint. Distressed to perfection through a coveted antique-wash process, this one-of-a-kind masterpiece hails from the esteemed looms of Sivas, where rug weaving was not merely a craft, but a generational art form held in the highest regard. Its elegantly faded patina evokes a soft sense of nostalgia, drawing the eye into a visual sonnet of cloudbands, blooming palmettes, and meandering botanical motifs—all rendered in a serene palette of whispering creams, warm earth, and misted greys. Every thread tells a story, honoring the quiet endurance of tradition, beauty, and the artisans whose hands imbued it with soul.
Reserved for those who appreciate the rarity of restraint, this Turkish Sivas rug is a symbol of cultivated taste—effortlessly blending the aristocratic charm of Cotswold Cottage...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
Hallmarked English Successionist Style Porcelain Water Jug and Centrepiece Bowl
Located in North Miami, FL
This fabulously designed successionist style hallmarked English set of porcelain pieces dates from the early 1950's yet has a modern flair.
It is successionist meets serpent Egyptian...
Category
1950s English Vintage Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
$4,875 Sale Price / set
25% Off
1960's Taznakht Moroccan Souf Carpet, Tribal Allure Meets Southwest Boho Chic
Located in Dallas, TX
20183 Vintage High-Low Taznakht Moroccan Rug, 04'03 x 15'01. Taznakht rugs, originating from the Taznakht region in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, represent a harmonious fusion...
Category
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
Distressed Vintage Turkish Oushak Rug with Traditional Style
Located in Dallas, TX
51452 Distressed Vintage Turkish Oushak Rug, 08'03 x 10'02. Borne from the looms of western Anatolia, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak rug is a weathered poem in thread ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
Vintage Persian Sarouk Carpet with Traditional Style
Located in Dallas, TX
75656, a vintage Sarouk accent rug. This stunning rug features a cornflower central floral medallion centred with an amulet on an oval field of cream dotted with crimson leaves blooming with indigo flowers and lotus, resting on a crimson background. The rug is bordered with a meandering vine and floral motif banded with three thin guard borders of geometric designs. The brightly colored palette of this charming rug would make an enchanting addition to any home. Used as: Entry rug, Foyer rug, Entryway rug, Persian kitchen mat...
Category
Mid-20th Century Persian Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
Pair of Ferro Art Gold Leaf Wall Lights
By Ferro Art
Located in Hastings, GB
A superb and rare pair of gilt iron wall lights of large proportions, by Ferro Art, Spain, 1950's.
Detailed gilt leaves profusely decorate the lights, while the two single bulb l...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Iron
$2,446 / set
1950's Turkish Oushak Rug with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
50929 Vintage Turkish Oushak Rug Runner, 03'00 x 09'08. Like a woven page from Anatolia’s storied past, this hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak runner stretches forth in quiet ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
Pair of Sculptural Lamps in Gilded Bronze Representing Dancers, Thailand, 20th
Located in VÉZELAY, FR
Pair of Sculptural Lamps in Gilded Bronze Representing Dancers, Thailand, 20th Century.
Add a touch of refinement and elegance to your interior with this superb pair of sculptural l...
Category
Mid-20th Century Thai Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass, Bronze
Sculptural Lamp in Bronze Representing the Mermaid Princess Suvannamaccha
Located in VÉZELAY, FR
Sculptural Lamp in Bronze with Double Green and Gold Patina Representing the Mermaid Princess Suvannamaccha, Thailand, 20th Century
We present an exceptional piece that combines ar...
Category
Mid-20th Century Thai Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Three Antique Sterling Silver Designers Teaspoons
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Three sterling silver teaspoons by three different old famous designers ,with assorted beautiful decorations and patterns , perfect and rare: Blackington Co., Alvin Co., Fontenac pattern by International Silver Company.
Can be sold INDIVIDUALLY.
Everyone was used exclusively for 5 o'clock tea.
They are three little sculptures...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Silver
Antique Framed Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique framed landscape oil painting on canvas is a Classic pastoral but oriented on the vertical allowing the stream to gently Meander thro...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Canvas
Demure Watercolor of Woman In Thoughtful Pose
Located in Round Top, TX
An enigmatic portrait of a demure woman in a thoughtful pose.
Deep, rich gouache and watercolor original painting, framed in the mid-20th century. Artwork appears to be slightly old...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Paint, Paper, Wood
Hmong ethnic framed necklace, silver plated metal, Laos, Thailand
By S. Thailand
Located in Valladolid, ES
One of a kind and rarely seen ethnic necklace made of silver-plated metal, from Thailand. Recently framed in a large frame with floating glass. This is a piece that presents the esse...
Category
1950s Thai Vintage Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Metal, Silver Leaf
$1,716 Sale Price
20% Off
11 Piece Set of Sarreguemines French Faience Majolica Dessert Plates
Located in Pasadena, TX
Set of Sarreguemines French Faience Majolica dessert plates, with a variety of fruit on a background of overlapping leaves.
Glazed by hand, ea...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Clay
Orange Peel Anatolian Rug
Located in New York, NY
Orange peel colored Midcentury Turkish Anatolian rug.
Category
1940s Turkish Vintage Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
$1,800 Sale Price
20% Off
Vintage Brunschwig & Fils Victoria & Albert Bird Song Hand-Printed Wallpaper
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Adorable and rare Brunschwig & Fils hand-printed wallpaper border inspired by Victorian design from the Victoria & Albert Museum. Have not been able t...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Paper
$200 Sale Price / item
20% Off
Black and Gold Haberdashery Draper Shop Cabinet
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Black and Gold Haberdashery Draper Shop Cabinet
This is a Large Chest of Drawers, it has an unusual combination of 12 long square drawers, the drawers have original brass Lions Mas...
Category
1930s Vintage Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Walnut
1960's Muted Persian Viss Carpet with Traditional Style
Located in Dallas, TX
61189 Vintage Persian Viss Rug, 06'07 x 10'01. This hand-knotted wool distressed vintage Persian Viss rug evokes a sense of quiet elegance, where ancient tribal artistry meets timele...
Category
Mid-20th Century Persian Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
1950's Turkish Angora Wool Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
53832 Vintage Turkish Angora Wool Kilim Blanket Rug, 04'05 x 06'05. Woven in the rugged highlands of southeastern Turkey, this handwoven Turkish Angora kilim...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool, Angora
1950's Turkish Angora Wool Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
53861 Vintage Turkish Angora Wool Blanket Kilim Rug, 02'07 x 03'10. Woven like twilight caught in motion, this handwoven Turkish Angora kilim rug pulses with the untamed energy of th...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool, Angora
1950's Turkish Angora Wool Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
53855 Vintage Turkish Angora Wool Blanket Kilim Rug, 04'02 x 05'03. Emerging from the earthen silence of southeastern Turkey, this handwoven Turkish Angora kilim rug holds the softne...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool, Angora
1950's Distressed Persian Kerman Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
53750 Distressed Vintage Persian Kerman Rug, 06'09 x 10'00. Step into a realm of timeless elegance with this hand-knotted wool distressed vintage Persian Kerman rug, where quiet soph...
Category
Mid-20th Century Persian Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
1950’s Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
50651 Vintage Turkish Oushak Runner, 03'06 x 11'00. This hand-knotted wool vintage Turkish Oushak runner features two medallions and a cl...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
Vintage Persian Sarouk Scatter Rug with American Traditional Style
Located in Dallas, TX
75657 Vintage Persian Sarouk Scatter rug with American Traditional style. Rich in color with beguiling beauty, this hand knotted wool vintage Persia...
Category
Mid-20th Century Persian Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
1960's Earth-Tone Persian Mazandaran Kilim Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
76384 Vintage Persian Mazandaran Kilim Rug, 09'10 x 10'00. Woven beneath the rain-heavy skies of northern Iran, this rare vintage Persian Mazandaran kilim distills the poetry of ligh...
Category
Mid-20th Century Persian Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
1960's Zeki Muren Turkish Sivas Rug with Modern Style
By Zeki Müren
Located in Dallas, TX
51909 Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug, 02'06 x 06'00. Zeki Muren Turkish Sivas rugs, originating from Turkey's tranquil Sivas region, pay tribute to the esteemed Turkish singer ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
1960's Turkish Oushak Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
50228 a vintage Oushak rug runner. Punctuate your space with personality by incorporating this vintage Oushak runner. It features two substan...
Category
Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Wool
Sculptural Bronze Lamp with Dual Patina Representing Indra on Airavata, Thailand
Located in VÉZELAY, FR
We present to you an exceptional piece of art, a sculptural bronze lamp dating from the mid-20th century, which majestically combines traditional Thai craftsmanship with a mythologic...
Category
Mid-20th Century Thai Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Mid-Century set of 4 Large Scale Four Seasons Paintings
Located in Dallas, TX
Mid-Century set of 4 Large Scale Four Seasons Paintings were designed for a French bakery, and beautifully and colorfully represent the Four Seasons, with the seasons' names painted ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Paint
$4,600 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Silver Overlay Glass Patisserie Pedestal Stand
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Elegant patisserie stand with flowers printed in silver on the glass: named "overlay", classical American object for the table service.
O/. 1770.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Art Glass
Antique Framed Oil Painting on Canvas by De Kok
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique Framed oil painting on canvas by De Kok showcases the artist's firm grasp on creating the tranquility of an intriguing landscape composition using color and contrast resultin...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Canvas, Giltwood
A Boucheron Paris 18k Gold Silver & Ruby Vermeil Minaudiere Circa 1940
By Boucheron
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Boucheron Paris 18k Gold, Silver & Ruby Vermeil Minaudiere Circa 1940, of rectangular form with a hinged cover the top of the cover with pierced vermeil scrolling foliage the flow...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Gold, Silver
Glass Coffee Table, Italy, Romeo Rega, Design, 1960s
Located in Nice, FR
Glass coffee table, Italy, designer Romeo Rega, 1970, Structure in brass and black iron, smoked glass. Very refined.
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Brass
Petite Wood Armchairs With Cord Seats, a Pair
Located in Greensboro, NC
A Pair of Petite Wood Armchairs With Cord Seats. Likely French.
22"w x 19"d x 34" x17.5" seat height
seat width 18" seat depth 15.5"
Category
Mid-20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Papercord, Wood
Modern Watercolor Female Portrait
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
ST/736 - Watercolor and tempera modern female portrait: simple but unusual.
An interesting item..., simply to frame.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Paper
Rare Elegant Vintage Italian Glass Table Lamp by Balsamo Stella
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Rare vintage glass lamp by Guido Maria Balsamo Stella - artist born in Torino 1st January 1882, died Asolo (Treviso) 1st January 1941 -
He studied A...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Aesthetic Movement Furniture
Materials
Art Glass
Aesthetic Movement furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Aesthetic Movement furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, decorative objects, seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Aesthetic Movement furniture 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 furniture, popular names associated with this style include Minton, Doulton Lambeth, Christopher Dresser, and Wedgwood. 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 furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $65 and tops out at $86,402 while the average work can sell for $1,820.