Arts and Crafts Furniture
Emerging in reaction to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated handcrafted design as a part of daily life. The history of Arts and Crafts furniture has roots in 1860s England with an emphasis on natural motifs and simple flourishes like mosaics and carvings. This work is characterized by plain construction that showcases the hand of the artisan.
The earliest American Arts and Crafts furniture dates back to the start of the 20th century. Designers working in this style in the United States initially looked to ideas put forth by The Craftsman, a magazine published by Wisconsin native Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and founder of the Craftsman style. Stickley’s furniture was practical and largely free of ornament. His Craftsman style drew on French Art Nouveau as well as the work he encountered on his travels in England. There, the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement included William Morris, who revived historical techniques such as embroidery and printed fabrics in his furnishings, and Charles Voysey, whose minimal approach was in contrast to the ornamentation favored in the Victorian era.
American Arts and Crafts work would come to involve a range of influences unified by an elevation of traditional craftsmanship. The furniture was often built from sturdy woods like oak and mahogany while featuring details such as inlaid metal, tooled leather and ceramic tiles. The style in the United States was led by Stickley, whose clean-lined chairs and benches showcased the grain of the wood, and furniture maker Charles Rohlfs, who was informed by international influences like East Asian and French Art Nouveau design.
Hubs in America included several utopian communities such as Rose Valley in Pennsylvania and the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony in New York, where craftspeople made furniture that prioritized function over any decoration. Their work would influence designers and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built some of the most elegant and iconic structures in the United States and likewise embraced a thoughtful use of materials in his furniture.
Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Sycamore
20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
1920s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood, Masonite, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Resin
2010s Mexican Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century Portuguese Arts and Crafts Furniture
Terracotta
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Tibetan Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Early 1900s Spanish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wicker
2010s Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Czech Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century Spanish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Nutwood
Mid-20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cherry
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
2010s Canadian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Wood
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Late 19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1870s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic, Terracotta
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pine
1980s Scottish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mahogany
1950s European Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Teak
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
1970s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Teak
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic, Terracotta
21st Century and Contemporary American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
1970s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Slate
20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Paper
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Sycamore
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stained Glass
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Copper
2010s Moroccan Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool, Natural Fiber
Early 20th Century Chinese Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fabric, Wood