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.
1940s Belgian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Beech
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 1900s Belgian Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster, Bronze
2010s Dutch Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
1910s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pewter
19th Century French Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pewter
20th Century Spanish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
1920s British Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Swedish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Silver Plate, Brass
Early 20th Century Austrian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Marble
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Multi-gemstone, Wrought Iron
1890s Danish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fabric, Oak
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Spanish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Nutwood, Wood
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Raffia, Beech
1960s Belgian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fabric, Oak
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Opaline Glass
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Cypress
Early 20th Century Danish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fruitwood
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wrought Iron
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Terracotta
Early 1900s Danish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century German Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Terracotta
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Linen, Upholstery, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Silver
Mid-20th Century German Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
1930s Belgian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Nylon, Oak
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Rush, Beech, Fruitwood
1870s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Blown Glass
1910s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
1940s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Faux Leather, Oak
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Rush, Oak
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Scottish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak