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.
1910s North American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal, Wrought Iron
1990s American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Mid-20th Century Danish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Art Glass
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Terracotta
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
1890s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
1920s Swedish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
2010s Indian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cotton
1890s Polish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
2010s American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
19th Century French Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster, Brass, Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
1910s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Clay
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
Early 2000s American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pine
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mahogany
1930s Swedish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
2010s Indian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century Czech Arts and Crafts Furniture
Beech, Bentwood
Early 20th Century Unknown Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
2010s German Arts and Crafts Furniture
Hardwood, Oak
1950s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood, Stained Glass
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
1920s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Clay
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Porcelain
1910s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Clay
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
2010s Indian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cotton
Late 19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pewter
1920s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Clay
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak