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.
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Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Cypress
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Cotton, Upholstery, Oak
1990s European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ash
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Chestnut, Mahogany
Early 2000s French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century Indian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
1920s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stained Glass
Early 1900s American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fabric, Birch
21st Century and Contemporary French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
1960s Turkish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool, Cotton, Natural Fiber, Organic Material
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1880s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ash
1930s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Epoxy Resin, Wood, Burl
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Marble
1980s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ash, Ebony
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Beech
2010s Moroccan Arts and Crafts Furniture
Clay, Earthenware
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1940s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper, Iron
2010s Chinese Arts and Crafts Furniture
Silk
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Rush, Ash
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Copper
1910s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cement
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Earthenware
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Shell, Mirror, Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Art Glass
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron, Copper
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Unknown Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
Early 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Unknown Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Mahogany
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pine
1950s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
1920s Persian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cotton, Silk, Natural Fiber, Organic Material
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stone, Marble
Early 20th Century Unknown Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Late 19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Rush, Oak