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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1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Irish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Copper
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cane, Blown Glass
1890s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
18th Century Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
1910s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Steel
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster, Brass, Wire
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
1910s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak, Leather
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Furniture
Rush, Oak
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
1930s Spanish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pewter
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
1950s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Chestnut, Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Resin
Early 1900s Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Paper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
19th Century British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Velvet, Wood
1940s Swedish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Muslin, Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Oak
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Marble, Chrome
Early 1900s American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
Late 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century North American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Irish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Epoxy Resin, Wood
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
1930s Swiss Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Late 19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze