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.
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Crystal
Late 20th Century Indian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
1970s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Persian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fabric, Wood
1980s German Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic, Wood
Late 20th Century Persian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wrought Iron
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
EPNS
1980s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Clay
1980s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Persian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
1970s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stoneware
Late 20th Century Pakistani Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Persian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
1990s American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Late 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cherry
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
1970s Scandinavian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood, Pine
1970s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather
1970s Congolese Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Raffia
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
1990s American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1990s Indonesian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Teak