British Colonial Furniture
BRITISH COLONIAL STYLE
Typically made of mahogany, teak or bamboo and featuring a range of fabrics and prints with botanical patterns, antique British Colonial furniture and decor varies as it involved local materials and techniques and spanned centuries of design styles.
As the British Empire expanded from the 16th to the 20th century, its conquest and control of colonies around the world bolstered its wealth through the extraction of resources. Including colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia, this spread of often violent subjugation imposed British culture, language and faith on Indigenous peoples. The design of homes was included in this expression of imperial power, with government officials, merchants and military officers creating homes mimicking the luxuries they were used to in England.
Local artisans were commissioned to replicate British designs, resulting in versions of Regency, Chippendale, Sheraton and other styles of furniture being crafted from mahogany, rosewood, ebony and teakwood as opposed to beech and oak, which were more common in Europe. Whereas the colonial furniture for the Portuguese and Dutch regularly had motifs of indigenous flora and fauna, the British tended to want more exact reproductions of their home country’s designs.
To escape the summer heat in places such as India and the Caribbean, British colonizers relocated to airy houses in the hills or plantations, leading to foldable chairs and collapsible desks in the style of military campaign furniture. Rather than upholstery as they might have in Europe, chairs and sofas in the British Colonial style had rattan and cane seating for these higher temperature climates. The contrast between the light textiles and the dark colors of the sturdy furniture became a defining aesthetic of British Colonial interiors.
Find a collection of antique British Colonial outdoor furniture, seating, bedroom furniture, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
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Style: British Colonial
Dos Gallos Studio Custom Walnut Desk or Dining Table with Wishbone Stretcher
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is our custom wishbone winery table that can be made in any size and with any finish, in a range of colors and distresses. This particular table was going to be used as a desk s...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Walnut
English Pond Boat on Stand with Original Sails Brass Rudder Zinc Keel C. 1940
Located in Troy, MI
Found in England, this hand made wooden pond boat with original cloth sails dates from the 1940s. This is a single mast sailboat - we believe it is a sloop - and features a bow sprit...
Category
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass, Zinc
Antique British Colonial Heart Form Sailors Valentine
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Charming 19th Century English heart form sailors valentine ambitiously handcrafted with exotic seashells around a sailboat image as seen through a glass lens.
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Shell
Vintage Mahogany Wall Shelf Display
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Elegant light British colonial style mahogany wall etagere display.
Category
1960s American Vintage British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Large Scale British Colonial Style Framed Tropical Fruit / Botanicals -S/9
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a set of nine very large scale British Colonial style framed reproduction tropical fruit prints. They are nicely framed and matted. They would make a stunning wall! The print...
Category
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paper
1970's Sculpted Cane & Rattan Bar Stools, 6 available
By Mcquire
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Sculpted twisted cane & rattan counter height bar stools.
Solid and very comfortable. They swivel in the center.
Made in colonial Tiawan, circa 1970's.
They show little to no wear at...
Category
1970s Taiwanese Vintage British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Rattan
$2,320 Sale Price / set
20% Off
20th C. Set of Four Nichols and Stone Mahogany Windsor Side Chairs by Stickley
Located in Germantown, MD
Late 20th Century Set of Four Nichols and Stone Mahogany Windsor Style Side Chairs manufactured by Stickley in Manlius New York. Great vintage condition with clean line, solid wood p...
Category
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
$1,536 Sale Price / set
30% Off
Pair of Thai Rosewood Elephant Howdah Saddle Style Chairs
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Pair of elephant saddle style chairs crafted with rosewood in a distinctive Thai form, hand carved depicting elephants, which are a symbol of fortune, ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Thai British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Rosewood
Pair of British Colonial Midcentury Plantation / Lounge Chairs
Located in New York, NY
Elegant pair of solid hard wood and caned British Colonial Plantation chairs, lounge chairs or armchairs. The chairs feature swing out extension arms. The construction is hand made w...
Category
Mid-20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Cane, Hardwood
British Colonial Style Vintage Bamboo and Grasscloth Desk Set
Located in Southampton, NJ
Midcentury British Colonial style 4-drawer writing desk or work table of bamboo wood frame construction wrapped in woven basket weave cane rattan. Featuring a generous work surface with custom cut glass, fitted to the top & lower open shelves, the desk is finished on all sides allowing for various placement options. Sold as a set including the classic Baker faux bamboo caned...
Category
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Bamboo, Cane, Rattan, Glass, Wood
Rupert Bevan Croft Dining Chair (in customer's own choice of material/leather)
By Rupert Bevan
Located in London, GB
Our signature Croft Dining Chair sits comfortably in both traditional and contemporary settings, with its generous seat and elegant backrest. Legs and frame in solid oak with a natur...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary British British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Leather, Upholstery, Oak
1 Large Mounted Sable Antelope Skull with Large Curved Ringed Horns / Antlers
Located in New York, NY
A magnificent, stunning African sable antelope with large curved ringed horns or antlers mounted on a wrought iron stand. The piece is mounted as a scul...
Category
20th Century African British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Iron
Handsome Military Snare Drum from Sevenoaks Air Training Corps
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Handsome military snare drum from sevenoaks air training corps.
This a good decorative piece ‘2158 SEVENOAKS SQDn’ AIR TRAINING CORPS’ painted on the f...
Category
Late 20th Century British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Plastic
Heavy Bronze Bell, Tower Bell
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Heavy bronze bell, tower bell.
This is a very heavy piece it is on an Oak Yoke with iron fixings including a the bracket which holds the rope
For the purpose of the pictures and...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Maitland-Smith Vintage Two Door Faux Bamboo and Lacquer Cabinet
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Standout mid century British colonial style handcrafted cabinet featuring a faux burnt bamboo frame with a bow front form, jungle camouflage lacquer panels, stick and fist hardware a...
Category
Mid-20th Century Philippine British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Faux Bamboo
British Colonial Style Faux Bamboo and Grasscloth Pagoda Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Impressive mid century desk crafted with a faux burnt bamboo frame having grasscloth panels on the tops, sides, and drawer fronts, featuring two glove boxes and a dramatic pagoda for...
Category
Mid-20th Century Philippine British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Grasscloth, Faux Bamboo
British Royal Coat of Arms Wall Plaque This Is a Large Scale Piece
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
British royal coat of arms wall plaque
This is a large scale piece, it dates from the 1950s and is made in plaster and it is painted in very brig...
Category
Mid-20th Century British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Plaster
18th C. English Pine Curtis & Horspool London Act of Parliament Tavern Clock
Located in Dayton, OH
18th century monumental museum quality Act of Parlament clock. Made from pine with a large round face over elongated case. Features an enameled metal face marked Curis Horspool in Le...
Category
18th Century Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Pine
Antique British Colonial Caned and Carved Planters Chair
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Impressive British Colonial plantation chair crafted in mahogany in a graceful form with dramatic carved ocean and floral motifs on the back and rolled ...
Category
Early 20th Century Caribbean British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Cane, Mahogany
Military Campaign Square Mahogany & Brass Butlers Tray on Folding Stand
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Military Campaign Square Mahogany & Brass Butlers Tray on Folding Stand.
Ideal for entertaining whether to serve drinks food etc.
Extra dimensions
Leaves up
Height 59cm
Width 54....
Category
20th Century British British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
Antique British Colonial Leather Top Partners Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Handsome British Colonial partners desk hand crafted in mahogany with a brown tooled leather top, two drawers on either side and elegant turned legs on brass casters.
Category
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
Baker Furniture 18th Century Flemish Style Mahogany Triple Dresser, Refinished
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous 18th century Flemish reproduction chest of drawers, dresser, or buffet server
By Baker Furniture
USA, mid-20th century
...
Category
Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
Vintage Maitland Smith Figural Bronze Monkey Desk Lamp With Pen Shell Shade 27"
Located in Dayton, OH
An impressive handmade figural bronze lamp by Maitland Smith. Features a monkey climbing a tree branch, holding an adjustable banker style pen shell shade. The bronze is mounted to a...
Category
Late 20th Century British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Set of Three 18th Century Hand-Made Brass Candlesticks
Located in Dallas, TX
Set of Three 18th Century Hand-Made Brass Candlesticks were designed to be functional yet attractive as they would remain in plain view all day, and only be utilized at night. Back in the days before electric lighting, candles were worth their weight in silver, as the process to make them was still laborious hand-labor, and the wax itself wasn't inexpensive. Many of our trunks from this period had separate cabinets inside the locked trunk...
Category
1770s English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
Maitland Smith Bronze Marble Tooled Leather Equestrian Horse Table Lamp 24"
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage figural horse bronze table lamp by Maitland Smith featuring a mare and foal in tableau on a charcoal black marble clad base. Includes hard and rectangular tooled / gilded lea...
Category
Late 20th Century British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Zabihi Collection Oversize Jewel Toned Traditional Persian Sarouk Rug
Located in New York, NY
an early 20th century Persian Sarouk Oversize Rug
Details
rug no. j4056
size 8' 11" x 15'
Before the 1920s the Sarouk design was the most popular of Persian rugs worldwide. Most o...
Category
Early 20th Century Persian British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wool
Mother of Pearl French Colonial Vietnamese 2-Door Cabinet
Located in San Marino, CA
A solid rosewood cabinet with the front richly inlaid with mother of pearl depicting birds and a delicate floral motif. Made in Vietnam for the export market. The two doors open to r...
Category
20th Century Vietnamese British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Rosewood
$5,200 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Carl Thieme German Dresden Footed Reticulated Baroque Compote 11"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Carl Thieme German Dresden centerpiece compote. Made of porcelain featuring high relief footed base and reticulated / pierced scalloped bowl with two colonial figures, a man...
Category
Early 20th Century German British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
Teak Museum Display Cabinet
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A gorgeous teak museum display cabinet featuring glass panels on the sides and a pair of sliding glazed doors at the front. The cabinet has a wooden back panel and sturdy shelves in...
Category
19th Century Indian Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Teak
Antique Woven Back British Colonial Plantation Tea Chair
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Woven Back British Colonial Plantation Tea Chair
This late 19th Century antique British Colonial plantation tea chair is a great lounge ch...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Rattan, Wood
British Colonial Style Burnt Bamboo and Cane Freestanding Cheval Floor Mirror
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A wonderful British colonial style floor mirror with faux burnt bamboo frame and cane details. Great geometric pattern up top. Would work well in a variety of interiors
Mirror only ...
Category
1980s Philippine Vintage British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Faux Bamboo, Cane
Brass Door Handle
Located in Sheffield, MA
Pair of very decorative brass door or cabinet handles with carved details. Ready to mount.
Category
20th Century Indian British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
Pair of Mid-Century Faux Bamboo British Colonial Style Nests of Tables
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Rare pair of British colonial style nests of tables or stands each with faux bamboo frames wrapped with reed and grass cloth panels on the table tops.
Category
Late 20th Century Philippine British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Grasscloth, Faux Bamboo, Reed
Pair of 19th Century English Bergeres
By Europa
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of 19th century English Bergeres
in carved and turned mahogany wood, stuffed in green velvet with casters.
Little defects.
Dimensions: 80 x 66 x 54 cm.
good condition.
Category
19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wood
$2,344 / set
Antique English British Colonial Leather Top Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Handsome 19th century English desk handcrafted in mahogany, in three piece construction, with brass campaign hardware, having a tooled black leather top with Greek key motif on a cas...
Category
19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Regency Campaign-Style X-Base Cane Stools in the Manner of Gillows of Lancaster-
Located in North Fort Myers, FL
A refined pair of Campaign-style stools featuring elegant X-base frames and handwoven cane seats, in the manner of Gillows of Lancaster.
These stools showcase turned stretchers, scro...
Category
Late 20th Century Unknown British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Hardwood
Pair of English Brown Leather Boots with Shoe Trees
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of English brown leather riding boots with shoe trees
Category
20th Century British British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Leather
Colonial Style Shell Queen Bed in Ebonized Finish
Located in San Marino, CA
A queen sized 4-poster bed, in Jak wood with an ebonized finish. The bed features hand carved details overall, oversize tassel-style feet, a headboard ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Sri Lankan British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
$14,850 / item
Pair of Faux 'Elephant Tusk', Marble Bookends or Dresser Ornaments, 20th Century
Located in Esbjerg, DK
A pair of faux elephant tusk bookends or decorative ornaments for your desk, dresser or in front of your entrance hall mirror. They are constructe...
Category
Late 20th Century British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Marble
$464 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Maitland-Smith Vintage British Colonial Style Bar Cabinet
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Impressive mid century bar cabinet featuring an upper case crafted in coconut shell with two doors having bronze elephant head handles and an illuminated interior lined in mahogany w...
Category
Late 20th Century Philippine British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Vintage British Colonial Style Woven Reed Wingback Armchairs
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Impressive pair of vintage British colonial style wingback armchairs upholstered in grass cloth or woven reed in classic comfortable form with a modern tropical twist, cotton cushion...
Category
20th Century American British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wicker
Pair of British Colonial Style Etched Mercury Glass Lanterns or Light Fixtures
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Standout pair of exotic lanterns hand blown in classic form, hanging from hammered metal hardware featuring etched floral designs on a translucent mercury background.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Mercury Glass
Antique English Rustic Secretary Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique English Rustic Secretary Desk makes the perfect choice for a cozy office, a student's desk, or just a great place to catch up on correspondenc...
Category
Mid-20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
British Colonial Carved Claw Foot China Cabinet
Located in Countryside, IL
British Colonial Carved Claw Foot China Cabinet
This china cabinet measures: 62.5 wide x 19 deep x 66.75 inches high
We take our photos in a ...
Category
1980s American Vintage British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Glass, Wood
Rare 1820s Caribbean Jamaican Regency Server or Wagon
Located in Charleston, SC
This beautiful, solid mahogany Jamaican bookcase/wagon, features lovely turnings, and Primitive feet.
Jamaican, West indies, Colonial, British Colonial, Islands, Island.
Category
19th Century Jamaican Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Collection of 47 Swedish 20th Century Leather-Bound Books
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A collection of 47 Swedish decorative antique leather-bound library books.
The books are wrapped in leather-bound covers, comprised of a selection of warm tones and gold leaf print ...
Category
Early 20th Century Swedish British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Leather, Paper
Antique British Colonial Anglo Indian Teak Split Reed Rattan Plantation Chair
Located in Dayton, OH
Early 20th century British Colonial Anglo Indian plantation chair. Made from teak in mortise and tenon joinery with a relaxed lounged frame and long arms. Features a curved crest rail and split reed bent rattan seat.
There's nothing better than putting your feet up after a day's backbreaking work. In the 19th century, plantation owners used a specific chair. Called, naturally enough, the planter...
Category
Early 20th Century British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Teak
19th Century English Colonial Satinwood and Ebony Linen Press
Located in Southampton, NY
Early 19th century English Colonial satinwood and ebony linen press. Cabinet is composed of solid Satinwood with solid ebony trim and inlay.
Handmade in Sri Lanka, where both satinw...
Category
19th Century Sri Lankan Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Ebony, Satinwood
Early 20th Century British Folding Bamboo Side Butlers Table
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Classic wood bamboo side table or butler’s table. We see this collapsable bamboo table used as a bar to hold wine or liquor bottles in a dining or living room. Also could be used as ...
Category
Early 20th Century French British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Bamboo, Wood
$460 Sale Price
31% Off
19th Century Colonial Mahogany Plantation Lounge Cane Chair
Located in Astoria, NY
An exquisite mid-19th-century traditional Anglo-Indian Colonial plantation chair, sourced from Provence, France. Beautifully hand-crafted from solid mahogany wood with a carved crown...
Category
Mid-19th Century Indian Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Cane, Mahogany
19th Century Model Field Gun on Carriage, Cast Iron Porch Cannon
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
19th century Model Field gun on carriage, cast iron porch cannon
A good and well made piece, the field gun is made in good detail, this piece has spent m...
Category
Mid-19th Century Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Iron
Theodore Alexander pair of swivel barstools in fine burgundy leather
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A pair of Vintage, Theodore Alexander domed back barstools with flared arms, 12 tufted buttons ,in fine burgundy leather, the frames are mahogany with nice carved detail.. in almost...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
Framed Traditional English Quorn Fox Hunt Print by Frederick Christian Lewis
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A framed FC Lewis Fox Hunting print. This piece was originally printed in 1835. It features a group of English men in red coats at the infamous Quorn Fox Hunt in England. The scene t...
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paper, Glass
$360 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Folding Tripod Stools in Oakwood and Leather
Located in Barcelona, ES
Elegant pair of turned oak Campaign tripod stools with leather folding seats. England, 1930s.
These folding stools feature a turned oak's wood tripod foldable structure. They have a...
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Leather, Oak, Wood
Large Green Hand-Painted English Tea Canister Lamps (Pair)
Located in San Francisco, CA
A pair of late 1800s tole tea tin canisters made into table lamps. They are green with gold trim and finely hand-painted genre scenes in the centers. Newly rewired with dimmers on th...
Category
Mid-19th Century British Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Metal
$1,250 Sale Price
34% Off
Pair Safari Style Tapestry Pillows Elephant Camel
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Cute pair of tapestry woven pillows Safari style with elephant and camel figures. Velvet back, zip closure. Great condition.
Category
1970s American Vintage British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Textile
Large 19C Rustic Indian Carved Wood Coffee Table
Located in Sheffield, MA
Large and impressive, this plank table top is made with unusual curved wood pieces. Table is supported by six turned legs and iron braces with intricate carved decoration on the apro...
Category
19th Century Indian Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Iron
Frederick Leo Hunter "Old New Bedford Whaler Andrew Hicks" C. 1929 Painting
Located in Atlanta, GA
This remarkable oil painting, titled **"Old New Bedford Whaler – Andrew Hicks"**, is an exquisite maritime artwork that captures the spirit of 19th-century whaling. The painting, exe...
Category
Early 20th Century American British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Canvas, Giltwood, Paint
Turn of the Century English Hotel Front Desk Mail Cabinet
Located in North Miami, FL
This whimsical curiosity cabinet from an English Hotel, used for guests to receive their mail. Roman numerals on enamel tags to windowed doors. The wood is lovely aged and the cabi...
Category
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Enamel
Antique Group of Three Smoke Bell Light Fixtures, Priced Individually
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Standout group of three colonial style continental smoke bell glass light fixtures hand blown in classic form with cut designs and brass hammered hardware, using candle power as orig...
Category
Early 20th Century Belgian British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Blown Glass
British Colonial furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique British Colonial furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include tables, case pieces and storage cabinets, seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used British Colonial furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, Asia, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Maitland Smith, Baker Furniture Company, Bloomingdale's, and Ralph Lauren. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $80 and tops out at $88,000 while the average work can sell for $3,161.