Campaign Furniture
Sometimes called “knock-down” furniture, campaign furniture was designed to be folded, collapsed, taken apart and packed flat to load onto a ship or a camel’s back. Although mobile furniture for military campaigns dates back to the Romans, the British Army in its global conquests in the 18th and 19th centuries defined the style with sturdy and elegant pieces. Even in a tent thousands of miles from London, a four-poster bed, dining table and seating could simulate the comforts of home.
Antique and vintage campaign-style furniture was also initially designed as propaganda. The mahogany and teak structures were part of a purposeful demonstration of power in these campaigns, with the colonizing military officers imposing their culture and view of what they considered “civilized” on a given land and its peoples. Designers and manufacturers including Thomas Butler, Ross & Co. of Dublin, and Morgan & Sanders contributed to the rapid production of this furniture as the British Empire expanded through Africa, Asia and Australia.
Campaign furniture was utilitarian as well as refined, fitted with recessed brass handles and brass angles on stackable chests and other case pieces to protect vulnerable corners. The Wellington chest was one of the most famous pieces to come out of this style, named for the Duke of Wellington, who slept in his campaign bed long after his battles were over.
The flexibility of campaign-style furniture would influence 20th-century Scandinavian modernists such as Kaare Klint, Mogens Koch and Arne Norell. For his 1930s Safari chair, Klint drew on the simple Roorkhee chair, named for a town in northern India. The lightweight and adaptable campaign-style seat was created in the late 19th century and had no fixed joinery. The Roorkhee’s influence can also be seen in the Wassily chair, a pared-down work of tubular metal and durable canvas conceived by legendary Bauhaus instructor Marcel Breuer.
Now, 21st-century designers like Jomo Tariku and Dokter and Misses are creating pieces that recognize the contributions of African artisans to campaign furniture in order to reframe this style without overlooking its difficult past.
Find a collection of authentic antique and vintage campaign bedroom furniture, chairs, decorative objects and other pieces on 1stDibs.
21st Century and Contemporary South African Campaign Furniture
Zebra Hide
21st Century and Contemporary South African Campaign Furniture
Zebra Hide
Mid-20th Century Indonesian Campaign Furniture
Bamboo, Rattan
Mid-20th Century Unknown Campaign Furniture
Metal
1870s French Antique Campaign Furniture
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century American Campaign Furniture
Rattan, Ceramic
2010s Campaign Furniture
Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Campaign Furniture
Ceramic, Rattan
Mid-20th Century Italian Campaign Furniture
Nickel
1980s French Vintage Campaign Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century English Campaign Furniture
Bamboo
20th Century American Campaign Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Campaign Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Turkish Campaign Furniture
Wool
2010s Italian Campaign Furniture
Leather
1880s Swedish Antique Campaign Furniture
Wood
2010s American Campaign Furniture
Zebra Hide
20th Century German Campaign Furniture
Metal
19th Century French Antique Campaign Furniture
Fabric, Wood
1960s French Vintage Campaign Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century European Campaign Furniture
Leather, Wood
1880s French Antique Campaign Furniture
Fabric, Beech
Mid-19th Century French Antique Campaign Furniture
Giltwood
1860s French Antique Campaign Furniture
Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary North American Campaign Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century French Antique Campaign Furniture
Linen, Oak, Paint
20th Century American Campaign Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary European Campaign Furniture
Canvas
1960s Vintage Campaign Furniture
Upholstery, Bamboo, Rattan
20th Century French Campaign Furniture
Iron
1950s American Vintage Campaign Furniture
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century British Campaign Furniture
Leather
1990s Mexican Campaign Furniture
Paper
20th Century American Campaign Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Campaign Furniture
Iron
Mid-19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Paper
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Brass, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Campaign Furniture
Wool