Campaign Furniture
CAMPAIGN STYLE
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.
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Style: Campaign
Period: 19th Century
Side Table "the Clermont Baltimore 1801" Champain Style
Located in Den Haag, NL
Beautiful side table mahogany frame comes with Brass inlay champaign style
One drawer. with inset drop handles. Signed The Clermount Baltimore 1801
This table has some history, i...
Category
1850s American Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Lovely Antique Victorian Walnut Military Campaign Officers Chest of Drawers
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely Victorian Walnut Military officers Campaign chest of drawers
A very good looking period used piece, the drawers have lots of origina...
Category
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
SCOTTISH 93RD SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS REGIMENT OF FOOT MiLITARY CAMPAIGN CHEST
Located in GB
Royal House Antiques
Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this exceptionally rare, fully signed, 93rd Lancers (Regiment of Foot) military campaign chest of drawers ci...
Category
1880s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Hardwood
19th Century Seaman's Chest
Located in Greenwich, CT
Good 19th century sailor's chest in richly patinated teak, the top opening to reveal a candle till with lid which functions as a support for the open lid, over canted carcass, the co...
Category
1830s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Teak
19th Century Campaign Chest of Drawers
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th Century Campaign Chest of Drawers, circa 1860, a brass-bound teak chest made in two parts: the top section has a rectangular surface above a full drawer over two side-by-side dr...
Category
Mid-19th Century Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Victorian oak secretaire campaign chest
Located in Salisbury, GB
Victorian oak secretaire campaign chest
This Victorian oak secretaire campaign chest was made circa 1870.
Once an officer was commissioned and ready to embark on a tour overseas, he...
Category
1870s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Oak
Campaign Box Carved Gentleman's British Army WW2 Regimental Arms
Located in Cheltenham, GB
Campaign Box Carved Gentleman's British Army WW2 Regimental Arms
Beautifully stylized and masterfully carved wooden box of floral and fruit foliage bas-relief on the outside and Bri...
Category
19th Century British Indian Ocean Territory Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Fruitwood
English Mid 19th Century Teak Military Chest of Drawers in Two Parts
Located in Wells, ME
English mid 19th century teak military chest of five drawers. This campaign chest comes in two parts for ease of movement on the battlefield. The feet are old replacements but corr...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Antique Campaign Decanter Box, Coromandel With Brass Fittings, 19th Century
Located in Bristol, GB
ANTIQUE CAMPAIGN DECANTER BOX
Made from coromandel with brass strap work fittings and flush handles typical of campaign furniture of the time.
A ...
Category
19th Century British Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
British Campaign Writing Table
Located in New Orleans, LA
This rare early 19th century rosewood campaign desk displays exquisite beauty and remarkable design functionality characteristic of British military furniture. Adorned with gilt bron...
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Bronze
George III Mahogany Campaign Chest in Two Parts & Rare Small Size on Turned Feet
Located in Nantucket, MA
Early 19th century English five drawer mahogany campaign chest of unusual small size. Made in two sections and on turned feet, the top section with two short drawers over one long dr...
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Austrian Bombe Form Dinanderie Tobacco Box, 19th Century or Earlier
Located in Atlanta, GA
Austrian, 19th century or earlier.
A fine quality antiqued tobacco box of bombe form with a hinged lid.
Category
19th Century Austrian Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass, Tin
19th C English Brass Bound Campaign Style Chest on Chest
Located in New York, NY
Classic two section Campaign style chest on chest, constructed of solid wood, with brass bound corners, pulls, and eschews, and heavy iron handles. The chest features an upper secti...
Category
Late 19th Century British Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass, Iron
19th Century English Victorian Campaign Style Travel Desk Writing Box
Located in Forney, TX
A antique Victorian era English campaign style brass bound mahogany portable lap desk / writing slope with nicely aged patina. circa 1850
Commonly used by military officers in the f...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Antique mahogany campaign desk
Located in Salisbury, GB
Military campaign desk
This large Military campaign desk was made in the last quarter of the 19th century.
It is made of mahogany with brass inset corners and flush brass handles.
Th...
Category
1890s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
English 1840s Mahogany Campaign Chest with Five Drawers and Brass Hardware
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English mahogany campaign chest from the mid 19th century, with five drawers and brass hardware. Created in England during the second quarter of the 19th century, this mahogany ca...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
F.Sage&Co London Beautiful English Oak Military Campaign Chest Of Drawers
By Frederick Sage & Co.
Located in Crawley, GB
We delight to offer this amazing Military Campaign Chest of Drawers made by Frederick Sage&Company London . It is a great size and is a very useful item. It comes apart in two main p...
Category
Late 19th Century British Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
19th Century Provincial Chinese Vellum Trunk On Carved Low Stand
Located in Forney, TX
An exceptional antique Asian Vellum campaign trunk on a fitted hand carved hardwood footed low stand (ideal proportions for use as a coffee table, cocktail drinks table, end table, b...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Wrought Iron
19th Century Steamed Wood Folding Campaign Chair With Metal Hardware
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Solid, beautifully conceived folding Campaign chair with excellent attention to detail. Metal rivets and pivot hardware intact and functioning smoothly. this chair will take use as i...
Category
1890s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Maple
Rare Large Colonial British Raj All Leather Military Campaign Chest Stamped
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Remnant of the Raj. This all leather British India Military Campaign Chest is a very rare survivor. Stamped "The Western India Army Boot & Equipment Factory, Solid Leather Guaranteed...
Category
1880s British Indian Ocean Territory Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Leather, Fruitwood
Fine Antique Regency Rosewood Inlaid Brass Campaign Writing Box Desk Slope 1830
Located in Portland, OR
A very fine quality Rosewood & inlaid brass Campaign writing desk box, circa 1830.
The box made from the finest figured rosewood and inlaid with brass...
Category
1830s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
19th Century English Mahogany Campaign Chest
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
British Military Officers Mahogany 2 part Campaign Chest with brass mounting. These chests were commissioned by officers of the British Army during their various campaigns around the...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Pair of 19th-century French farmhouse armchairs in beech wood
By Ernest Farmer
Located in LA FERTÉ-SOUS-JOUARRE, FR
Discover rustic elegance with this exceptional pair of 19th-century French farmhouse armchairs crafted from beech wood and originating from the pres...
Category
1850s French Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Wood
Mid 19th century burr campaign lap writing desk
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Mid 19th century burr campaign lap desk circa 1860.
Good quality burr writing box.
Beautifully brass bound outside and inside edging. Stunning burr wood exterior. Original dark blu...
Category
Mid-19th Century Burmese Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Small 19th Century Camphor Wood Campaign Trunk
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A Delightful Mid 19th Century Camphor Wood Military Campaign Trunk, Of Rare Small Proportions, Having Well Figured Lift Up Lid Enclosing Storage Space, Original Brass Bound Decoration And Original Brass Handles.
Its widely accepted that trunks like this were normally purposed for army use, often given into the ownership of high ranking officers to use for their travels around the various battlegrounds and territories of the empire around the world, hence the carrying handles and the brass banded decoration, which also serves the functional purpose of protecting the item from bumps and bashes during the numerous times it would have been transported.
In modern day living this trunk would make a perfect coffee table boasting signifcant storage, or could also be used as a storage chest in many locations around the home including the hallway, living room or bedroom. The trunk is also a little smaller than a large amount which yuou will find on the market, which of course allows for it to be used in an even wider variety of spaces.
The trunk has also been inspected in our workshops by our expert antique...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Other
Anglo Chinese Antique Campaign Chest with Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Rare and remarkable 19th century Anglo Chinese chest with eight drawers handcrafted in teak in two piece construction, having a pullout desk with leather...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Campaign Chest In Camphor Wood From The 19th Century Stamped Army And Navy Csl
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Elegant large 19th century campaign chest in solid camphor wood stamped Army and Navy CSL
Army & Navy Co-operative Society Ltd. was formed on September 15, 1871, by a group of army ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Wood
Massive french earthenware bottle, late 19th century - terracotta bottle
Located in Camblanes et Meynac, FR
Massive french earthenware bottle, late 19th century - terracotta bottle
Superb old terracotta bottle.
Its circular shape and rough texture make it a beautiful and original piece.
I...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Terracotta, Earthenware
Antique Camphor Wood Two Part Campaign Chest
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique Camphor Wood two part Campaign Chest, circa 1890. With a rectangular top, two upper drawers and 3 lower drawers, all with original brass campaign hardware. Hand dove tailed d...
Category
1890s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Antique 19th Century Camphorwood Russian Sea Captain's Military Campaign Chest
Located in Charlotte, NC
A 19th Century Campaign style sea captain's military trunk, unbranded. Solid camphorwood, brass accents to protect corners & sides, brass side handles, distinctive side joinery, work...
Category
19th Century Russian Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Chest of Drawers Campaign Military Mahogany Brass 19th Century
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Unusual small size
Striking with the combination of richly coloured mahogany and brass
The veneers on this chest are exceptional, creating the effect of pools of ripples moving down ...
Category
1840s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Camphor wood campaign chest
Located in Salisbury, GB
Antique camphorwood campaign chest
This Antique camphorwood campaign chest was made circa 1840.
This example most likely would have been made for a naval officer to use in the East.
...
Category
1840s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Hardwood
Antique Teak & Brass Military Campaign Chest of Drawers
Located in London, GB
A fantastic antique military campaign chest in teak and brass. This was made in England, it dates from around the 1840-1860 period.
It is of amazing quality and is a very useful s...
Category
1860s British Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Antique English Mahogany Campaign Desk Inset Pulls Tooled Leather Top Circa 1860
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Circa 1860 English Mahogany Campaign Desk with inset brass pulls and inset tooled gilt black leather top constructed in three sections - the top section with three drawers; each of ...
Category
Mid-19th Century British Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
19th C Antique Military Campaign English Traveling Writing Desk Tompson Patent
Located in Atlanta, GA
An antique, circa mid 19th Century English Military Campaign traveling writing or lap desk with brass details, a fitted leather and gilt interior, two ink bottles, pen tray and compa...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass, Gold Leaf
British Colonial Antique Campaign Leather Top Three Person Desk or Workspace
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Rare and remarkable 19th century English three person desk or workspace handcrafted in mahogany, featuring a green tooled leather top over three knee holes and three pedestals with t...
Category
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
French Antique Confit Green Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century.
Originally used for storing preserves.
This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Pottery
Mahogany & Brass Military Campaign Chest of Drawer
Located in Crawley, GB
We delight to offer for sale this stunning antique Victorian mahogany campaign chest of drawers , with brass corner fittings & inset brass military drawer handles. This chest is of f...
Category
Late 19th Century British Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
XL French Antique Confit Pot Green Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century.
Originally used for storing preserves.
This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Pottery
XL French Antique Confit Green Redware Faience Yellowware Art Pottery Pot France
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
A rustic French confit pot from the late nineteenth / early twentieth-century.
Originally used for storing preserves.
This would make a lovely addition to a collection of antique p...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Pottery
English Naval dockyard campaign chest
Located in Salisbury, GB
Victorian Naval dockyard chest
This Victorian Naval dockyard chest was made in the last quarter of the 19th century.
Made in 2 parts so this was easily transported to and around the...
Category
1870s English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Teak
English 19th Century Bissitt & Brunton LTD Campaign Chest with Two Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A small English 19th century Campaign chest by Bissitt & Brunton LTD, with two drawers, brass hardware and bracket feet. This charming small English 19th-century Campaign chest, craf...
Category
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Anglo Indian Amboyna Campaign Writing Box
Located in Northampton, GB
Brass Bounded
From our Writing Box collection, we are pleased to offer this Anglo Indian Amboyna Campaign Writing Box. The Writing Box of slim re...
Category
Early 19th Century Indian Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Rosewood Campaign Writing Slope Desk 14"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique 19th Century English Georgian campaign writing slope, box or travel desk. Made of walnut feautring rectangular form with brass banding. Opens to purple velvet interior with...
Category
19th Century Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Victorian Mahogany Campaign Chest
Located in Essex, MA
In two sections. Rectangular top with brass corners with two over three drawers. Inset brass handles and side carrying handles. Turned feet. This was possibly converted from a regula...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Large British Military Officer's Campaign Trunk of Brass-Bound Camphor
Located in Austin, TX
A large handsome rectangular British military officer's Campaign trunk of camphorwood featuring hand-cut brass binding and hardware, with interior compartments, and resting on bracke...
Category
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
Large Campaign Chest In Camphor Wood From The 19th Century With Tray
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Superb large 19th century campaign chest in camphor wood with tray in camphor wood
Chest of the English navy with its fittings brasses of this style of furniture and its carrying han...
Category
19th Century British Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Wood
!9th Century Brass Officer's Campaign Bed/Coffee Table
Located in Pasadena, CA
This a very interesting coffee table that has been adapted from an English or French 19th century brass campaign bed. The table is in overall very g...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
English Leather Bound Campaign Trunk, c. 1820-1830
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a classic British leather-bound Campaign Trunk that was created in China at the beginning of the 19th century. The trunk is constructed of camphor wood; leather bound and det...
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
British Military Officer's Campaign Chest or Dresser of Brass-Bound Mahogany
Located in Austin, TX
A handsome British military officer’s Campaign Ware chest of drawers or dresser, from the 19th century, featuring a patinated mahogany exterior with two short drawers over three long...
Category
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
19th Century tall campaign chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th century tall campaign chest of drawers circa 1880.
Good quality tall chest made in a hardwood like padouk. Bank of 7 equally proportioned drawers...
Category
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
British Military Officer's Campaign Trunk of Brass-Bound Camphor
Located in Austin, TX
A handsome rectangular British military officer's Campaign trunk of camphorwood featuring hand-cut brass binding and hardware, with opposing handles, and wax seals or stamps from por...
Category
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass, Metal
British Military Officer's Campaign Chest or Dresser of Brass-Bound Mahogany
Located in Austin, TX
A handsome British military officer’s Campaign Ware chest of drawers or dresser, from the 19th century, featuring a patinated mahogany exterior over four drawers with brass escutcheo...
Category
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
Antique English Mahogany Campaign Style Lap Desk Writing Box
Located in Forney, TX
A lovely antique English mahogany campaign style travel desk / writing slope box with beautifully aged warm rich patina. circa 1825
Commonly used by military officers in the field, ...
Category
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
A Rare Mid 19th Century Anglo Chinese Amboyna Bookcase
Located in London, GB
Anglo Chinese, circa 1860
A rare mid nineteenth century Anglo Chinese campaign amboyna and ebonised bookcase with glazed upper section, the doors revealing three shelves and two dra...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Amboyna
Antique British Colonial Campaign Chest Secretary
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Handsome 19th century campaign chest secretary handcrafted in mahogany in a two-piece construction featuring a pull-out leather top secretary ...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
English 19th Century Walnut Campaign Butler's Desk with Three Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English walnut Campaign butler's desk from the 19th century with writing area, three drawers, bracket feet and brass hardware. This 19th-century English walnut Campaign butler's d...
Category
19th Century English Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Military Campaign Burr Walnut & Brass Bound Writing Slope With Leather Interior
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Military Campaign 19th Century Burr Walnut & Brass Bound Writing Slope With Ebonized Trim.
Interior Features a tooled Blue Leather Liner A Single Glass Inkwell, A Handcrafted Exquisite Gift For The Writing Enthusiast.
Antique lap...
Category
19th Century British Antique Campaign Furniture
Materials
Brass
Campaign furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Campaign 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 case pieces and storage cabinets, tables, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Campaign furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, United Kingdom, and England pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Kennedy Furniture For Harrods London, Harrods, Henredon, and Drexel. 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 $50 and tops out at $95,000 while the average work can sell for $2,458.
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