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.
Pair of Folding Burnt Bamboo Side Butlers Tables Ralph Lauren Style
Located in San Diego, CA
Versatile practical Classic wood bamboo pair of side tables or butler’s table. We see this collapsable small bamboo table used as a bar to hold wine...
Bamboo
$1,403Sale Price|55% Off
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 With leaves down Height 47.5...
Brass
Serving Tray on a Folding Stand
By Ralph Lauren
Located in Palm Beach, FL
British colonial style serving tray with a removable top with a herringbone reed surface in a bamboo frame with brass handles on a mahogany folding base carved with a palm leaf motif...
Bamboo
$3,200 / set
Pair of Tray Tables or Stands
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Vintage pair of folding tray or serving tables with woven rattan tops ambitiously crafted with galleries on folding X style bases.
Rattan
$1,715Sale Price|44% Off
English Antique Military Campaign Design Butlers Tray and Folding Stand
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Bevan Funnell Military Campaign George III Butlers Tray. With folding Stand having foldable galleried handles & brass idents and feet A wonderful tray for drinks...
Brass
English Antique Butlers Tray Military Campaign With A Folding Stand
Located in Reading, Berkshire
English Antique Butlers Tray Military Campaign With A Folding Stand Reprodux by Bevan Funnell Made in England With Folding Stand having foldable...
Brass
19th century English Colonial Walnut Tray Table, 1890s
Located in LEGNY, FR
This side table features a beautiful walnut top with handles and folding base, dating from the early 20th century in the English colonial style. It is in good condition. The walnut ...
Walnut
Moroccan Tray or Coffee Table
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Moroccan tray, coffee or cocktail table with a hand hammered removable brass tray, featuring floral and geometric designs crafted with open filigree and old world charm. The base has...
Brass
Midcentury British Colonial Style Bamboo Bar Cart
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Midcentury bar cart or tea cart with a bamboo frame wrapped with reed.
Bamboo
Pair of Vintage Campaign Style Folding Trays
Located in Dallas, TX
This set of matching tables serving tray tables in Campaign styling. Made of walnut wood features a rectangular removable serving tray top with riveted handles, decorative brass deta...
Brass
$4,895
H 19.5 in W 28.75 in D 21.88 in
Chinoiserie Papier Mache Tray Table (Tray on Stand) from England
Located in Austin, TX
A beautiful English tray table or tray on stand from the Aesthetic Movement Period, featuring a rectangular tray of papier mache with a recessed center showing a decorative Chinoiser...
Wood, Paper
1900's Faux Bamboo Folding Butler Tray
Located in Denton, TX
Faux Bamboo butler tray with ornate brass handles and folding stand. Circa 1900 made in England for garden parties and entertainment.
Burlap, Oak
English George III Mahogany Butler's Tray Table on Folding Stand
Located in San Francisco, CA
Early 19th century Regency George III period mahogany butler's tray on folding stand. Unusual square shape tray as these are mostly rectangle in shape. Beautiful old patina with ex...
Mahogany
Moroccan Folding Tray Table in Brass and wood
Located in Barcelona, ES
Large Traditional Moroccan Folding Tray Table, Brass, Wood, Morocco, 1940s-1950s. This moorish brass tray table features a round brass tray...
Brass
French Rattan Elephant Tray Table or Drinks Table, 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching woven rattan end table or drinks table with removable tray top. France, 1940s-1950s. This elephant shaped end table stand was beautifully constructed in hand braided rat...
Wicker, Cane, Rattan, Wood
$1,116
H 22.45 in W 25.2 in D 19.3 in
French Midcentury Bamboo Folding Tray Table, Lacquered Wood, 1970s
Located in Morazzone, Varese
French Midcentury Bamboo Folding Tray Table, Lacquered Wood, 1970s Beautiful side table with removable tray, made in France in the 1950s. The tray and table legs are made of lacquer...
Bamboo, Wicker
$1,680Sale Price / set|40% Off
H 18 in W 18 in D 13.5 in
English Silver Plate Tray Tables on Faux Bamboo Stands
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Elegant pair of English silver plate tray tables on ebonized faux bamboo stands with silver gilt accents. The legs are conjoined with X-form cross stretchers and are slightly splayed on the ends. Made in the English chinoiserie revival...
Metal, Silver
19th Century Mahogany Faux Bamboo Butler Tray Table
Located in Germantown, MD
A 19th Century George III style Mahogany butler Tray Table. This can may be used as two separate pieces as the base may be used as a stand alone table. Tray is 27.5" in width, 17" in...
Mahogany
Antique English Folding Tray Table
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this extremely well made folding butlers tray table. A very good looking well made and decorative piece, ...
Brass
Large Moorish Arabic Brass Folding Tray Table, Spain 1940s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Moorish Style Spanish brass repousse tray table on folding wooden turned stand, Spain, 1940s-1950s. This spanish table was handcrafted at the mid-20th ce...
Brass
$720Sale Price|77% Off
H 24 in Dm 30.5 in
Mughal Empire Antique Brass Tray Table with Wooden Folding Stand
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
3-480 Mughal Empire antique brass tray with later date carved wooden folding stand. Brass top is decorated with repousse foliate and floral motif. Tray...
Brass
Sold
H 35.5 in W 35.5 in D 23 in
Ralph Lauren British Colonial Style Faux Bamboo & Brass Tray Table / Bar
By Ralph Lauren
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a British Colonial style folding tray table or bar by Ralph Lauren. The tray hS a faux bamboo frame with brass handles. The carved legs have plantation styling. It dates appr...
Brass
Victorian Military Campaign Style Mahogany & Brass Butlers Tray
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Victorian Military Campaign Style Mahogany & Brass Butlers Tray on Coffee Table Stand Extra dimensions With the butlers tray leaves up Height 62cm Width 72cm Depth 54cm
Brass
Sold
H 25.79 in W 36.42 in D 25.2 in
Victorian Military Campaign Butlers Tray & Folding Stand the Army and Navy Store
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Victorian, Military Campaign butlers tray with Folding Stand from The Army and Navy Stores, with Imprint of makers mark to the Stand. Stan...
Mahogany
Sold
H 35 in W 36.75 in D 25.25 in
British Colonial Style Mahogany, Bamboo, & Rattan Butler Tray Table on Stand
By Ralph Lauren
Located in Southampton, NY
British Colonial Style Mahogany, Bamboo, & Rattan Butler Tray Table on Stand by Ralph Lauren. Butler's tray made of bamboo and rattan with br...
Brass
Ralph Lauren Butler Serving Tray Table
By Ralph Lauren
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on CONTINUE READING at the bottom of this page. Offering One Of Our Recent Palm Beach Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A RALPH LAUREN British Colonial Style...
Brass
19th Century Colonial Walnut and Inlay Tray on Stand
Located in Petworth,West Sussex, GB
A very decorative 19th century walnut Colonial butlers tray. A rectangular smoked glass and a walnut frame with satinwood inlay tray, with wooden ...
Smoked Glass, Satinwood, Walnut
Highly-Carved Mid Century Teak Bar Cart Tea Trolley
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A highly-carved solid teak two-tier Asian trolley with removeable top tray, the elegant cabriole legs embellished with carved faces, the gallery sides of...
Teak
Bamboo and Rattan Serving Stand or Bar
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Serving stand or bar featuring a rattan and painted rattan tray style top with a herringbone center bordered by geometric designs and wrapped handled. The bamboo base has reed highli...
Bamboo
Anglo-Indian Rosewood Inlaid Tray Table
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Antique Anglo-Indian table crafted in rosewood with a removable service tray on top masterfully inlaid with delicate floral designs in copper and brass. The base has architecturally ...
Rosewood
Pair of Midcentury British Colonial Style Bamboo Tray Tables
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Multi purpose pair of midcentury British colonial tray tables crafted in burnt bamboo with removable herring bone, woven reed or wicker tops, bent bamboo handles and folding X-form b...
Bamboo
Pair of Wicker Elephant Tabes
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Pair of wicker elephant stands in rare immaculate condition, with wood tusks on wicker bases with removable serving trays on top.
Wicker
Pair of Bamboo and Grasscloth Trays on Stands
Located in Palm Beach, FL
British colonial serving stands with removable trays having handles, grasscloth surfaces, and reed wrapped corners sitting on bamboo folding X-form bases with reed wrapped joints.
Grasscloth