Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
AESTHETIC MOVEMENT
In 1880, polymath designer William Morris declared: “If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” His words encapsulated the Aesthetic Movement, which prized beauty above all and blurred the lines between fine art and the decorative arts, particularly through lavishly crafted furniture pieces.
The Aesthetic Movement, whose major proponents included author Oscar Wilde, flourished from the 1860s to the 1880s and was mostly popular in England and the United States. Design expositions like the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, as well as the publishing of how-to books for interior design, helped disseminate Aesthetic Movement bedroom furniture, serveware, coffee tables and other items, especially to the middle class.
The establishment of new art museums, art clubs and a rising passion for collecting at the time contributed to a growing appreciation for art. Morris’s founding of Morris Co. in 1862 and the commercializing of this “cult of beauty” by the Liberty store in London, starting in the late 19th century, further disseminated the idea of a domestic space that was thoughtfully and floridly designed.
Leading Aesthetic Movement furniture designers included E.W. Godwin, who drew on Japanese influences and whose work reflected a wider enthusiasm for imported East Asian art. British designer Christopher Dresser created textiles, ceramics and more that were also inspired by Japanese decorative art but were representative of additional diverse design sources that ranged from Egypt to Mexico.
The Aesthetic Movement’s eclecticism resulted in dazzling interiors. Japanese fans were positioned on Renaissance-inspired cabinets with brass hardware, while mantels made of rich walnut or finely carved ebonized wood and adorned with painted Minton tiles mingled with cast-iron chairs against a backdrop of floral wallpaper. In 1881, in New York City, stenciled checkerboard motifs and painted floral murals could be found under an opalescent glass chandelier in a luxurious dressing room designed by German émigré cabinetmaker-decorator George Alfred Schastey. Amid the rise of the industrial age, the style’s promotion of art in everyday life would inform the Arts and Crafts Movement and Art Nouveau.
Find a collection of antique Aesthetic Movement seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture and antiques on 1stDibs.
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Style: Aesthetic Movement
Aesthetic Period Iron Lion Andirons by Arthur Osborne for Wellington
Burrage
Located in Southampton, NJ
An exceptionally rare pair of 1884 copper-plated lion andirons designed by Arthur Osborne for the Boston firm of Wellington & Burrage Household Art Rooms. While Osborne is more known...
Category
1880s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Copper, Iron
C Dresser for Colebrookdale Aesthetic Movement Cast Iron Garden Canopy Seat Ends
Located in London, GB
Designed by Dr C Dresser for Colebrookdale
A cast iron Aesthetic Movement garden Canopy Seat named 'Waterplants'.
The first image here is an example to ...
Category
1870s Great Britain (UK) Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Iron
Aesthetic Movement Antique Chimneypiece in Pencil Statuary Marble
Located in London, GB
An elegant and large Aesthetic Movement, bordering on Reformed Gothic, antique fireplace surround in Pencil Statuary Marble with a wide moulded shelf. The main body of the fireplace,...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Statuary Marble
Aesthetic Movement walnut metamorphic oak coal box with Herons in a river scene.
Located in London, GB
An Aesthetic Movement Walnut metamorphic oak coalbox. The handle when pulled back mechanically opens the two doors to the front, which has brass panels depicting Herons eating fish i...
Category
1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Walnut
Large French Whimsical Wrought Iron Andirons, 1940s
Located in Milan, IT
Large French Whimsical Wrought Iron Andirons, 1940s
Including a horizontal wrought iron bar and two tools
Category
1940s Italian Vintage Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Wrought Iron
Dr. C Dresser
Barnard, Bishop
Barnard. A rare Aesthetic Movement fireplace.
Located in London, GB
Barnard, Bishop, and Barnard & Dr C Dresser, with the original B, B, & B paper label to the back.
A rare Aesthetic Movement walnut fire surround, inset with four Linthorpe pottery c...
Category
1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Walnut, Pottery
Dr C Dresser. An Aesthetic Movement walnut coal box with stylized brass panels
Located in London, GB
Dr Christopher Dresser. An Aesthetic Movement walnut coal box on shaped feat set at an angle with a stylized decorative brass panel designed perfectly to shovel your coal. With origi...
Category
1870s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Walnut
Thomas Jeckyll A rare Aesthetic Movement Walnut fire surround with butterfly
s
Located in London, GB
Thomas Jeckyll for Barnard Bishop and Barnard. A rare Aesthetic Movement Walnut fire surround, the mantel with molded edges and four ebonized panels incised with butterfly and bamboo stems and leaf...
Category
1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Walnut
French Set of 4 Majolica Flowers Tiles, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
French set of 4 Majolica flowers tile, circa 1890.
6' by 6" , The four tiles 12' by 12".
Category
1890s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Faience
Aesthetic Movement Bronze Andirons in Christopher Dresser Style
Located in Sharon, CT
Pair of large (22") cast bronze andirons constructed of multiple Aesthetic Movement devices.
Category
1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Bronze
Dr C Dresser for Benham
Froud. A pair of Aesthetic Movement brass fire dogs.
Located in London, GB
Dr C Dresser for Benham and Froud stamped mark. A pair of Aesthetic Movement brass fire dogs with sunflower heads on elegant shaped necks.
Category
1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Brass
Lily Pad Pair of Aesthetic Movement Cast Iron Garden Benches by Coalbrookdale
Located in London, GB
A pair of Aesthetic Movement cast iron garden benches, known as the Lily pad design, with fine fern leaf detailing, and smaller Lily-style leaves to the angular legs.
Coalbrookdale ...
Category
1870s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Iron
An Aesthetic Movement walnut coal box
Located in London, GB
An Aesthetic Movement walnut coal box with turned finials and a row of brass turnings to the back and applied brass florets. The sides with carved floral de...
Category
1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Walnut
Danier Cottier (style of). An Aesthetic Movement dark oak coal box
Located in London, GB
An Aesthetic Movement dark oak coal box in the style of Daniel Cottier. With all over shallow carved floral decoration.
Category
1870s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Oak
Dr C Dresser for Benham and Froud. A Scarce Aesthetic Movement Oak Coal Box.
Located in London, GB
A rare Aesthetic Movement oak coal box designed by Dr Christopher Dresser, made by Benham and Froud with stylized brass handles retaining it's original liner and coal shovel...
Category
1870s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Brass
Aesthetic Movement Cast Iron Garden Table with Stylised Floral Details
Located in London, GB
An Aesthetic Movement Victorian cast iron garden table by G Hufton of Birmingham with stylised floral and zig-zag details throughout, an arched stretcher uniting the side uprights st...
Category
1870s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Iron
Neoclassical Pierced Reticulated Brass Fireplace Fender, circa 1885
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Simple yet elegant neoclassical revival fireplace fender in brass. Reticulated front and sides with arches at the corners which finials ador...
Category
1880s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Brass
Stylish Arts and Crafts Copper Fireside Companion Set, Fireside Tools
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Stylish Arts and Crafts Copper Fireside Companion Set, Fireside Tools
This is a Stylish copper set with turned fruitwood handles on its own very sturdy rectangular stand, shovel, br...
Category
1960s Vintage Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Copper
Aesthetic Movement Victorian Fireplace Tongs
Located in New York, NY
Very executed fireplace tool (tongs) with cast brass, or bronze top and iron rod arms. The top section shows Classic Aesthetic Movement decoration, early Modernist style, late 19th c...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Brass, Iron
An Austrian, brass Secessionist jardiniere C. 1910
Located in Oxford, GB
Striking Jardiniere from the Austrian Secessionist period , made C1910 . Beautiful detail and fine metal work . There as an interior tray that pulls out so the piece was designed to ...
Category
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Brass, Iron
Antique Fireside Pole Screen, English, Height Adjustable, Aesthetic, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique fireside pole screen. An English, ebonised mahogany and papier-mâché height adjustable heat reflector, dating to the Aesthetic period, circa 1880.
Charmingly dec...
Category
Late 19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Wood
Aesthetic Movement Brass Fire Fender
Located in Queens, NY
English Aesthetic Movement brass fire fender with embossed scroll design.
Category
20th Century British Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Brass
Victorian Bronze Faux Bamboo Fire Screen
Located in Queens, NY
English Victorian bronze faux bamboo fire screen with wire mesh swivel center panel.
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Bronze
Iconic Nest-Egg Hanging Chair
Located in Johannesburg, ZA
The Nest Egg hanging chair swing seat is inspired from the organic forms in birds' nests and has a natural egg shape. The chair has been designe...
Category
2010s South African Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Steel, Stainless Steel
$3,400 / item
Lot of Four Decorative Sandstone Building Fragments Garden Ornaments 1880/1920s
Located in New York, NY
Group of four sandstone building fragments - each having a block form base with organic wave like crests. Probably from a turn of the century brownstone, these salvaged blocks will m...
Category
Late 19th Century American Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Sandstone
Dr C Dresser Attri, Aesthetic Movement Walnut Coal Scuttle with Stylized Mounts
Located in London, GB
Dr. C Dresser attributed. Made by Benham and Froud.
An Aesthetic movement walnut coal scuttle with applied chrome-plated stylized carry handle and foliate decorative mounts and a side holster to hold a coal shovel.
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Chrome
American Bronze Statue of Mythological Figure holding a Sundial by Robert Aitken
Located in Katonah, NY
A bronze figural sundial with satyr figure by American sculptor Robert Ingersoll Aitken (1878-1949), the satyr holding a large stylized shell while crouched beneath it, the shell top...
Category
1910s American Vintage Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Cast Iron Aesthetic Doorknob Rosettes, Early 20th C.
Located in New York, NY
Early 20th century cast iron Aesthetic style doorknob rosettes. The patinas vary slightly because one has a nickel finish and the other has an antique bronze finish. Priced as a pair...
Category
Early 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Iron
Brass Aesthetic Movement Christopher Dresser Fire Dogs A
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Brass Aesthetic Movement Christopher Dresser Fire Dogs
A Pair of Brass Aesthetic Movement Fire Dogs Designed by Dr Christopher Dresser, a fi...
Category
1880s Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Brass
Large pair of Victorian Arts
Crafts Iron Andirons Fire Dogs
By Richard Norman Shaw
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Unusal large pair of hand wrought Iron and steel Arts & Crafts andirons in good original condition. Dating to the late 19th Century they are very much in the manner of Aesthetic Mov...
Category
Late 19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Iron
Set of Aesthetic Movement Brass Fire Tools
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Smart set of Aesthetic Movement fire tools with engraved decoration circa 1880.
Category
Late 19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Brass
$1,199 / set
Christopher Dresser
Barnard, Bishop
Barnard Aesthetic Movement Fireplace
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A rare antique aesthetic movement fireplace circa 1880 made by Barnard, Bishop and Barnard, inset with four Linthorpe Pottery tiles designed by Christopher Dresser (1834-1904).
Beau...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Ceramic, Wood, Walnut
Pair of Minton Aesthetic Movement Tiled Jardinieres with Lily of the Valley
By Minton
Located in Great Barrington, MA
This pair of jardinieres is made of 19th century Mintons porcelain tiles which have been mounted into later constructed jardinieres. The tiles are all matching, each one decorated with lily of the valley floral motifs.
Beautifully detailed constructed beaded boxes, frame these Aesthetic Movement tiles...
Category
19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Porcelain
Aesthetic Movement Three-Tired Display Stand Hand-Painted Plates
By Aesthetic Movement
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning antique Aesthetic movement early 19th century three tired stand with hand-painted plates depictin...
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Building and Garden Elements
Materials
Porcelain, Hardwood
Aesthetic Movement building and garden elements for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Aesthetic Movement building and garden elements 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 building and garden elements created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include building and garden elements, decorative objects, seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, iron and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Aesthetic Movement building and garden elements 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 building and garden elements, popular names associated with this style include Christopher Dresser, Benham
Froud, Coalbrookdale Foundry, and Thomas Jeckyll. 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 building and garden elements differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $100 and tops out at $86,402 while the average work can sell for $3,417.
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