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Aesthetic Movement Furniture

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
1960 s Colorful Turkish Striped Kilim Rug with Rustic Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
60643 Vintage Turkish Striped Kilim Rug, 08'06 x 11'07. A poetic ode to Anatolian resilience and rhythm, this handwoven wool vintage Turkish kilim rug unfolds in symphonic stripes of...
Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Wool, Cotton

An Aesthetic Movement ebonized walnut two tier side table with a pierced gallery
Located in London, GB
An Aesthetic Movement Walnut ebonized two-tier side table with turned legs, the lower shelf with raised pierced circular details.
Category

1880s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Walnut

English Plain Creamware Soup Plates- a Set of Six
Located in Downingtown, PA
Set of Six English Creamware Soup Plates, Circa 1800-1830 This is a refined set of six English Creamware soup plates, dating from the early 19th century. Each plate features a clas...
Category

Late 18th Century Balkan Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Creamware

19th Century Majolica Asparagus Plate Luneville
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century rare Majolica asparagus plate, Luneville unsigned. Rare brown color. Every important French manufactures produced at the end of the 19th century asparagus and artichoke ...
Category

1880s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

English Transferware Iris Plate Cauldon Circa 1904
Located in Austin, TX
English Transferware Iris Plate signed Cauldon Circa 1904 Cauldon Ltd (Brown-Westhead, Moore & Co)
Category

1890s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Copeland Porcelain Cat and Cream Churn Vase
Located in Bishop s Stortford, Hertfordshire
A delightful and scare antique English porcelain vase modelled as a cat looking into a cream or milk churn made by renowned makers Copeland and dating from the 19th century. The vase...
Category

19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

19th Century Oyster Plate Vieillard Bordeaux Service Nella
Located in Austin, TX
Very rare 19th Century Oyster Plate signed Vieillard Bordeaux service Nella. Naturalist pattern plate with a bird, insects , carnations and others flowers.
Category

1890s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience

Aesthetic Period Kilkenny Marble Fireplace Inset with Minton Tiles
Located in London, GB
An Aesthetic period Kilkenny marble fireplace inset with Minton tiles, removed the Cornish home of the celebrated British novelist John Le Carré. The fossil stone surround with stop...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Marble

French Limoges Majolica Porcelain Oyster Plate, circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
French Limoges Majolica Porcelain Oyster Plate, circa 1890. with shells.
Category

Early 1900s German Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

New Contemporary Patchwork Cowhide Pillow Cover with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
30896 Brown Cowhide Pillow Cover, 01'06 x 01'06. Woven from the rugged poetry of the plains, this hand-crafted natural cowhide pillow cover captures the warmth and honesty of untamed...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Cowhide, Leather

Antique Framed Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique framed landscape oil painting on canvas is a Classic pastoral but oriented on the vertical allowing the stream to gently Meander thro...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Canvas

E. W. Godwin for Gillows attri. Aesthetic Movement Walnut Ebonized Canterbury
Located in London, GB
E. W. Godwin for Gillows attributed, Aesthetic Movement Walnut and Ebonized Canterbury With elongated turned uprights that make up the dividers for magazines, it stood on turned and ...
Category

19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Walnut

Antique Aesthestic Movement Bamboo Three Tier Shelf Etagere Bookcase
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Antique three-tiered etagere/bookcase/shelving unit (ca. early 20th Century, USA). Composed of a bamboo frame with metal hardware supporting three walnut shelves and adorned with rou...
Category

Early 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Bamboo, Walnut

German Majolica Wild Boar Plate
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A scarce German majolica glazed earthenware Wild Boar plate, circa 1890-1900. Unusual both for the subject matter and for the lighter glaze coloring, this delightful plate is playful and amusing. The dark glazing of the wild boar shows him in contrast to the more pastel coloring of the background. Raised mold work defines the landscape. A slightly scalloped rim. 9 inches in diameter x 1 inch high. Marked with an inscribed mold number – possibly attributing this plate to the Zell pottery...
Category

1890s German Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Earthenware

Pair of Antique Victorian Hand Carved 19th Century Asethetic Movement Stools
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning pair of Victorian late 19th century hand carved pine stools in the Aesthetic movement taste This stools are very decorative and we...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Pine

19th Century English Majolica Fans Dish
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century English Majolica Fan Shape Dish.
Category

1880s British Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Victoria Pottery Co. Majolica Sea Shell Coral Bowl, 1880s
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A Majolica glazed Seaweed and Shell, Coral footed bowl, by Victoria Pottery Co. England, Circa 1880s. The Victoria Pottery Company began in 1882 at the Victoria Works on Lonsdale St...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Earthenware

Rare c.1900 Grecian Pattern Historical Blue Royal Staffordshire Pottery Plate
Located in Louisville, KY
This rare Royal Staffordshire Pottery piece was part of the Aesthetic Movement, which started in England in the late 19th century. This plate has the historic Staffordshire markings ...
Category

Early 20th Century Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Antique Aesthetic Movement Tiger Maple Occasional Table English, 19th Century
Located in Lomita, CA
The beaded lunettes on this oval maple table are reminiscent of Moorish architecture; which the appraiser says was an influence of Aesthetic Movement furniture in England, which is w...
Category

19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Maple

19th Century Spanish Oil on Canvas Painting Signed Riani
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Oil on canvas portrait of a Spanish aristocratic lady. The painting of a young woman in profile with a dark background dressed in a formal gown with pink roses, signed by the artist ...
Category

1890s Spanish Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Canvas, Giltwood, Paint

A pair of bronze panels / gates from a bank C 1910.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Pair bronze panels from a bank C 1910. Would make a great entry for your home or wine cellar. Each gate / panel / door comprised of 9 turned bars within a picture rail style frame.
Category

Early 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Sterling Silver " Lilly of the Valley " Bon Bon Dish by Whiting Division
Located in Huntington, NY
Sterling Silver " Lilly of the Valley " Bon Bon Dish by Whiting Division Whiting had small production but produced exceptional handmade silverware in relatively small quantities. This Company's most important designer was Charles Osborne...
Category

Early 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

Tiny Vintage Florentine Mirrors; a pair
Located in Malibu, CA
Florentine gold framed mirrors. Classic pair of small accent mirrors. New mirror never used. The pair can be broken up, inquire within.
Category

Mid-20th Century Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Giltwood, Mirror

Tiny Vintage Florentine Mirrors; a pair
Tiny Vintage Florentine Mirrors; a pair
$209 Sale Price / set
25% Off
Antique Carafe in Engraved Crystal and Silver
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Very elegant French carafe in engraved crystal and silver. On your table or in your bar area it's the most beautiful object to admire. It's perfect and r...
Category

20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Crystal

Antique Aesthetic Movement Carved Cherry Faceted Mirrored Corner Cabinet c1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique aesthetic movement corner cabinet offers cherry construction in faceted form with carved foliate frieze surmounting cast with single beveled glass door opening to shelved ...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Metal

Pair of Minton Majolica Cobalt-Blue Ground Reticulated Garden Seats, 1871
Located in Milan, IT
Splendid Pair of Minton Majolica Cobalt-Blue Ground Reticulated Garden Seats Shape no. 1364. Each hexagonal, with a paneled side pierced in the Aesthetic style with yellow-centered w...
Category

1870s British Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Aesthetic Movement Spoon Carved Ebonized Mahogany Secretary C1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
Aesthetic Movement Spoon Carved Ebonized Mahogany Secretary C1890 Measures - 65.5"H x 32.5"W x 16.75"D This secretary from the Aesthetic Movement, dating to circa 1890, showcases the...
Category

19th Century Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Mahogany

1960 s Earth-Tone Persian Mazandaran Kilim Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
76386 Vintage Persian Mazandaran Kilim Rug, 06'01 x 06'10. From the verdant slopes of Iran’s northern provinces, where forests hum with moisture and mist, this handwoven wool vintage...
Category

Mid-20th Century Persian Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Wool

Aesthetic Mahogany Hanging Shelf
Located in Essex, MA
Rectangular with three shelves. The ends with turned spindles.
Category

1880s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ash, Mahogany

19th Century Continental School Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Continental, likely German, 19th century. Oil on canvas, housed in a gilt oval frame. A town scene, unsigned.
Category

19th Century German Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Pair 19th Century Japanese Wall Shelves
Located in Houston, TX
Late 19th Century Japanese carved wood wall shelves with inlay and painted foliage motifs.
Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Wood

Dr C Dresser Attr. Aesthetic Movement Incised, Gilded Ebonized Display Cabinet
Located in London, GB
Dr C Dresser attributed an Aesthetic Movement ebonized display cabinet with incised and gilded zig-zag decoration. Probably made for Bushloe House. I wa...
Category

1870s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Walnut

1980 s Berber Glaoui High-Low Moroccan Carpet with Raised Design
Located in Dallas, TX
20923 Vintage Glaoui Moroccan High-Low Rug, 12'10 x 17'08. Woven with intention and soul by the Glaoui artisans of Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, this vintage high-low wool Moroccan...
Category

Late 20th Century Moroccan Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Wool

Majolica Plate Flowers Dragonfly Choisy le Roi, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica Plate Flowers & Dragonfly Choisy le Roi, circa 1880. Baby blue background with lily of the valley. 8 inches diameter.
Category

1880s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

19th Century French Hand Painted Framed Porcelain Tile
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A gorgeous hand painted porcelain tile in original giltwood frame. The tile with hand painted blue birds and wildflowers in an elegant original giltwood...
Category

1880s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Porcelain, Giltwood

Monogram Gorham Silver Plated Tea Tray
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
A superb quality Gorham silver plated on copper oval tea tray encrusted in cast vintage motifs. Monogram "EBR". Medallion maker's insignia: "Plate...
Category

Early 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Silver Plate, Copper

Large Gateleg Table In Oak
Located in Brussels, Brussels
lovely oak table called Gateleg Very beautiful table which has a very beautiful turned base Beautiful top with a thickness of 3cm the table can be used as a dining room table, as ...
Category

20th Century British Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Oak

19th Century Large French Majolica Flamingo Platter
Located in Austin, TX
Exceptional 19th Century Large French Majolica Flamingo Platter or Charger. 15.7 diameter.
Category

1880s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Large Peacock Bird French Brass Empire Chandelier Lustre Lamp Gold Art Deco
Located in Berlin, DE
Introducing a stunning brass baroque empire chandelier reminiscent of the classic style of the empire era. This is a new reproduction and there are several available to ensure you ca...
Category

2010s German Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Brass

Richard Charles Aesthetic Movement Ebonised Elbow Chair with X Frame stretcher
By Richard Charles
Located in London, GB
Richard Charles (1823-93), an Aesthetic Movement ebonized elbow chair, circa 1866, with ball finials, a ladder back, later leather seat, gilt highlights and X-frame base with X-frame...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Wood

R.J. Horner Aesthetic Movement Faux Bamboo Birdseye Maple Full Bed
Located in Queens, NY
American Victorian Aesthetic Movement carved birdseye maple faux bamboo full-size bed with a spindled crest, paneled head and foot-boards, and ball finials, and bracketed rails. (R.J...
Category

19th Century American Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Wood, Maple

Aesthetic Movement Ebonized Occasional Table with Hand Painted Flowers
Located in Faversham, GB
A wonderful Aesthetic Movement ebonised occasional table with a circular top and lower tier. Both tiers are beautifully painted in the original Victorian penwork designs with floral...
Category

19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Elm, Pine, Paint

Austrian Majolica Oyster Plate, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Large unusual Austrian Majolica oyster plate, circa 1880.
Category

1880s Austrian Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience

Large Majolica Bird Flowers Basket Centerpiece, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Unique large Majolica bird & flowers basket centerpiece, circa 1880. Roses, blue and yellow flowers. Impressionist period.  
Category

1880s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

E W Godwin attr, for Collinson Lock. An Aesthetic Movement mahogany side table
Located in London, GB
E W Godwin, attributed, made by Collinson & Lock. An Aesthetic movement mahogany side table with spiral-turned legs on out swept feet.With the original lock and key to the drawer.Col...
Category

1880s Indian Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Mahogany

Qajar Persian Hammered Copper Scuttle with Aesthetic Movement Form
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
This 19th-century Qajar Persian coal scuttle pairs traditional metalwork with an unexpectedly modern silhouette. Its hand-hammered, exaggerated crescent form and looping handle evoke...
Category

Late 19th Century Persian Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Copper

1920 s Persian Mahal Carpet with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
61148 Antique Persian Mahal Rug, 04'03 x 06'07. In the heart of our collection lies an exquisite testament to the legacy of Mahal rugs — an embodiment of timeless craftsmanship and a...
Category

Early 20th Century Persian Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Wool

19th Century Majolica Pink and Blue Oyster Plate Gien
By Gien
Located in Austin, TX
Rare 19th century Majolica oyster plate with pastels colors, shells and seaweeds signed Gien.  
Category

1890s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Sarreguemines French Barbotine Majolica Trompe l Oeil Melon Covered Tureen
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A French Majolica covered tureen in the shape of a trompe l’oeil melon by Sarreguemines, circa 1900. Molded in the form of a large yellow melon with green vines and leaves. The li...
Category

Early 20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Earthenware

Good Quality Aesthetic Movement Brass Fire Fender with Turned Details Finials
Located in London, GB
A good quality Aesthetic Movement brass fire fender with turned details and finials above, protective mesh to the lower part all stood on a solid brass plinth.
Category

1890s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Brass

Wedgwood English Majolica Snail Shell and Ivy Pitcher date marked 1870
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An English Wedgwood Majolica pitcher, an aesthetic movement mold showing a snail shell against sprays of climbing ivy on a tortoiseshell ground. A branch form handle, yellow ochre ri...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Earthenware

French Barbotine Majolica Sarreguemines Basket of Pansies Covered Tureen
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A French Majolica covered tureen in the form of a handled basket brimming with colorful pansies, Sarreguemines, circa 1900-1910. Two pansy heads form the top handle, pansy blossom...
Category

Early 20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Earthenware

Antique Ford Tupper Gilded Age Sterling Silver Barrel Form Ice Bucket / Cooler
By Tiffany Co., Ford Tupper
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine Gilded Age American figural ice bucket. By Ford & Tupper, the renowned 19th Century New York City silversmiths. In the faux bois form of a...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

19th C. Victorian Aesthetic Movement Cast Iron Widows Walk Fence Garden Element
By Fiske Or Mott
Located in New York, NY
Unusually long Victorian Widows Walk fence fragment, made in the USA, circa 1880’s, constructed of cast iron. Perfect to repurpose as a decorative garden ...
Category

Late 19th Century American Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Iron

Monumental Italian 1950s Wrought Iron Wall Lamp
Located in Milan, IT
Monumental Italian 1950s wrought iron wall lamp.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Iron

Small Majolica Frog Jerome Massier, circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
Small Rare Majolica frog Jerome Massier, circa 1900. Reference / Page 118,119 "Barbotines de la Cote d 'Azur" of M.Bottero.
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

A. H. Lejambre American Aesthetic Movement Tiered Square Table
Located in Sharon, CT
Crafted by A. H. Lejambre in Philadelphia, circa 1880. The top is mahogany bordered with ebony and brass trim, and is inlaid with an Egyptian scarab and a bee in exotic woods. ...
Category

1880s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Wood

Tiffany and Co. Sterling Silver "Blackberry" Tazza
Located in New York, NY
This gleaming Tiffany and Co. Sterling Silver "Blackberry" Tazza originates from the United States, Circa 1895. Featuring a scalloped profile achieved with ornate organic designs and...
Category

1890s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

Victorian Steer Horn Vanity Bench Side Chair C1890
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Rare and fabulous steer horn vanity bench with a suede fabric. In excellent vintage condition with minimal wear. Horns are tight and sturdy with no damage. Truly a rare form.
Category

1890s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Horn, Fabric, Hardwood

Pair 20 th c Murano Iridescent Glass Perfume Bottles
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Mid 29 th c Italian Murano glass iridescent from mush with white feathers. Beautiful decorative and collectible
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Aesthetic Movement Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Aesthetic Movement furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Aesthetic Movement 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 serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, decorative objects, seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Aesthetic Movement 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 Minton, Doulton Lambeth, Christopher Dresser, and Wedgwood. 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 $65 and tops out at $86,402 while the average work can sell for $1,820.

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