British Colonial Furniture
BRITISH COLONIAL STYLE
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.
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Style: British Colonial
Place of Origin: English
Great Pair of Vintage Mahogany Planters Chairs
Located in Richmond, VA
Great pair of vintage mahogany planters chairs with canvas.
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Canvas, Mahogany
Magazine Stand in Wood, Stampted Made in England, XX Century, Brown Color
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This Magazine stand is in wood. it has been Made in England during the 20 th century. We have a stamp with "Made in England" ingraved. The Color in Brown. On the top we have a compar...
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wood
$526 Sale Price
20% Off
18th Century English Walnut Tilt-Top Table
Located in Dallas, TX
18th Century English Walnut Tilt-Top Table is a truly timeless design, made with an ingenious tilting top allowing it to be tucked against the wall when not in use, then deployed and...
Category
Late 18th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Early 20th-C. British Colonial Heavily Carved Oak Sideboard / Server
Located in Kennesaw, GA
Love this piece! This is an early 20th century heavily carved oak British colonial server. The apron has stand out detail with it’s plethera of carved lion busts...
Category
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Oak
Antique Silver Plated Mechanical Gun or Cannon Bottle Trolley Decanting Machine
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This well made mechanical gun carriage bottle trolley and pourer is unsigned, but presumed to have originated from England in approximately 1890 in a British Colonial style. The carr...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Metal, Silver Plate
Vintage Pair of Deer Hoof Table Lamps
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Vintage pair of custom English deer hoof table lamps with silver plated candle cups and hardware, presented on custom double plinths. Newly wired. Poss...
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Animal Skin
$2,900 / set
Pair of Folding Tripod Stools in Oakwood and Leather
Located in Barcelona, ES
Elegant pair of turned oak Campaign tripod stools with leather folding seats. England, 1930s.
These folding stools feature a turned oak's wood tripod foldable structure. They have a ...
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Leather, Oak, Wood
Nazmiyal Collection Oversized Antique English Axminster Carpet 15
x 20
7"
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful Oversized Antique English Axminster Carpet, Country of origin: England, Circa date: 1850
Category
19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wool
Framed Traditional English Quorn Fox Hunt Print by Frederick Christian Lewis
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A framed FC Lewis Fox Hunting print. This piece was originally printed in 1835. It features a group of English men in red coats at the infamous Quorn Fox Hunt in England. The scene t...
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wood, Paper, Glass
$337 Sale Price
25% Off
Finely Carved British Colonial 19th Century Round Tiltable Table
Located in Miami, FL
A beautiful finely carved British Colonial wooden circular side table from India or Ceylon. The circular top with a broad shallow relief detailed border depicting a lion and serpent ...
Category
1890s English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Fruitwood
Late Nineteenth Early Twentieth Century painting on board by C. Wilson
Located in Winnetka, IL
A late Nineteenth early Twentieth century English Colonial painting on board by C. Wilson presented in a gilt wood frame. Depicting a group of men with top hats riding on a horse-dra...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Giltwood, Paint
Sterling Navette Form Dutch Scene Gilt Interior Tea Caddy British Import Mark
By Samuel Boyce Landeck
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A sterling silver navette form Dutch scene gilt interior tea caddy with British import mark, makers mark SBL for Samuel Boyce Landeck, (Sheffield 1897). Decorated with couples in a t...
Category
1890s English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Sterling Silver
Small Brighton Pavillion White Wrought Iron Settee
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Charming Miniature Brighton Pavillion style settee. This piece is finished in gloss white with a Ralph Lauren upholstered seat cushion in a chinoise...
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wrought Iron
Pair of Bird Drawing Lithographs by British Artists J. Wolf and H.C. Richter
Located in Palm Springs, CA
This vintage pair of beautiful birds art were done by a famous pair of British Artists that worked together and illustrated many books.
The prints of the lithographs were purchased ...
Category
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Paper
Antique English Gaming Wheel
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Transporting antique English gaming wheel crafted in pine darkened by aged shellac with leather stopper and decoupaged numbers 1 through 30 and se...
Category
19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Pine
HAND-CARVED Wooden 1920
s CHANDELIERS [PAIR]
Located in Hawthorne, CA
A pair of wooden hand-carved chandeliers for an eclectic decor. These pieces are perfect for an island or coastal setting. Of the 19th C. wired to modern standards, origin England 19...
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Rosewood
![HAND-CARVED Wooden 1920
s CHANDELIERS [PAIR]](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/archivesE/upload/1121189/f_85148731505466845290/8514873_master.jpg?width=240 "HAND-CARVED Wooden 1920
s CHANDELIERS [PAIR]")
$2,860 / set
Framed 17th Century Map of Cumberland, England by John Speed, 1610
By John Speed
Located in Middleburg, VA
A fascinating and richly detailed antique map of Cumberland County in northwest England, drawn and published by the celebrated English cartographer John Spe...
Category
Early 17th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Copper, Gold Leaf
19th Century British Colonial Wood Counter Game
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Curious mechanical lottery apperatice that has a hardwood spinning canister with pine cap and spout, supported by two turned mahogany posts on a round wood base with ball feet. The p...
Category
19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Hardwood
Rare 18th Century English Clock
Located in Madrid, ES
Rare 18th century English clock
Marquetry
Weight: 9.20 kg
England
Sizes: H 62cm L 31cm
very good condition.
Category
18th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Bronze
19th Century English Cupboard
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century English Cupboard boasts a stately yet rustic presence, ideal for the casual decor. The shallow design coupled with the mitered front corners makes it exceptionally traffic-friendly for efficient floor plans. Designed to hold just-washed pots...
Category
1880s English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
Tole Military Hat Trade Sign on Lucite
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Trade sign depicting an 18th century British officer's hat with a weathered finish and presented on a custom Lucite stand.
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Tôle
1960s English Traditional Bronze
Copper Baby Shoes Bookends Nursery Décor Pair
Located in Miami, FL
A Pair of British colonial baby shoes bookends in cast bronze and handcrafted solid copper Shoes made in England in the 1960s.
Note the attention to details at the shoes and each is ...
Category
Mid-20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Copper
Mahogany Corner Cabinet/Étagère From the Early 20th Century With Openwork Sides
Located in Opole, PL
Mahogany Corner Cabinet/Étagère From the Early 20th Century With Openwork Sides
An original corner cabinet/étagère with openwork sides, richly decorated with woodcarving. A single-l...
Category
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
$1,867 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Étagère or Server with Cabinet
Located in Palm Beach, FL
William IV English étagère or server, hand crafted in well grained mahogany having two shelves with turned and carved supports with a lower cabinet featuring a zinc lined wine cellar...
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Man of the Sandwich Islands, with His Helmet J. Webber del. J.K. Sherwin Sc.
By John Webber
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
An English 18 century engraving titled "Man of the Sandwich Islands, with his helmet " signed .J. Webber del. J.K. Sherwin sc. The subject was sk...
Category
Late 18th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Paper
$1,200 Sale Price
20% Off
English Fall-Front Secretary Desk in Carved Oak, Circa 1800
Located in North Miami, FL
This piece just took our breath away - all the carved wood details and medallions are master craftsman quality. See all detail images to truly appreciate what an excellent antique pi...
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
Reverse Drawing of Moorish Architecture by Cathy Wiggs
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Bold image of Moorish architecture executed with a unique technique, a reverse drawing on a sheet of Mylar or plastic. The effect is quite alluring and very much in the manor of the ...
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Plastic, Mylar
Antique English Axminster Rug. 14 ft 10 in x 20 ft 3 in
Located in New York, NY
Oversized Antique English Axminster Rug, Country of Origin: England, Circa date: 1900. Size: 14 ft 10 in x 20 ft 3 in (4.52 m x 6.17 m)
Category
20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Wool
Mid 20th Century ERIICoronation Jug
Located in Raleigh, US
Johnson Bros Coronation Jug – ERII, Elizabeth II 1953
Celebrate a historic moment with this vintage Johnson Bros "Greydawn" Coronation Jug, created to commemorate the coronation of Q...
Category
Mid-20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Jockey Scales from Market Rasen Racecourse
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Avery brass height and weight standing jockey scales from Market Rasen Racecourse
This is a very rare set of 19th century Jockey scales, it was made by W & T Avery Birmingham...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Brass
E. Löffler, "The Oronte
s Ideal Company", Framed Original Manifesto, circa 1900
Located in Firenze, IT
E. Löffler, "The Oronte's Ideal Company", Original manifesto, framed, circa 1900
Lithograph, without printer's name.
Measures: Cm 70x49.
It was a brilliant company of equili...
Category
Early 1900s English Antique British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Glass, Wood, Paper
Original Walnut Wing Chair, circa 1900
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Original walnut wing chair, circa 1900.
Armchair reupholstered and refinished a short time ago,
small stains on the fabric.
Category
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Furniture
Materials
Walnut
British Colonial furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique British Colonial 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 tables, case pieces and storage cabinets, seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used British Colonial furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, Asia, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Maitland Smith, Baker Furniture Company, Bloomingdale's, and Ralph Lauren. 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 $80 and tops out at $88,000 while the average work can sell for $3,161.
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