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Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

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
Small Terrestrial Globe From J.forest - Paris
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Very beautiful little Terrestrial Globe from the beginning of the 20th century circa 1910 by J. Forest Paris Rue de Bucci The Terrestrial Globe has a very beautiful blackened wooden...
Category

Early 20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Paper

Antique Gilded Room Divider Screen Oil Painting Aesthetic Movement NY 1885
Located in Portland, OR
A fine & rare antique American Aesthetic Movement gilded three panel room divider screen, with three original oil paintings, 1885, from...
Category

1880s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Gold Leaf

Fine & Unusual 19th Century Chinoiserie Decorated Gilt Bamboo Fire Screen
Located in Atlanta, GA
English or French, 19th century. Behold the exquisite charm of the 19th century brought to life in this fine and unusual Chinoiserie decorated gilt bamboo fire screen. A testament to the fascination with the Orient that characterized this era, this piece combines artistic prowess with functional elegance in a way that is both rare and captivating. Crafted in the 1800s, this fire screen showcases the intricate artistry of Chinoiserie, a design style heavily influenced by Chinese motifs and aesthetics. The bamboo frame, painstakingly adorned with gilt detailing, emulates the opulence associated with the Victorian era. The Chinoiserie decoration, rendered in vibrant colors and delicate brushwork, features enchanting scenes inspired by Chinese landscapes and mythology. This exceptional work of art is framed by the bamboo's organic elegance, creating a striking juxtaposition between the exotic and the natural. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, this fire screen served a practical purpose, shielding the room from the heat of the fireplace. Its folding design allows for easy placement and storage when not in use, making it a versatile and functional piece of decor. This piece comes from a Bellevue Ave home...
Category

19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Bamboo, Giltwood, Lacquer

c. 1900 Pair of Camel Cast Iron Bookends
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
A pair of recumbent camel bookends, English, c.1900. Cast iron. 5 7/8" x 2.25" x 4.5" h.
Category

Early 20th Century English Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Iron

c. 1900 Brass Book Slide by Judd Mfg. Co., CT.
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Expanding, folding brass book slide with cast iron camels by Judd Mfg. Co., CT., c.1900. The camels cold painted with patinated bases symbolic of pharaonic Egypt. Brass & steel mecha...
Category

Early 1900s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Brass, Iron

Johnson Hartig Libertine Le Grand Tour Floral Screen
Located in Houston, TX
Custom six panel screen with Johnson Hartig of Libertine Le Grand Tour Floral Wallpaper (reverse side Architecture Teal Wallpaper) by Schumacher. Each p...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Wood, Paper

Hand Painted Antique Large Screen
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
M/781 - Interesting large hand painted on wood high screen : from France, mid '800. It can be the background of an entire wall: an imaginary garden with flowers' triumph; on the o...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Paint

Large Terrestrial Globe From Handels Und Verkehrsglobus 69cm High
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Superb terrestrial globe by Handels Und Verkehrsglobus from the beginning of the 20th century from Leipzig Very large model which has a height of 69 cm and a very beautiful blackene...
Category

Early 20th Century German Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Paper

Bird Cage on Stand with Chinese Decor, 19 ° Century
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Elegant 19th century bird cage with Chinese decoration Very beautiful unique bird cage with a superb base Atypical piece with an Asian influence, but also elements of the Renaissan...
Category

Late 19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Giltwood

Aesthetic Movement Walnut & Brass Mounted Folding Double Sided Low Screen
Located in Norwich, GB
An Aesthetic Movement walnut and brass mounted folding low screen. Circa 1870. The double sided fabric has been replaced with modern Walter Crane, Swallo...
Category

19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Walnut, Silk

Bird Cage in Bone and Wood, 19 ° Century
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Elegant bird cage in bone and wood from the 19th century Very beautiful bird cage from Moorish influence southern Spain Very beautiful patina and in very good condition Small wear...
Category

19th Century Spanish Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Bone

19th Century French Inlaid Mahogany Column Display Pedestal
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
19th century French inlaid mahogany column display pedestal This is a rectangular column, it is set on a stepped base with a square top The Column is made in mahogany and has an ...
Category

Late 19th Century Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Mahogany

Moroccan Aesthetic Period Summer Fire Screen or Folding Screen
Located in New York, NY
Moroccan Aesthetic period folding screen or fire screen with three panels in carved wood with mother-of-pearl inlay and mashrabiya elements. Made in Morocco during the 1870's. Some l...
Category

1870s Moroccan Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl, Wood

Solid Polished Brass Flower Pod Bookends
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A simple and very heavy pair of solid brass bookends with a lovely flower petal or pod shaped feature. perfect for any shelf, in the kitchen or gar...
Category

20th Century Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Brass

American Aestheticism, Griffoul Foundry Sculptural Bronze Bookends, Early XX C.
By M. Peinlich
Located in New York, NY
A charming set of bronze bookends. One of the bookends depicts a figure of a young girl with a questioning face expression, holding a bouquet; and the other a cupid, who peeks around...
Category

Early 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Bronze

Folding Screen Art by Arthur Drooker "Photo-Quilts"
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful folding screen art piece made by Arthur Drooker in 1991 and part of his "Photo-Quilts" work or collection. These screens are a beautiful piece of art, very geometric and fu...
Category

1990s North American Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Plexiglass, Wood

19th century Papier Mache Table Top Hinged Screen Butterfly and Bird Motif
Located in Savannah, GA
Unusual small size papier mache tabletop screen featuring hand painted flowers, a colorful bird and butterfly. Three brass hinged panels. Half round s...
Category

1860s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Brass

Gillows attr, An Aesthetic Movement Three-Fold Screen with Birds Amongst Blossom
Located in London, GB
Bruce Talbert in the style of and probably made by Gillows. An Aesthetic Movement Walnut three-fold screen with carved serpentine and palm leaf decoration to the tops and tramline d...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Walnut

Related Items
Scandinavian Modern Book Ends in Solid Brass, Minimal Design by Erik Olovsson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Heavy Book Ends in solid casted and polished brass. Casted in solid brass and polished. Small, minimal and elegant design but still heavy to hold your books. 2kg (4.4lbs) per book end.
Category

2010s Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Brass

18/19 C. Italian Grand Tour Fine Antique Mixed Marble and Scagliola Obelisk
Located in New York, NY
A Fantastic 18th/19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Mixed Marble and Scagliola Obelisk. This grand tour Italian mixed marble and scagliola obelisk mixes Egyptian architecture in...
Category

Early 19th Century Italian Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Marble

Vintage Folding 4-Panel Room Divider Screen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Materials: Walnut-Stained Mahogany
Category

1960s American Vintage Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Walnut

Vintage Bamboo Geometric Screen Room Divider
Located in west palm beach, FL
A lovely vintage bamboo three panel screen with a geometric concentric triangular design. Each panel is 18” wide. Acquired from a Palm Beach estate.
Category

Late 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Bamboo

Pair of Grand Tour Style Carved Alabaster Bookends Formed as Classical Ruins
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very good pair of architectural inspired columnar bookends, both carved in the form of ancient ruins of reeded columns, raised on stepped bases. Dimensions noted are those shown fa...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Alabaster

Vintage Cast Iron Elephant Bookends
Located in Seguin, TX
Vintage cast iron elephant bookends. Unmarked, little bit of original copper finish remains, wear to finish, scuffing, felt bottoms missing.
Category

Early 20th Century North American Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Iron

Vintage Cast Iron Elephant Bookends
Vintage Cast Iron Elephant Bookends
H 4.5 in W 5.25 in D 2 in
A truly delightful miniature terrestrial pocket globe
Located in ZWIJNDRECHT, NL
A truly delightful miniature terrestrial pocket globe in a celestial case, 3 inches / 6.8 cm. The globe consists of 12 wonderful varnished, engraved hand-coloured gores that stretch from pole to pole. In the original case of black fish-skin with a brass hinge and two brass hook-and-eyelet closures, case with a unique silver plaque which reads: "B. Bellchamber S. King - Gul's Fox Summum Geographicum Praemium Pares Meruere". * [This very roughly translates to:] "B. Bellchamber S. King - Gul's Fox Earns Top Geographical Peers Award". *Is it too much to suppose and speculate that this wonderful silver plaque attached to the outer case is in recognition of a [geographic?] scholastic achievement? The prize awarded to the lucky recipients (B. Bellchamber & S. King?) is this globe? This terrestrial globe has two repairs; to the area concerning the British Isles, and also to parts of Europe and Scandinavia (with some loss). There is some slight loss to a portion of North America, and there is a crack to the northern portion of South America. It is partly worn in other places and has some slight spotting. It is lacking the axis metal pin, and the two holes that normally allow for this pin have been closed. The case is split and segmented, partly rubbed and worn with cracks, (as is usual.) The case will close. There is some minor chipping and cracking to the outer rim of the inside of the case. About Pocket Globes. It is generally thought that Joseph Moxon brought pocket globes to England in the late seventeenth century. These globes usually consist of a terrestrial sphere of about 7.5 cm in diameter that fits into an outer case (usually made of fish-skin). The interior of this case often bears bright, colourful celestial cartography, so you effectively have the celestial heavens surrounding the terrestrial earth. Pocket globes, although highly desirable, are for all intents and purposes somewhat impractical, as their size makes accurate calculations impossible. Few, if any, pocket globes came with accompanying booklets, so it is hard for anyone to know who used them and for what purposes. Pocket globes could simply have served purely as status symbols for wealthy gentlemen, who had an interest in geography or astronomy. The fields of geography and the sciences were quickly advancing during this period. Alternatively, pocket globes could be seen as a tool used in children’s education, especially when you think that they are construction from cheap materials such as papier-mâché. Points of Interest. This particular globe shows California as a peninsula, whereas previously it had been depicted as an island – a misconception dating back to the sixteenth century; it has the northwest coast of America simply as "unknown parts."; - due to a profound lack of knowledge of the region; the track of Admiral George Anson’s circumnavigation of the world (1740-44) is drawn – Anson led a squadron of eight ships on a mission to disrupt or capture the Pacific Ocean possessions of the Spanish Empire, for emphases, the trade winds are indicated by red arrows. There are three large lakes engraved in Africa that may longer exist. The Celestial Gores. The celestial gores, housed within the case, are fun and eye-catching both in their display and in their content. Constellations and both hemispheres and are represented. Gemini, Cancer, Virgo, Orion, Andromeda, Taurus, Leo, Ursa Major etc in the north, and Scorpio, Libra, Canis Major etc in the south. A celestial globe is a mapping of the stars, and has been used since classical times. Celestial globes were first used by Greek astronomers, and later by the Islamic world, where the earliest known globes date from the eleventh century. The stars were thought to sit on the surface of a giant sphere around the earth, and the constant movement of the stars each night and throughout the year appeared to be caused by this giant sphere slowly turning overhead. In line with its counterpart, the terrestrial globe, celestial globes are mapped by a north and a south pole, an equator, and lines of latitude and longitude. The Terrestrial Globe. The North Pole encompasses the Arctic Circle, Baffin Bay (Canada), Iceland, Greenland, northern Siberia and Nuova Zembla. Europe shows the Dominion of Muscovy (a principality of the late Middle Ages centered on Moscow), Turkey, the British Isles, Italy etc. Africa highlights the Barbary coast, Biledulgerid (a former country in North Africa), the Zaara Desart (Sahara Desert), Negroland (an archaic term in European mapping referring to large portions of West Africa), Guinea, Ethiopia, Congo, the islands of the Azores and the Canaries. Australia (New Holland) shows the outdated cartography of an incomplete coastline; The West Australian and Northern Territory coastlines are in full, however, there is no connected mainland coastline from South Australia up to Northern Queensland. Papua New Guinea is still thought to be a part of the Australian mainland. A portion of Tasmania’s coastline is engraved. The only places/regions mentioned are: Dimens Land and Carpentaria in the north; Lewins, St. Francis, Mary’s Island, South Cape, and Dimens Land in the south. Interestingly, a place named Hartog’s Island is mentioned off the West Australian coast. This island has a unique place within Australia’s history as it is the first recorded European landing on Australian soil in 1616 by the island’s namesake, Dutch captain Dirk Hartog...
Category

Mid-18th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Other

19th Century Pleated Silk Screen
Located in London, GB
Five fold screen with original apple green pleated silk and braid. Mahogany frame. French c.1810 Measures: height 118cm Each panel 45 cm wide In origina...
Category

1810s French Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Silk, Mahogany

19th Century Pleated Silk Screen
19th Century Pleated Silk Screen
H 46.46 in W 88.59 in D 2.37 in
Antique 3 Panel Dressing Screen, French, Giltwood, Room Divider, Victorian, 1900
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique three panel dressing screen. A French, giltwood and glass room divider, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1900. Strikingly decorative screen with great c...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Giltwood

Replogle Terrestrial Floor Globe
Located in Asbury Park, NJ
This floor globe by Replogle floats within a ring of walnut, supported by four 'turned' chrome stiles, which connect to a base of walnut. The ...
Category

1960s American Vintage Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

4 Paneled Asian Room Screen Divider
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Amazing Asian 4 paneled screen. Features hand painted depictions of herons wading in the brush. Additional information: Material: Brass, wood Color: Black, gold, green, white S...
Category

20th Century Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Wood

4 Paneled Asian Room Screen Divider
4 Paneled Asian Room Screen Divider
H 35.5 in W 60 in D 1 in
Mid Century Room Divider Folding Screen
Located in New York, NY
Bendheim Glass panel room divider privacy folding screen. Mahogany panels with colored molded glass set in squares creating a geometric design...
Category

1970s American Vintage Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Mahogany, Glass

Previously Available Items
Antique Aesthetic Movement Oak Bamboo Form Stick and Ball Dressing Screen
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique aesthetic movement bamboo form dressing screen offers stick and ball decorated three-panel oak construction with more recent lace screens and seated on scroll feet, circa ...
Category

Late 19th Century European Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Fabric, Oak

Vintage Frog Bookends
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
Pair of charming cast iron bookends that will add an imaginative moment to a library bookshelf, mantel (fireplace), or office space. Colorfully painted, these vintage amphibians are ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Iron

Vintage Frog Bookends
Vintage Frog Bookends
H 9 in W 9.75 in D 4 in
Estate Three Paneled Art Nouveau Painted Oil on Canvas Landscape Screen
Located in New Orleans, LA
1920s-1930s three paneled screen, aesthetics movement, oil on canvas. Beautiful oil painting of swans and egrets featuring cattails and palmetto...
Category

1920s French Vintage Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Pair of White Jade and Brass Bookends
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wonderful pair of carved white jade and brass bookends, the pair have accents in Orange Jade and carved bone, with frame and stand in perfectly patinated brass - a stunning pair fo...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Jade, Brass

Pair of White Jade and Brass Bookends
Pair of White Jade and Brass Bookends
H 6.75 in W 5 in D 3.25 in
Folding Wooden Library Ladder from Late 19th Century France
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Folding wooden library ladder from late 19th century France.
Category

1920s French Vintage Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Wood

Edwardian Walnut Luggage Rack
Located in Whaley Bridge, GB
Sn4408, stylish Aesthetic movement luggage rack in walnut with slatted top decorated with scroll ends and turned and ringed legs united by stretchers. This antique luggage rack retai...
Category

Early 1900s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Walnut

Edwardian Walnut Luggage Rack
Edwardian Walnut Luggage Rack
H 16.93 in W 24.02 in D 14.97 in
French 19th Century Four-Panel Painted Wood Screen
Located in New York, NY
A French 19th century four-panel painted wood screen, each panel inset with various 18th century ornithological watercolor plates with accom...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Wood

Arts & Crafts Walnut Towel Rack by Gillow & Co Attributed to Bruce James Talbert
Located in Lisse, NL
Unique towel rack from the same bedroom as the nightstands that we sold. This unique Gillows towel rack is the second item that we have on offer from a Gillow & Co bedroom that ...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Nutwood

American Aesthetic Floor Terrestrial Globe by Gilman Joslin
Located in Essex, MA
With Etruscan style ebonized base. Globe diameter 15 inches
Category

1880s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

An Aesthetic Movement Carved Wood Three-Part Folding Screen w/Embossed Leather
Located in New York, NY
An Aesthetic Movement three-part carved wood screen with embossed leather and various designs. Good condition with age appropriate wear. The back is covered in a brown fabric. Th...
Category

19th Century European Antique Aesthetic Movement Home Accents

Materials

Textile, Wood

Aesthetic Movement home accents for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Aesthetic Movement home accents 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 home accents created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Aesthetic Movement home accents 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 home accents, popular names associated with this style include Bruce James Talbert, M. Peinlich, and Schumacher. 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 home accents differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $145 and tops out at $11,500 while the average work can sell for $1,900.

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