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Chinoiserie Shelves

CHINOISERIE STYLE

Emerging in the 17th century, chinoiserie appropriated the aesthetics and imagery of popular East Asian design for European-made versions. Reflecting the exoticization of China, Japan and other countries in this era, the word directly translates from French to “Chinese-esque,” which reveals its shortcomings as a style of furniture and decor that often stereotypically and reductively mimics Asian culture rather than showcasing and paying tribute to its artistic traditions.

The enthusiastically decorative chinoiserie style was propelled by influential tastemakers including French King Louis XIV, whose Trianon de Porcelaine in 1670 was inspired by Chinese architecture. Expanded trade between the East and West led to a demand for porcelain, lacquer objects, silk and other goods, which further informed the fanciful furniture being crafted in Europe.

Artisans working in the chinoiserie style used materials and elements like pagoda shapes, bamboo, lacquer surfaces, bird and flower motifs and other interpretations of Asian design on pieces that were frequently set against vibrant wallcoverings. This whimsical approach yielded chinoiserie furniture that boasted dramatic flourishes drawing on the natural world and reflected the dominance of Rococo during the 18th century.

As chinoiserie was shaped by approximations of Asian design by European creators, it had regional variations, such as Chinese Chippendale in England where cabinets, chairs and tea tables had wooden fretwork designs and “japanned” surfaces intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia. In North America, furniture makers in Boston and New York integrated chinoiserie-painted scenes into Queen Anne furniture.

Antique chinoiserie furniture has continued to be fashionable, from its popularity with decorators of the Hollywood Regency era — James Mont, Tommi Parzinger, William Haines and Samuel Marx favored the style — to contemporary interior designers, although it brings with it a complex history.

Find a collection of chinoiserie bedroom furniture, cabinets, decorative objects and more on 1stDibs.

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Style: Chinoiserie
Palm Beach Regency Faux Bamboo Pagoda Etagere
Located in Redding, CT
Palm Beach Regency Faux Bamboo Pagoda Etagere. Classic coastal design for that beachside home. Plenty of storage room in this beauty . It has 5 shelves total. Currently in an off whi...
Category

1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Iron

A Stylish Chelsea House Ebonized Chinoiserie Three Tiered Etagere
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A hand painted chinoiserie etagere by Chelsea House. The three tiers graduated from top to bottom, with black background with painted Asian inspired decoration. 69 inches tall, 19.5...
Category

1980s American Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Hardwood

Chinoiserie Wood Wall Shelf Bracket for Vase Decorative Object Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful, detailed, wood wall shelf bracket, Chinoiserie design style, circa mid-20th century. Shelf, in a nicely finished rich brown wood, ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Wood

Chinoiserie Pagoda Style Painted Corner Cabinet
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Very sweet painted bamboo pagoda style corner shelf. Finished in a Chinese red paint. This piece is in very good condition and has two shelves for display.
Category

20th Century English Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Bamboo

Chinoiserie Wedgewood Blue Pagoda Étagère
Located in Essex, MA
Chinoiserie Wedgewood blue pagoda étagère or shelf. Elegant étagère to display Chinese porcelain, blue and white collections, plants, or storage.
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Metal

Pair Vintage Red Lacquered Chinoiserie Style Shelf Cabinets with Brass Trim
Located in Troy, MI
Found in Europe, this pair of Chinoiserie style shelf cabinets date from the 1970s. These are in a dark, ox blood red lacquer with brass trim and hardware. Each cabinet has three adj...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Brass

Pair of Small Asian Etageres with Lower Cabinets in Fresh White Lacquer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful pair of small etageres with two-door lower cabinets. Freshly lacquered in white.
Category

1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

Davis Cabinet Co Teakwood Chinoiserie Library Bookcase Cabinet Shelf Commode
Located in Dayton, OH
"Vintage Davis Cabinet Company bookcase commode. Made of teakwood featuring asian styling with upper book shelves and lower cabinet. Circa late 20th century, Nashville Tennessee. #1515 These words of our venerable leader introduce this short history of our firm which began in 1929. There are certainly older furniture companies ---- and obviously younger ones, but quite likely, none with a more romantic history or a more Horatio Alger-like history than ours. Davis Cabinet Company began as the dream of one man, Lipscomb ""Lip"" Davis, and as is the case with most dreams, this one ---- the impractical idea of building fine furniture from solid wood ---- was thought to be an impossibility. Wood, like steel and iron and most other substances, expands and contracts with climate changes. Furniture built of solid wood must of necessity rack itself to pieces through the inexorable changes of expansion and contraction. Lipscomb Davis thought otherwise. His personal philosophy might be expressed as ""Anything can be accomplished if it is done correctly"", and to this end he had already conceived and engineered a startling new concept of free floating construction that would allow the solid wood case construction to move at will . . . . naturally . . . and thereby avoid the stresses of climatic change. The opportunity to test the idea came dramatically in 1929 ---- but we're getting a bit ahead of our story. While Davis Cabinet Company was formed in 1929, it really had its beginnings around the turn of the century as a sawmill located near Fifth Street on the banks of the Cumberland River. The mill produced lumber from logs rafted down the river from neighboring forests. A ready market existed for most of the high grade lumber turned out by the mill. But, in order to utilize their entire production, the enterprising mill owners formed a subsidiary business, Standard Furniture Company. Here, they manufactured primarily veneered bedroom suites and sewing machine cabinets...
Category

Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Teak

Very Fine Chinoiserie Decorated Vitrine Cabinet
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A highly decorated, useful and very well made Vitrine cabinet with three quarter viewing. Having a trim profile and decorated a mottled Green Paint with Gilt Chinoiserie decoration i...
Category

20th Century Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Wood

Pair Griswold Cabinets, Armoire's, Dessin Fournir, Chinoiserie, Palatial
Located in Stamford, CT
Pair of Monumental Griswold cabinets, Linen Press or Armoires by Dessin Fournir, Chinoiserie These custom handmade eight foot high chinoiserie hand-painted cabinets were made especi...
Category

Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Gold Leaf

English 1900s Bamboo Freestanding Shelf with Rattan Accents and Single Drawer
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English bamboo freestanding shelf from the early 20th century, with rattan accents and single drawer. Created in England at the Turn of the Centu...
Category

Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Bamboo, Rattan

Chinoiserie Pagoda Display Cabinet in the Brighton Pavilion Style
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Large Brighton Pavilion Pagoda style display cabinet by Edwards & Roberts of England.
Category

19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Wood

English Ebonized Three-Tiered Shelf with Chinoiserie Decor and Gilded Accents
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English ebonized three-tiered freestanding shelf from the turn of the century, with chinoiserie decor and gilded accents. Born in England around c 1900 this exquisite black, free-...
Category

20th Century English Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Wood, Giltwood, Lacquer

Chinoiserie Wall Shelves or Brackets
Located in Atlanta, GA
Pair of chinoiserie wall shelves or brackets, circa 1950s.
Category

1950s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Resin

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Teteia Contemporary Wall Shelf
Teteia Contemporary Wall Shelf
H 55.12 in W 19.69 in D 14.97 in
Set Paul Evans for Directional Chrome Brass Cityscape Shelf Brackets Console
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Stunning set signed Paul Evans for Directional shelf brackets or console tables. The glass is not pictured but is included and is 12" w x 48" l and is brand new. This set is truly fa...
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1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

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Alvar Aalto Wall Shelf Model 114, 1950s for Artek
Located in Helsinki, FI
This type wall shelf by Alvar Aalto is very sought after. There is just not enough of them around. As one can see from the archive picture the shelf can be joined with a mirror and ...
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1950s Finnish Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

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Birch, Teak

Alvar Aalto Wall Shelf Model 114, 1950s for Artek
Alvar Aalto Wall Shelf Model 114, 1950s for Artek
Free Shipping
H 13 in W 31.5 in D 12.6 in
Milo Baughman Style Chrome Étagère
Located in Redding, CT
Milo Baughman style chrome étagère with four glass shelves. Great for display piece for living room, office or bedroom. Domed open top makes...
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1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

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Chrome

Milo Baughman Style Chrome Étagère
Milo Baughman Style Chrome Étagère
H 78.5 in W 42 in D 16 in
Acier Red Shelf Lacquered Finish
Located in Paris, FR
Shelf Acier red in lacquered finish, French manufacture, uncolored varnish. Solid steel handcrafted. Red lacquered: L 40 x D30 x H 190cm, price: € 2900...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Steel

Acier Red Shelf Lacquered Finish
Acier Red Shelf Lacquered Finish
H 74.81 in W 15.75 in D 11.82 in
Vintage Bamboo Style Etagere
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Impressive five-shelf etagere with faux bamboo design makes a perfect display shelf for home or business. Please confirm item location (NY or NJ) with dealer.
Category

1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Metal

Vintage Bamboo Style Etagere
Vintage Bamboo Style Etagere
H 81.5 in W 31.25 in D 15 in
Bamboo Corner Etagere
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Corner bamboo & raffia etagere with four shelves.
Category

20th Century Philippine Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Bamboo, Raffia

Bamboo Corner Etagere
Bamboo Corner Etagere
H 32 in W 16.5 in D 12.5 in
1970s Rattan Shelving Unit / Etagere
Located in Burbank, CA
Vintage 1970s rattan shelf for sale. The top shelf has a glass shelf, and has two other shelves. It has three lower bottom drawers. It has a great arching design, and is in great ori...
Category

1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Rattan, Glass

1970s Rattan Shelving Unit / Etagere
1970s Rattan Shelving Unit / Etagere
H 77.5 in W 32 in D 18 in
British Colonial Style Faux Bamboo Grasscloth Etagere
Located in Southampton, NJ
A Faux bamboo British Colonial style etagere with mirror detailing, fixed interior shelves behind two glass doors; enhanced with green grasscloth interior. Multifunctional for storag...
Category

Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Grasscloth, Faux Bamboo, Glass

Bamboo and Lacquer Corner Shelf
Located in Wilson, NC
Bamboo and lacquer corner shelf, the shelves have lacquer Asian decoration and are framed with 3/8” split bamboo.
Category

1890s English Antique Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Bamboo, Lacquer, Paint

Bamboo and Lacquer Corner Shelf
Bamboo and Lacquer Corner Shelf
H 35 in W 24 in D 11.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Brass and Glass Pagoda Etagere
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Mid-Century Modern e´tage`re bookcase in the style of Milo Baughman. Brass plated frame supports five removable clear glass shelves.
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1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Brass

1980s Midcentury Bamboo Three Tier Etagere
Located in Pasadena, CA
Three Tier Bamboo Shelf with two door storage compartment that has a shelf within. This bamboo shelf is a strong yet light weight etagere, there are 2 glass shelves and one of the gl...
Category

20th Century American Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Bamboo

1980s Midcentury Bamboo Three Tier Etagere
1980s Midcentury Bamboo Three Tier Etagere
H 82.5 in W 32.5 in D 1,650 in
Previously Available Items
Mid Century Chinoiserie Chrome and Glass Etageres Display Case by Milo Baughman
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Amazing Mid Century Chinoiserie Chrome and Glass Etageres Display Case by Milo Baughman. It is no signed. From the 1970’s. In really good condition. It has three different sizes glas...
Category

1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Chrome

Vintage Coastal Burnt Bamboo Etagere
Located in west palm beach, FL
A fantastic vintage Coastal etagere. Chic burnt bamboo frame with inset black lacquer panels. Hand painted chinoiserie detail. Shelves lines with painted tin panels. A real feast for...
Category

Late 20th Century North American Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Bamboo, Lacquer

Vintage Coastal Burnt Bamboo Etagere
Vintage Coastal Burnt Bamboo Etagere
H 38.5 in W 36 in D 13 in
Chinoiserie Wall Shelves or Brackets
Located in Atlanta, GA
Pair of chinoiserie wall shelves or brackets, circa 1950s.
Category

1950s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Resin

Chinoiserie Wall Shelves or Brackets
Chinoiserie Wall Shelves or Brackets
H 13 in W 12 in D 8.75 in
Chinoiserie Corner Cabinets Wood United Kingdom XIX Century
Located in Milano, IT
Chinoiserie corner wall units in black and gold lacquered wood, England, second half of the 19th century. Richly painted with elements of the oriental...
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19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Shelves

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Wood

Antique English Burnt Bamboo Chinoiserie Wood Painted Bookshelf or Bookcase
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A grand millennial's dream come true! This early Victorian English burnt bamboo bookshelf will be the chicest way to add extra storage to any space. W...
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20th Century English Chinoiserie Shelves

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Bamboo, Wood, Paint

English Burnt Bamboo Tortoise Shell Chinoiserie Wood Bookshelf or Bookcase
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A grand millennial's dream come true! This early Victorian English burnt bamboo bookshelf will be the chicest way to add extra storage to any spac...
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Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Shelves

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Bamboo, Wood

Elegant English Bamboo and Mahogany Five Tier Bookshelf, Early 29th C.
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
This early 20th bamboo bookshelf features a bamboo framework with mahogany shelves. The design creates a British colonial flair. The two angled bamboo rods create structural rigidity...
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Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Bamboo, Mahogany

Chinoiserie Burnt Bamboo Tortoise Hanging Folding Wall Shelves, a Pair
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A pair of burnt bamboo or tortoiseshell bamboo bentwood foldable hanging wall shelves. Each piece is created from beautiful brown and black bamboo. Each shelf features two shelves th...
Category

Mid-20th Century Southeast Asian Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Bamboo

1978 Ethan Allen Chinoiserie Black Lacquer Maple Library Bookcase 14-9026
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage 1978 Ethan Allen library bookstack No. 14-9026 finish 610. Part of the Hand Decorated Collection. Made of black lacquer and solid maple featuring upper shelves with plate gro...
Category

1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Maple, Lacquer

Union National Green & Black Lacquer Chinoiserie China Hutch Display Cabinet
Located in Dayton, OH
"Circa 1980s Union National China Cabinet. Made from hardwood with green and black lacquer finish. Features hand applied gold foliage, lat...
Category

1980s Vintage Chinoiserie Shelves

Materials

Glass, Hardwood, Lacquer

Chinoiserie Pagoda Mahogany Three-Tier Wall Shelf
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Chinoiserie pagoda mahogany three-tier wall shelf, of typical form finely carved with three shelves measures: 7.5" width x 7.5" depth x 10" high. Rea...
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Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Shelves

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Mahogany

Faux Bamboo Chinoiserie Style Three Tier Tole Stand
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Three tier tole Chinoiserie style faux bamboo stand.
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20th Century Chinoiserie Shelves

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Tôle

Chinoiserie shelves for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Chinoiserie shelves for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage shelves created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, bamboo and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinoiserie shelves made in a specific country, there are Europe, England, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original shelves, popular names associated with this style include Davis Cabinet Company, and Dessin Fournir. 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 shelves differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $750 and tops out at $62,500 while the average work can sell for $2,900.

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