Furniture company Sarreid Ltd. got its start sourcing materials from Spain and Italy and bringing the exceptional talents of European wood carvers, sculptors and painters to the forefront of American home decor. Its early products were animal-inspired decorative objects. Over time, the company expanded into side tables, coffee tables and its signature brass chests of drawers.

In 1965, American founders Alex Sarrat and Walter Reid moved to Spain, where they established the furniture company. Sarreid Ltd. offered appealing design alternatives to Americans interested in owning imported and more traditional luxury goods. During the company’s expansion into Italy in the 1970s, Sarreid Ltd. produced its best-known furniture: the Brass Clad collection. This range of cabinets, trunks and nightstands are still highly coveted by collectors for their complete, solid brass coating, right down to the latches and nail heads.

Sarreid Ltd. later relocated to its current center of operations in Wilson, North Carolina, where it continues to expand its reach globally, including to Mexico, Thailand and China. As one of the first furniture companies to source materials from China, Sarreid Ltd. has explored many foreign domains ahead of most major manufacturers.

The founders sold Sarreid Ltd. in 1985, but Sarratt repurchased it five years later with businessmen Charles Hoffman and Charles Mauze. Today, the company continues to produce high-quality, handcrafted furniture sourced from all over the world.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of tables, storage case pieces and more furniture and collectibles.

A Close Look at chinoiserie Furniture

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.

Finding the Right bookcases for You

As long as curious people have collected stories, we have needed a place to stow them away and preserve them. When auction houses and book dealers proliferated by the late 17th century, the bibliophile was born. And, of course, as with any treasured objects, a book lover’s volumes were suddenly worthy of a luxurious display — enter the bookcase. Americans of means during the 19th century took to amassing art as well as rare books, and antique bookcases of the era, rife with hand-carved decorative accents and architectural motifs, were ideal for displaying their handsome leather-bound wares.

Although our favorite titles may change over the years, the functionality and beauty of their home within our home is timeless. Whether you proudly shelve your books in regal mahogany or behind glass cabinet doors, a bookcase — or perhaps more than one — is essential to creating a cozy nook for any book lover. Even those who don’t covet the perfect home library can benefit from an attractive display case, as bookcases can easily double as charming étagères.

Contemporary and customizable options make it easier for you to find the perfect bookcase for your style and stacks. If you don’t wish to fill your storage piece so that your collection is snug within its confines, incorporate extra space to allow for additional displays and decorative objects. And by introducing a striking dark wood Art Deco bookcase or low-profile mid-century modern design by Paul McCobb into your living room, your signed first editions won’t be the only items making a statement.

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