Brian Holcombe is a woodworker specializing in handmade, one-of-a-kind furniture influenced by Japanese sashimono techniques and furniture of the Chinese Ming Dynasty. All of Holcombe’s woodwork is joined together without the use of fasteners, nails or screws, and units like his credenzas and cabinets often feature shoji — traditional Japanese sliding doors or screens. His work is mid-century modern in style but thoughtfully traditional in construction as it draws on the materials and techniques once favored by the Samurai and wealthy merchants of Asia.
His studio, where he builds elegant bookcases, daybeds, benches and other pieces, is in Princeton, New Jersey. By creating his furniture by hand, Holcombe intimately understands the nature of each material he uses. While much of his work is made of wood, the use of various types, including ash, walnut and mahogany, gives a sophisticated variation to the furniture, with brass accents furthering the depth of its design. Holcombe uses mulberry paper for his sliding door pieces and offers a live edge on some products, like his dining room tables.
In addition to producing beautiful furniture, Holcombe teaches woodworking classes both in person and online, including workshops on hand tools, interlocking techniques and shoji doors. Publications such as Fine Woodworking and Handwork Magazine have featured his expert work.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Brian Holcombe seating, tables, storage case pieces and more.
Walnut Media Console Room Divider with Sliding Shoji Doors
By Brian Holcombe
Located in Princeton, NJ
Walnut cabinet made by hand and featuring sliding shoji doors and shelves. This cabinet is constructed utilizing time honored joinery techniques featured in...
Walnut
$12,500 / item
Walnut Media Cabinet with Shoji Doors
By Brian Holcombe
Located in Princeton, NJ
Walnut cabinet made by hand and featuring shoji doors and shelves. This cabinet is constructed utilizing time honored joinery techniques featured in Japanes...
Walnut
$12,500 / item
Walnut Media Cabinet Room Divider with Shoji Doors
By Brian Holcombe
Located in Princeton, NJ
Walnut cabinet made by hand and featuring shoji doors and shelves. This cabinet is constructed utilizing time honored joinery techniques featured in Japanes...
Walnut
$9,500 / item
Walnut hall Cabinet with Shoji Doors
By Brian Holcombe
Located in Princeton, NJ
Walnut cabinet made by hand and featuring shoji doors and shelves. This cabinet is constructed utilizing time honored joinery techniques featured in Japanese temple carpentry in addi...
Walnut
Bar Cart in Cherry with Brass Casters and Shoji Sliding Doors
By Brian Holcombe
Located in Princeton, NJ
Blending my influence of sashimono craftsmen and that of finely finished and carefully machined brass hardware to create a bar cart which is built using traditional handmade wood joi...
Cherry
$8,250 / item
Hikido Credenza in Black Cherry
By Brian Holcombe
Located in Princeton, NJ
The credenza is made of American black cherry - the case is finished in blonde shellac and the Stand stained black. The secondary wood is American oak which lines the drawers. Detail...
Cherry, Walnut
$1,800 / item
Standing Shelves in Quartersawn Ebonized Oak
By Brian Holcombe
Located in Princeton, NJ
These standing shelves are created utilizing traditional interlocking joinery to form a lightweight, strong and durable structure. Offsets are planned...
Oak
Swedish 3 Door Cabinet - Nordens Flora Illustrations
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Stockholm, SE
A Swedish three-door sideboard or cabinet, circa 1950s. The cabinet features clean lines and a balanced interior layout behind two doors, opening to separate compartments. One compar...
Birch, Paper
$11,808 / item
H 32.68 in W 100.4 in D 15.75 in
"Il Pezzo 1 Black Credenza" ebonized sideboard - Marquinia top - bronze base
By Il Pezzo Mancante
Located in Firenze, IT
An alternation of rounded shapes and geometrical lines, reassuming discipline and freedom, a composite, multiethnic plan in which each component and each material contributes to the ...
Marble, Bronze, Brass
$6,750
H 55 in W 55.75 in D 96.25 in
Stewart MacDougall 1970s Room Divider with Desk, Birch, Walnut & Formica
By Stewart MacDougall
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautifully conceived room divider with integrated desk from the 1970s, designed by Stewart MacDougall. Crafted in a harmonious blend of birch, warm walnut, vibrant Formica, and sl...
Metal
$10,218 / item
H 33.08 in W 83.08 in D 21.26 in
Morelato Joyce Sideboard, in Ashwood with Straw Doors and brass handless
By Morelato
Located in Salizzole, IT
Contemporary style Joyce sideboard made of ashwood Two central doors with Vienna straw and two side sliding doors with handmade brass handles. The top ...
Brass
$2,108
H 31.89 in W 39.77 in D 20.08 in
Small french two-door Cabinet with extractable side leafs in wood, 1970's
Located in Uithoorn, NL
Lovely artisanal two-door sideboard wit diamond feet. Lovely blonde almost yellow wood that has stayed very good over the years. Pretty handy too with those extractable leafs that en...
Bakelite, Wood
$7,440 / item
H 23.63 in W 65.75 in D 18.51 in
Credenza from Ringvide, Weave Frame, Birch Wood, black oil. Scandinavian
By Lukas Dahlén
Located in Visby, SE
Weave frame Credenza, made of solid wood and laminated veneér. Modern yet classic, bold yet modest the cabinet serves as a great example of scandinavian contemporary design. Designed by Lukas Dahlén. The minimal yet expressive sideboard weave is made of solid birchwood and birchveneér. Inspired by the most common kind of wood and weed weaving the Weave sideboard...
Birch, Oak
$12,800Sale Price|20% Off
H 33 in W 84.5 in D 20.25 in
Modern Black Lacquered Sideboard Credenza with Faux Parchment Fronts
Located in North York, ON
Modern black Lacquered sideboard credenza with Faux Parchment fronts. Featuring unique shaped design with ample storage options. Completed with a beautiful black lacquered finish and...
Wood
1960s cabinet with sliding doors
By Non-Standard Furniture and Lighting
Located in Milano, IT
Sliding door cabinet made of mahogany veneer and smoked glass, profiles are brass-plated aluminum.
Aluminum
$3,895
H 43 in W 43.5 in D 20 in
Mid Century Scandinavian Rosewood Bar Cabinet with Sliding Glass Doors
Located in Troy, MI
Circa 1970 Scandinavian bar cabinet in dramatically figured rosewood veneer features two sliding glass doors on the top section over three felt lined drawers on one side and a storage compartment with internal shelf on the other. Tapered legs. Unknown maker. Very good overall vintage condition. Open Shelf Sections...
Glass, Rosewood
$4,495
H 34.25 in W 60 in D 18.13 in
Paul McCobb Planner Group Black Lacquered Sideboard Credenza, Newly Refinished
By Planner Group, Paul McCobb
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Minimalist Mid-Century Modern sliding door sideboard, credenza, or bar cabinet By Paul McCobb for Winchendon Furniture "Planner Group" USA, 1950s Black lacque...
Maple, Lacquer
Dunbar Credenza
By Dunbar Furniture
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This vintage modern Dunbar credenza features a lacquered hard wood base, spacious interior cabinets, and unique metal pulls. This beautiful Mid-Century piece is...
Wood
$3,995
H 32.13 in W 66 in D 19 in
Baker Furniture French Empire Cherry Wood and Parcel Ebonized Sideboard Credenza
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous French Empire or Neoclassical style sideboard, credenza, or bar cabinet By Baker Furniture USA, circa 1980s Carved cherry wood, with ebonized columns and feet, an...
Brass