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.
$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
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
$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
$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
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
Scandinavian Shelf 'Poeme', Black Oak
By Poiat
Located in Paris, IDF
Shelf 'Poeme' designed by Timo Mikkonen & Antti Rouhunkoski for Poiat Studio Dimensions : W. 181 x H. 39 x D. 37.5 cm Model shown : - Color black oak ---- Graceful and poetic, yet robust, the Poeme Shelf comes in four different sizes, offering a flexible solution for diverse display and storage needs, including, for example, as a bookshelf, a TV stand or simply a frame for beautiful objects. Featuring a modular and minimal design, the Poeme Shelves...
Oak
$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
$9,687 / 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
Scandinavian Shelf 'Poeme', Natural Oak, 74 cm
By Poiat
Located in Paris, IDF
Shelf 'Poeme' designed by Timo Mikkonen & Antti Rouhunkoski for Poiat Studio Dimensions : W. 181 x H. 74 x D. 37.5 cm Model shown : - Natural oak ---- Graceful and poetic, ...
Oak
$10,166
H 35.44 in W 98.43 in D 19.69 in
Italian Art Deco Sideboard with Bar Cabinet Attributed to Osvaldo Borsani, 1940s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Osvaldo Borsani designed this beautiful Italian sideboard in the 1940s. With its unique design and excellent manufacturing quality, the sideboard stands out from the crowd. The gl...
Brass
$3,895
H 44.5 in W 43.25 in D 19.25 in
English Console Standing Shelves of Mahogany with Bobbin Turned Supports
Located in Austin, TX
A fine English rectangular standing shelf console of mahogany from the Edwardian era, featuring three tiers or shelves and four bobbin turned supports. Would make a great bookcase f...
Mahogany, Wood
$1,989
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
$1,885Sale Price|32% Off
H 65 in W 85.5 in D 16.5 in
Vintage Italian Mid-Century Modern Cabinet / Bar Credenza with Drop-Down Door
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This vintage cabinet, likely Italian and dating to the 1960s–1970s, features a clean Mid-Century Modern design with a functional, multi-purpose layout ideal for use as a bar cabinet,...
Glass, Formica, Wood
$27,800
H 35.25 in W 62 in D 20 in
Tommi Parzinger Bar Cabinet Lacquered in White Chocolate with Polished Brass
By Tommi Parzinger
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Glamorous Hollywood Regency Bar Cabinet attributed to Tommi Parzinger newly lacquered in white chocolate with polished original adorning brass hardware. Fully restored from top to bo...
Brass
$1,593
H 29.93 in W 29.93 in D 14.57 in
Hollywood Regency Etagère in Shiny Brass and Smoked Glass by Renato Zevi
By Renato Zevi
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Hollywood Regency Etagère in brass and glass created by Renato Zevi. This étagère is a sleek mix of shiny brass and black smoke glass A great display for your beloved knick knacks.
Brass
$10,800
H 45.48 in W 47.25 in D 17.92 in
Bar Cabinet with Tambour Doors in Rosewood and Brass by Kurt Østervig, 1960's
By Kurt Østervig
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Bar Cabinet with Tambour Doors in Rosewood, Brass and Glass by Kurt Østervig, 1960's Additional Information: Material: Rosewood, brass and glass Style: Mid century, Scandinavian Pro...
Rosewood
$6,860 / item
H 36 in W 51 in D 20 in
Aero Media Stand for Sonos with Vinyl Record Storage in Solid Natural Walnut
By Blake Tovin, Andrew Forseth, Matt Richmond
Located in Nyack, NY
The Aero 51" media stand provides a place for your turntable, one or two Sonos speakers, and up to 240 of your favorite albums. This cabinet is compatible with Sonos one, play 1, pla...
Wood, Hardwood, Maple, Walnut
$9,850
H 36 in W 60 in D 19 in
Art Deco Light Up Bar Cabinet-Sideboard In The Style of Parzinger C.1940's
Located in Bernville, PA
Incredible Art Deco Light Up Bar Cabinet or Sideboard in ebony. Very simple and minimalist cabinet. The best element of this cabinet has to be the flip up...
Glass, Mirror, Wood
$8,200 / item
H 32 in W 50 in D 20 in
Media Cabinet in Solid Walnut with Sliding Cane Doors by Boyd & Allister
By Boyd & Allister
Located in Santa Fe, NM
This media cabinet in solid walnut with sliding cane doors was originally designed so that a receiver could be hidden behind the cane doors and still be controlled with a remote. We ...
Cane, Walnut