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.
Chinoiserie Japanned Humidor Box England, Early to Mid-20th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
A lacquered wooden humidor richly decorated in the revived Chinoiserie manner, its exterior finished in deep black japanning and finely painted with gilt rocaille scrollwork framing ...
Glass, Wood
Antique Hand-Carved Chestnut Box in Asian Bamboo Style Inlaid with Soapstone
Located in Lisse, NL
Exclusive & fine quality hand-crafted Chinoiserie box. The diversity in techniques and materials used by craftsman around the world and over the last centuries never seizes to a...
Soapstone
Antique Asian Tibetan Box Brass Filigree with Turquoise & Coral Prayer Wish Box
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Antique Chinese Tibetan Brass Filigree with Turquoise and Coral beads round Box Handcrafted round Tibetan, Nepalese decorative brass trinket wish box. Antique Asian Tibetan hand made box inlaid with polished turquoise and coral glass inlay pieces. Great fine brass filigree design on the top lid and sides. Has a wonderful patina. In good shape with age appropriate wear this box has retained its original patina finish, has no missing pieces. Opens and closes as it should. A beautiful Asian pill box for a vanity or desk. Box measures: 2" height X 4" diameter. Tibetan Buddhist prayer boxes...
Coral, Multi-gemstone, Brass
Asian Silver Metal Hand Carved Peacock Sitar Veena Form Box 1950
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Asian Silver Metal Hand-Carved Sitar Veena Box. Elevate your decor with this stunning vintage box, featuring intricate hand-carved designs of a sitar and peacock. The ornate ...
Metal, Silver
$3,379
H 4 in W 18.75 in D 9.75 in
Antique Early 20th Century Briar Wood Collectors Box England Circa 1920
Located in London, GB
An early 20th century bird's-eye maple collectors box, circa 1920. Complete with recessed silvered handles and corners which gives it a military Campaig...
Birdseye Maple
Silver Plated Keepsake Box, Early 20th Century
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Offered is a silver plated keepsake box, dating to the early 1900s. The hallmarked box offers great storage solution for jewelry, cufflinks, and other keepsakes, with a divided inter...
Silver
$1,100
H 3.25 in W 7.75 in D 3.25 in
Antique Southeast Asian Filipino Maranao Silver Inlaid Brass Betel Nut Box
Located in Forney, TX
A scarce fine quality antique silver-inlaid solid brass betel nut box (Lutuan), dating to the second half of the 19th / early 20th century, hand-crafted in Mindanao, Philippines. Boxes such as this were used to store the areca nut (also known as the betel nut) which would be wrapped in a betel leaf with lime paste and other ingredients, often tobacco, for chewing. Similar to the European tea caddy, these boxes often served as a way to impress while showing off ones wealth. Betel chewing was prevalent in the southern Philippines as in much of the rest of Southeast Asia. Wealthier Maranao families on Mindanao were able to afford elaborate silver-inlaid brass betel boxes such as this example. Such boxes were used to show off to guests and from which they were offered betel and the other component such as leaves and lime to make up the betel quid. Rare large size, most extant examples of such boxes tend to measure around 5 inches in length. At slightly more than 7.75 inches the example here is larger than most. The distinctive decorative box features a very heavy strong-box like rectangular shaped chest form with canted corners, copper handles, and a conforming hinged lid, lifting open to reveal an interior divided into three compartments covered by four hinged lids. Each of these doors is inlaid with silver in stylized orchid flower patterns. Exceptionally executed throughout, the arabesque silver inlaid exterior is decorated to the top with a large orchid motif within scrolling obid-obid (stylized rope) borders. The front, back and sides are inlaid with sets of stylized tail feathers of the sari-manok bird beneath which are unusual, highly stylized whimsical zoomorphic faces that appear like cat or tiger faces. (Such stylisation is accounted for by Southeast Asian Islamic preferences to avoid the overt and this potentially idolatrous representation of animal and human forms. Designs such as these are drawn from a local design repertoire that has its origins in wood carving. Although the spread of Islam in the Philippines began in the 14th century, mostly through the influence of Muslim merchants from the western Malay Archipelago, decorative arts in this design remain exceptionally rare. This lutuan represents a fine example of Islamic metalwork from the most eastern outreach of Islamic art and civilisation: Mindanao island being significantly further east than even China – artwork from Islamic Southeast Asia remains chronically under-represented in the world’s major collections of Islamic art. PROVENANCE / ACQUISITION Acquired from highly reputable auction house, Austin Auction Gallery, established 1983, Austin, Texas. References Brownrigg, H., Betel Cutters...
Silver, Brass, Bronze, Copper
Fine Silver Snuff Box, Early 20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
A superb rectangular silver snuff box, masterfully crafted in in the early 20th century, featuring exquisitely chased and repoussé decoration. The hinged lid is richly adorned with s...
Silver
$2,750
H 5.125 in W 12.5 in D 7.75 in
Antique Early 20th Century Sterling Silver Walnut Cigar Humidor Circa 1900
Located in London, GB
An early 20th century walnut cigar Humidor, circa 1900 with sterling silver corners and nameplate. This piece has a campaign feel the corners are perfectly moulded. The walls of the ...
Sterling Silver
Antique Rosewood Tunbridge Ware Inlaid Box with Key
Located in Atlanta, GA
Tunbridge ware is a form of decoratively inlaid woodwork, typically in the form of boxes, that is characteristic of Tunbridge and the spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent in the...
Rosewood, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
19th Century Hand-Carved Folk Art Box with Inlaid Hearts, 1880
Located in Stamford, CT
19th century American folk art box with decorated with inlaid hearts, diamonds, triangles and shields. Possibly sailor made, this sweet little box was likely a valentine or keepsake ...
Wood
$1,700 / set
H 2 in W 3.25 in D 5.25 in
Pair of 20th Century Jewelry Boxes with Carved Soapstone Dragonflies, Vietnam
Located in North Miami, FL
Pair of mid-20th century wood jewelry boxes with carved soapstone dragonflies, Vietnam By: unknown Material: soapstone, stone, wood Technique: carved, hand-carved, hand-crafted Dime...
Stone, Soapstone
Antique Jewelry Box with Inlaid Wood Top
Located in San Diego, CA
Simple and elegant antique jewelry box with inlaid wood top, circa 1930s. The piece is more of a decorative item than functional; the top opens u...
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Japanese Yamanaka Lacquerware Sweets Box
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Mid-20th century Yamanaka lacquerware sweets box for tea ceremony, Japanese. Formed as a deep red apple with gold & colored enamel decoration. Post WWII. Provenance: Sherman E. Lee, ...
Enamel