Chinoiserie Boxes
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
19th Century Chinoiserie Sewing Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nice condition for its age. Does not have key. Has original sewing box utensils inside - spools, etc.
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Bone, Wood, Lacquer
19th Century Chinoiserie Lacquer Sewing Box
Located in Toronto, CA
This is a remarkable 19th century lacquered sewing box with multiple compartments on the interior.
The exterior is decorated in elaborate black and gilded motifs including flowers, f...
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Bone, Wood, Lacquer
Fish Scale Midnight Blue Chinese Cloisonne Tobacco Box 1930's
Located in Mobile, AL
Monochrome Chinese Fish Scale cloisonne is long famed for it's high quality of craftsmanship and understated elegance. A staple of interior design...
Category
1930s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Metal, Enamel
19th Century English Chinoiserie Box with Bronze Feet
Located in Dallas, TX
Gorgeous 19th century English chinoiserie box with bronze feet. Featuring a beautiful decorative hand painted design. So pretty! Note: As is.
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Wood
Papier Mâché Massive Size Fine Quality 19th Century Sewing Box or Jewelry Box
Located in Westport, CT
Papier mâché circa 1870 English inlaid lacquered sewing box/jewelry box, with many Velvet and mother-of-pearl compartments, hidden area in center. Hand-carved mother-of-pearl, inlaid...
Category
19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Gold Leaf
Antique Chinoiserie Regency Box
Located in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire
A most attractive Regency painted chinoiserie box in an unusually large size; plain painted interior.
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Wood
Japanese Porcelain Vintage Trinket Lidded Boxes Set of Three
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Japanese porcelain vintage trinket boxes with lid, set of 3.
Vintage Asian porcelain Japanese trinket boxes with Geishas figures wearing traditional kimonos.
Japanese porcelain decorative box, each box with a different design, perfect for storing small items or use them as decorative boxes on a table or shelf.
Asian Trinket Box...
Category
1980s Japanese Vintage Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Porcelain
Vintage Carved Keepsake Case, Chinese, Satinwood, Decorative Box, Circa 1950
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage carved keepsake case. A Chinese, satinwood decorative box, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1950.
Profusely carved throughout with an abundance of Oriental cr...
Category
1950s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Satinwood
Chinese cloissoné Circular Cup or Vide Poche Hand-Painted, circa 1910
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Chinese cloissoné Circular Cup or Vide Poche Hand-Painted, circa 1910
Category
1910s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Ceramic
Japanese Laquered Papier Mâché Circular Cups Hand Painted, circa 1910 Set of 2
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This is a beautiful papier mâché, circular lacquered set of 2 cups, which we attribute to being made in Japan during the early 20th century, circa 1910.
This is a very decoratives...
Category
1910s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Paper
Chositsu Cylindrical Chinese Box. China, late 19th Century.
Located in Madrid, ES
Cylindrical box made of bronze using the sculpted lacquer technique called "Chositsu". A highly valuable technique, since in order to sculpt the motifs, it was necessary to apply a l...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Bronze
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...
Category
Early 20th Century European Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Soapstone
Antique Chinese Chinoiserie Box with Mother of Pearl
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Antique Chinese Chinoiserie Wooden box with Handpainted inserts. Mother of Pearl decorative buttons. Double sides doors with compartments for small sculptures. Great piece.
Category
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Wood
Pair of 19th Century American Henry Troemner Philadephia Pa Chinoiserie Tea Bins
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a gorgeous and extremely rare pair mid-19th century, metal tea bins, by Henry Troemner of Philadelphia, PA in the chinoiserie style.
From circa 1845.
Made of black enamel...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Tin
18th Century George I Domed Topped Japanned Chinoiserie Falconry Box, circa 1710
Located in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
A rare and important Queen Anne-George I japanned chinoiserie domed topped box depicting scenes of falconry, circa 1710-1720. England
Falconry is ...
Category
Early 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Oak
Chinese Export Cloisonné Box
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Lovely Chinese export cloisonné box made of brass and enameled with a beautiful floral pattern resting on ball feet. This decorative box was most likely a cigarette box or trinket bo...
Category
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Brass, Enamel
Chinese Wicker Capybara Animal
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Chinese wicker capybara box from the Shanghai collection with carved wood highlights and removable lid.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Wicker
Vintage French Chinoiserie Lacquer Box
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Vintage French Chinoiserie Lacquer Box, with gold decoration. This type of box would have held cigarettes or trinkets. Stamped "Made in Fra...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
French Chinoiserie Hardstone Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
A marvelously carved chinoiserie motif adorns the lid of this incredible 19th-century French tabatière or snuff box. The charming scene is intricately crafted in the form of a boating figure who holds aloft an umbrella formed of yellow gold, while the box itself is crafted from attractive brown hardstone mounted with stunning yellow gold "waves." Enchanting and beautifully executed, the rare snuff box is an incredible example of the creative artistry of these delightful boxes, as well as the highly popular chinoiserie style.
Inhaling snuff, or snuffing, as it is also called, was a popular social ritual among the European elite from the 16th through the 19th centuries. Over these 300 years, master artisans created and designed elegant snuff boxes using...
Category
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Stone, Gold
Chinese 19th Century Burlwood Box
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a quietly impressive Chinese mid-to-late 19th century table or writing box. The box is of metal-mounted burl wood construction in the Ming style, but dating later. The box fe...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Brass
Antique Chinese Lacquer Table Box 1920's
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Beautiful iron red lacquer Chinese table box. The red background with gilt decoration with carved bone inlay on the top. 9.5 inches square, T...
Category
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Bone, Wood, Lacquer
Early 19th Century Chinoiserie Black Lacquer Boxes
Located in Richmond, London
An early 19th century set of four small chinoiserie black lacquer and gilt boxes. Canton, China, circa 1830.
Why we like them
Exquisite gilt decoration, wonderfully preserved origi...
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Luscious Leather Embossed Hand-Painted Chinoiserie Box
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Wonderful Chinese box in red, gold and black having a Chinoiserie painted design on embossed leather with original brass hardware. There's a removable metal liner and the interior is...
Category
1940s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Leather
Vintage Chinese Red Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Floral Trinket Box
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, AR
Vintage Chinese Red Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Floral Trinket Box.
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Vintage Chinese Porcelain Shard Box Oriental Decorative Nickel Silver
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Chinese Porcelain Shard Box Oriental Decorative Nickel Silver Box Blue and White.
Vintage Chinese Nickel Silver Box with Blue and White Porcelain S...
Category
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Metal
Oriental Carved Camphor Wood Chest
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Oriental carved camphor wood chest
This Beautiful Carved Chest is made from Camphor Wood, for those of you who do not know campho...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Wood
Silver and Shagreen Cutlery Etui, Travel Cutlery, Netherlands, 18th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Silver and Shagreen Cutlery, Etui, and Travel Cutlery
Netherlands, 18th century
An exotic and luxurious 18th-century silver and green cutlery etui from the Netherlands is a remarka...
Category
18th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Sterling Silver
Two Korean Antique Dowery Boxes in Brown Rattan and Red Papier-Mâché
Located in New York, NY
Two attractive 19th century Korean dowery boxes in brown rattan and red hand-painted papier-mâché, the one slightly larger in delicately interwoven brown ...
Category
19th Century Korean Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Rattan
Antique Chinese Black Lacquer Gilt Painted Covered Tea Box 1940s
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique Oriental Chinese Export Black Lacquered Gilt Painted Covered Box 1940s.
Large Asian Chinese black lacquered tea box with nume...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Antique Korean Trunk Chest or Box circa 1920s with Luck and Longevity Characters
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome antique Korean trunk or chest with beautiful brass details and the auspicious Chinese characters for luck and longevity carved into the f...
Category
Early 20th Century Korean Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Brass
Chinoiserie Gilt Bronze Champlevé Enamel Casket Box
Located in New York, NY
Unusual and Ornate Gilt Bronze Champlevé Enamel Lidded Casket. After a bamboo box, this champlevé box contains five enameled faces with gilt bronze bamb...
Category
19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Bronze, Enamel
Mother Of Pearl Game Pieces in Wooden Box in Chinese Style
Located in Greven, DE
Numerous finely engraved mother-of-pearl game pieces in a wooden box in Chinese style.
The game pieces are in three different shapes - oval, round and rectangular. The engravings sho...
Category
20th Century Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Wood
Chinese Antique Black Lacquered Gilt Painted Covered Box 1940s
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique Oriental Chinese Export Black Lacquered Gilt Painted Covered Box 1940s.
Large Asian Chinese black lacquered tea box with nume...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Giltwood, Lacquer
Asian Chinese Box Black Lacquered Gilt Painted 1940s
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique Oriental Chinese Export Black Lacquered Gilt Painted Covered Box 1940s.
Large Asian Chinese black lacquered tea box with nume...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Giltwood, Lacquer
Lacquered Wood Toilet Box, Japan, 19th Century
Located in Lisboa, PT
Lacquered wood toilet box - Japan, 19th century.
Category
19th Century Japanese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Chinoiserie Decorated Wig Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A hand carved, hand painted and lacquered, hinged wig box with classic Chinese red painted interior. Incised brass knob and lock.
Category
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
Chinoiserie boxes for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Chinoiserie boxes for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage boxes created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, asian art and furniture, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinoiserie boxes made in a specific country, there are Asia, East Asia, and China pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original boxes, popular names associated with this style include Cartier, Daniel & John Welby, Henry Troemner, and Iradj Moini. 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 boxes differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $189 and tops out at $22,500 while the average work can sell for $822.