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
Large Chinoiserie Decorated Box
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Large Chinoiserie box with painted scenes and gold faux bamboo trim.
Category
20th Century Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Composition
18th Century Japanned Chinoiserie Dome-Topped Box, Circa 1715-1725
Located in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Early 18th century George I Japanned Chinoiserie dome-topped box, Circa 1715-1725. England or France.
A rare survivor from the first quarter of the ...
Category
18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Cherry
Chinoiserie Wooden and Brass Jewelry Chest
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Exceptional vintage chinoiserie wooden jewelry chest. Features a green felt interior with brass accents and handles.
Category
1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Brass
Bohemian Silver-Mounted Overlay and Enameled Box, Dated 1852
Located in New York, NY
Bohemian silver-mounted overlay and enameled box, dated 1852 with chinoiserie decorations and Viennese silver.
Category
1850s Austrian Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Enamel, Silver
Antique Chinese Shanxi Round Bentwood Dumpling Serving Steamer Box 20"
Located in Dayton, OH
Early 20th century Shanxi wooden storage box used for serving steamed dumplings / food at family gatherings. This steamer box features traditional round, rustic, bentwood constructi...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Bentwood
$480 Sale Price
20% Off
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
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
Porcelain on Metal Fine Chinoiserie Occupied Japan Art Deco Box
Located in San Diego, CA
Porcelain on metal fine chinoiserie occupied Japan Art Deco box, beautiful and rare petite box delicate and painted with metal inserts, a couple of tiny...
Category
20th Century Japanese Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Metal, Brass
$300 Sale Price
20% Off
Carved Wood Chinese Box, with Landscape and Characters Decor Pattern, China 20th
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This box is in a brown color. It has been made in the 20th century, in China. It is hand carved, with character and landscapes, patterns.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Brass
$424 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Chinoiserie Tall Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
In great condition for its age. With bone handle pulls.
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Bone, Wood, 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
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
$330 Sale Price
20% Off
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
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
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
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 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 Export Cloisonné Box
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Lovely Chinese export cloisonné box made of brass and enameled with a beautiful mountain scene decoration in vibrant yellow color resting on ball feet. This chinoiserie box is marked...
Category
1910s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Brass, Enamel
Blue and Yellow Chinoiserie Tea Caddy
Located in New York, NY
Blue and yellow chinoiserie tea caddy. Charming Prattware shaped tea canister in a blue cast paste with blue, yellow and moss green decoration fe...
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Boxes
Materials
Pottery
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
$600 Sale Price
20% Off
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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