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.
Antique Russian Imperial Silver Chinoiserie Tea Caddy Gustav Klingert Moscow
By Gustav Klingert
Located in Portland, OR
A fine quality antique Russian Imperial silver tea caddy, engraved in the Chinoiserie style, by Gustav Klingert, Moscow, dated 1894. Gu...
Silver
Antique Japanese Dovetailed Copper Dragon Tobacco Tea Snuff Storage Jar Caddy 6"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Japanese barrel shaped lidded tobacco, tea, snuff jar / box / caddy. Made of copper, hammered, dovetailed, studded, and etched with dragons. ...
Copper
English Chinoiserie Tea Caddy with Dual Interior Canisters, 19th Century
Located in Wichita, KS
19th Century English Chinoiserie Tea Caddy with Dual Interior Canisters A 19th century English chinoiserie tea caddy of faceted octagonal form, raised on carved paw feet and decorat...
Metal
19th Century England Regency Chinoiserie Black Lacquer Tea Caddy
Located in Bradenton, FL
English Regency Chinoiserie Black Lacquer and Gilt Tea Caddy. This tea caddy features romanticized Eastern landscapes with figures, birds, and foliage. The domed lid and all sides (i...
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...
Tin
Antique Chinese Lead & Bronze Tea Caddy With Glass Covered Panels
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Antique Chinese 9-sided lead & bronze tea caddy with 18 hand-painted panels (behind glass) with ornate frames. Raised seal mark on base. The tea caddy with a removable domed lid and ...
Bronze, Lead
19th c. English Chinoiserie Tea Caddy
Located in Dallas, TX
The 19th c. English Chinoiserie Tea Caddy is a decorative collectible box designed to store tea. This tea caddy reflects the popular aesthetic of the 19th century, featuring intricat...
Wood
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...
Pottery
Asian Chinese Box Black Lacquered Gilt Painted 1940s
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Antique Oriental Chinese Export Black Lacquered Gilt Painted Covered Box 1940s. Large Asian Chinese black lacquered tea box with nume...
Giltwood, Lacquer
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 ...
Oak
19th Century Chinese Victorian Tea Caddy
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Hand-crafted in China for the European market, this Asian-style English black lacquered octagonal hinged tea caddy features a decorative stenciled motif of pagodas and foliage in gil...
Pewter
19th Century Chinese Export Lacquer Tea Caddy
Located in Mt Kisco, NY
The burgundy / brown lacquer is decorated with gold depicting figures and buildings in a landscape. The caddy stands on four carved wooden feet in the shape of claws. The interior contains a single pewter canister...
Paper
English Tortoiseshell Pagoda Form Tea Caddy, Early 19th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
English Tortoiseshell Pagoda Form Tea Caddy, Early 19th Century
Tortoise Shell
19th Century Chinoiserie Tall Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
In great condition for its age. With bone handle pulls.
Bone, Wood, Lacquer
English Shagreen Tea Caddy 19th with Bone Finial
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique English shagreen cased six sided wooden tea caddy with nice silver mounts, bone finial and undivided interior. Comes with small silver pin to ...
Silver
Antique English Georgian Silver Tea Caddy by William Vincent
Located in Northampton, GB
Hallmarked Sterling by William Vincent of London Dated 1779 From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Georgian Sterling Silver Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of slight...
Sterling Silver
$1,196Sale Price|20% Off
H 4.5 in W 8.75 in D 6 in
19th Century Chinese Export Lacquer Decorated Tea Caddy Box
Located in Atlanta, GA
Chinese for the English market, 19th century. A fine quality antique Chinese export tea caddy decorated with beautiful gilding surfaces, a hinged lid which opens to reveal a tooled ...
Pewter
19th Century English Wedgewood Retailed Burl Walnut Tea Caddy
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning, fine quality English Victorian brass-mounted walnut tea caddy, retailed by Wedgwood & Sons, 9 Cornhill, London. Exquisitely hand-crafted in the mid-19th century, rectangular chest form finished in rich burled walnut, having a shaped hinged lid featuring an inset Wedgwood Jasperware plaque of Cupid riding a lion. Locking, retaining the original key, the top opening to reveal an interior fitted with two lidded compartments, one lid marked B (black tea...
Brass
$1,623 / set
H 5.32 in W 11.23 in D 7.88 in
Chinese Export Tea Caddy, Lacquered Wood with Gilded Decorations
Located in Kastrup, DK
A beautifully crafted Chinese export tea caddy made of wood with black lacquer, richly adorned with gilded motifs featuring classical Chinese scenes of people, houses, and more. The ...
Wood
Late 19th Century Chinoiserie Tea Tin
Located in High Point, NC
Late 19th century chinoiserie tea tin from England.
Tin
19th Century Chinoiserie Lacquer Sewing Box, Hand-Painted with Gilt
Located in Toronto, CA
This is a remarkable 19th century, Japanese lacquered sewing box with multiple compartments on the interior. The exterior is decorated in elaborate black and gilded motifs including...
Bone, Wood, Lacquer
Antique Chinese Export Black Lacquer Tea Caddy
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning antique Qing Dynasty Chinese export twin canister tea caddy / decorative table box. circa 1860 Hand-crafted in China for the European market when rare and exotic oriental...
Pewter
19th c. English Chinoiserie Tea Caddy
Located in Dallas, TX
The 19th c. English Chinoiserie Tea Caddy is a decorative collectible box designed to store tea. This tea caddy reflects the popular aesthetic of the 19th century, featuring intricat...
Wood
Toleware Tea Canisters – Pair, Circa 1880
Located in London, GB
Toleware Tea Canisters – Pair, English Circa 1880 This pair of Toleware tea canisters dates from circa 1880. They feature hand-painted decoration in the Chinoiserie style, depicting...
Metal
Burton-Ching Red & Gold Chinoiserie Decorated English Regency Tea Caddy
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Burton-Ching Red & Gold Chinoiserie Decorated English Regency Tea Caddy
Wood
Sold
H 5 in W 8.5 in D 5 in
Antique Chinese Black & Gold Chinoiserie Tea Caddy W Foo Dog Giltwood Feet
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Antique Chinese Black & Gold Chinoiserie Tea Caddy W Foo Dog Giltwood Feet
Giltwood
19th Century Lacquered Papier-Mache Tea Caddy
Located in Basildon, GB
A 19th Century Lacquered Papier Mache Tea Caddy of rectangular form with an ogee moulded edge and canted corners decorated with chinoiserie figure...
Wood, Paper
Baroque Style Japanned Tea Caddy, Late 19th Century
Located in Astoria, NY
Baroque style brass-mounted Japanned casket, late 19th century, with domed and molded top with rocaille-cast brass handle, above a convex shaped body o...
Brass
2 Antique Chinese Red Lacquer Bentwood Floral Tea Hat Box Band Boxes Pantry
Located in Dayton, OH
Pair of antique Chinese band / hat boxes, circa 19th century, finished in red lacquer and decorated with faded painted scenes and figures, with black interiors, tops, and bases.
Bentwood, Lacquer
Late 19th Century Chinoiserie Style Lacquered Tea Caddy
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
An antique hand-painted Chinoiserie lacquer tea caddy, with Chinese artistic influences. The interior is fitted with two covered and engraved lead canisters. It's made of lead to keep the tea free of moisture. The box is resting on wooden carved dragon...
Lead
Sold
H 4.93 in W 3.75 in D 2.56 in
Flat Chased James II Style Antique Brittania Standard Silver Tea Caddy, 1907
By Lambert Coventry ST London 1
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in London in 1907 by Lambert & Co., this stunning, Antique Brittania Standard Silver Tea Caddy, is flat chased in the James II style. The tea caddy measures 5"(12.5cm)...
Britannia Standard Silver
Blue and White Chinese Export Tea Caddy
Located in New York, NY
Blue and white Chinese export tea caddy. Vibrant blue pagodas and chinoiserie landscapes cover the sides and end panels of this bow-top shaped...
Porcelain
Chinoiserie Turquoise Silk Embroidered Tea Caddy, 1920s, China
Located in Austin, TX
A beautiful Chinese embroidered silk tea caddy, in the chinoiserie taste, 1920s China. The large tea caddy covered in a vibrant turquoise silk and finely embroidered. The sides of...
Silk
Sold
H 4.38 in W 8.75 in L 4.38 in
Chinoiserie Tea Caddy with Double Compartments-Black Lacquer on Papier Mâché
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
These pieces were fabricated by applying black lacquer to paper mâché and then hand decorating them in the chinoiserie style. This technique was applied to many different forms and e...
Wood, Lacquer
Sold
H 4.73 in W 3.15 in D 3.94 in
Georgian Solid Silver Chinoiserie Tea Caddies, J & J Angell, circa 1834
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th century Georgian exceptional Rococo style solid silver pair of tea caddies, of rectangular form, profusely embossed in the chinoiserie style, the panels depicting c-scro...
Silver