Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
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
Red Chinoiserie Table Clock, French
Located in Bradenton, FL
19th Century Red French Chinoiserie Table Clock. Clock has a brass movement stamped "France," and is painted with gilt pagodas, and flowers, and birds, all on a dark red background. ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Wood
Chinoiserie Style Gilt-Bronze and Enamel Figural Clock
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A rare Chinoiserie style gilt-bronze and enamel figural clock.
This elegant and sophisticated clock has a finely chiselled gilt-bronze case with gold and enamel highlights. It dep...
Category
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Ormolu
Vintage Mid Century Chelsea Desk Clock Electronometer Chinoiserie Bronze Frame
Located in Atlanta, GA
A striking example of mid-20th century American horology and decorative arts, this electric mantel clock by the Chelsea Clock Company features a vividly executed chinoiserie-style ca...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Bronze
19th Century, French Clock in the Chinoiserie Style
Located in San Francisco, CA
19th century, French clock In the Chinoiserie style. An 8 day pendulum movement that bell strikes on the hour and half hour. Chinese porcelain body in the Kang His style by Samson. T...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Bronze
$4,950 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Table Desk Clock, Painted, Chinoiserie, China Art
Located in Berlin, DE
Decorative, antique table clock with elaborate painting on the case and dial. chinoiserie. China art.
Category
19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Wood
$2,796 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique French Chinoiserie Ormolu and Porcelain Three-Piece Clock Graniture
Located in New York, NY
A very fine antique French chinoiserie, doré bronze, and Imari porcelain three-piece clock graniture. The porcelain is marvelously hand-painted with intricately designed flowers, pea...
Category
1860s French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Very Fine 19th Century French Chinoiserie Silver and Gilt Three-Piece Garniture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An important & rare silvered and gilt bronze 3-piece Chinoiserie clock garniture comprising a clock and two side pieces. The Pagoda form clock with 2 Chinese figures, one sitting pla...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Gilt Bronze and Wood Table Clock, Clock Signed Biesta, Paris, circa 1890
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Gilt bronze and wood table clock. Clock signed Biesta, Paris, circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Bronze
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Jules Vieillard Chinoiserie Mantel Clock
Located in Queens, NY
French (Mid-19th Century) Chinoiserie design faience 6-sided mantel clock with foo dog top and elephant heads on sides. (by JULES VIEILLARD, Bordeau France) (Not working)
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19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
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Antique Chinese Hand Painted Lacquer Scene Gilt Fan with Lacquer Box
Located in Brea, CA
19th century antique Chinese hand painted lacquer scene gilt fan with original lacquer box.
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Antique Chinese Hand Paint Gold Lacquer Scene Gilt Fan with Lacquer Box
Located in Brea, CA
19th century antique Chinese hand painted gold lacquer scene gilt fan 100 faces with original lacquer box, fan is 17 inch x 9.5 x 1, the lacquer fan box is 10....
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H 1 in W 17 in D 9.5 in
19th Century French Green Glazed Pot
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
French 19th Century green glazed pot with handles.
Circa 1890.
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19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
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Ceramic
Hand Painted Scalloped French Plate /Bowl , 19th Century
Located in Ross, CA
19th century hand painted deep scalloped plate / bowl made in France.
Category
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Antique German Three Piece Porcelain Clock Garniture
Located in Montreal, QC
For those who enjoy the fine quality of blue and white German porcelain from the middle of the last century, this is a particularly fin...
Category
1880s German Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Porcelain
Tiffany & Co. Bronze Desk Clock, Early 20th century
Located in Savannah, GA
Tiffany & Co. bronze desk clock, early 20th century. Heavy bronze case with metal face and engraved Arabic numerals. Marked Tiffany & co New York. Front and back unscrew. Mechanism w...
Category
Early 20th Century American Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Bronze
Antique English Chinoiserie Lacquer Grandfather Clock, Circa 1820-1840.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English Chinoiserie Lacquer Grandfather Clock, Circa 1820-1840.
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
$11,875
H 98 in W 21 in D 10.5 in
Napoleon III Gilt & Patinated Bronze Figural Clock
Located in Astoria, NY
Napoleon III Gilt and Patinated Bronze Figural Clock, 19th century, of triangular form, the pink marble top surmounted by seated child, below the circular enameled dial with cherub s...
Category
19th Century European Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Three Piece Sèvres Style Clock Set
Located in Long Island City, NY
Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Three Piece Cobalt Blue Sèvres Style Clock Set
Comprising: a round clock with a final with two birds; a pair of five-light candleabra with sc...
Category
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
$19,500 / set
H 20 in W 15 in D 10 in
Renaissance Style Gilt Bronze and Enamel Mantel Clock
Located in London, GB
Renaissance style gilt bronze and enamel mantel clock
French, late 19th century
Measures: Height 53cm, width 28cm, depth 23cm
This exquisite mantel clock is crafted in the idios...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze, Enamel
Antique Enameled Gilt Bronze Carriage Clock
Located in London, GB
The contrast between rich blue enamel, in light and dark hues, and bright gilt bronze gives this carriage clock a sumptuous, luxurious feel. With a t...
Category
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Enamel, Ormolu, Bronze
Previously Available Items
19th Century English Chinoiserie Revival Mahogany Inlaid Pagoda-Top Mantel Clock
Located in Atlanta, GA
Late 19th Century English Chinoiserie Revival Mahogany Pagoda-Top Mantel Clock with Gilt Bronze Mounts
An elegant and finely crafted English mantel clock, dating to the late 19th ce...
Category
19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Bronze
H 11.25 in W 6 in D 4 in
Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos Marina Clock Chinoiserie Design
Located in Newark, England
Fine and rare Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos Marina clock. The clock from the Marina series in white Lucite featuring Chinoiserie panels with a figure fishing ...
Category
1960s Swiss Vintage Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Metal, Gold, Brass
Petite English Asprey London 1930s Painted Wood Chinoiserie Mantel Clock
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English Asprey London painted wood mantel clock from the mid 20th century, with gilt Chinoiserie motifs and pagoda roof. Created in England during the second quarter of the 20th c...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Glass, Wood
Vintage Chinese Cloisonne Mantle Clock
Located in Den Haag, NL
Very nice little Mantle clock. Cloisonne and Brass made. China 1970s
battery operated. Runs like clockwork. Attractive piece.
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1970s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Enamel
French Chinoiserie/Orientalist Champleve Enamel & Bronze Clock, F. Barbediene
Located in New York, NY
A very fine quality antique French Orientalist/Chinoiserie Style, Chamleve Enamel and doré bronze double sided clock, signed by Ferdinand Barbedienne. It is very rare to see a clock ...
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19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
H 15 in W 11 in D 4.5 in
Chinoiserie table clocks and desk clocks for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Chinoiserie table clocks and desk clocks for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage table clocks and desk clocks created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, asian art and furniture, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinoiserie table clocks and desk clocks made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original table clocks and desk clocks, popular names associated with this style include Andre Romain Guilmet, and Hamilton & Inches Ltd.. 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 table clocks and desk clocks differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,450 and tops out at $48,500 while the average work can sell for $2,588.
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