Meiji Decorative Objects
MEIJI STYLE
From 1868 to 1912, Emperor Mutsuhito oversaw an era of transformation in Japan. Formerly a country of feudalism and isolation, Japan entered an age of modernization influenced by newly established trade and exchange with the West. The Meiji period, or period of “enlightened rule,” also saw the global impact of the East Asian country’s culture. Japanese Meiji furniture was exhibited at expositions from Paris to San Francisco and created for export.
Prior to the Meiji era, furniture was mostly made by commission for the ruling class; now there were new domestic and international markets. European styles like Japonisme appropriated Japanese design while craftsmen in places like Wales and England employed japanning, a varnishing technique that approximated the appearance of lacquer for the surfaces of furnishings.
Meiji furniture made for Japanese homes and buildings constructed in Western styles resulted in taller tables, chairs, cabinets with large drawers and other features. The government invested in areas such as transportation and communication, and because people could freely choose occupations after the restrictions of feudalism, industries of various types were energized by expressive new ideas during those years. Art schools were formed and, for the first time, design was an area of study in the country, leading to the evolution of professional design as a career by the 1890s.
The work of Japanese designers was transmitted widely through lavishly illustrated pattern books that included designs for screens and lacquerware for the home. While screens today may be of use as decorative accents or partitions to ensure privacy in one’s space, Japanese screens were adorned with paintings and were featured in performing arts such as concerts, tea ceremonies and more. The color illustrations that characterize Meiji woodblock prints, a genre of Japanese art that grew out of 17th-century developments in printing and book publishing, depicted the sweeping changes that the era brought to East Asia.
Although it was a time of societal and cultural shifts, a bolstered interest in art and design elevated Japanese craft traditions. From colorful porcelain table lamps with silk shades and hardwood tables decorated with dark lacquer to cabinets featuring iron hardware and inlaid with mother-of-pearl, Meiji furniture showcased Japan’s artistic heritage to the world.
Find a collection of antique Japanese Meiji period case pieces and storage cabinets, decorative objects, wall decorations and more furniture on 1stDibs.
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Style: Meiji
Japanese Contemporary Green Red Purple Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 3
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Japanese contemporary decorative porcelain vase hand-painted on an elegant bottle shape body, depicting dramatic chrysanthemum in green, red and purple, a signed piece by highly accl...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
Contemporary Japanese Red Blue Black Porcelain Vase by Master Artist
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Extraordinary contemporary Japanese hand painted decorative porcelain vase, an exclusive signature masterpiece in blue and red by highly acclaimed master porcelain artist of the Imar...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold
Japanese Contemporary Green Blue White Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 2
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Exquisite contemporary Japanese decorative porcelain vase, elegantly hand painted in iron-red, green and blue on a stunningly shaped porcelain body, a signed masterpiece by widely ac...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
Contemporary Japanese Blue White Purple Porcelain Vase by Master Artist
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Contemporary Japanese decorative Porcelain vase, intricately hand painted in blue, white and purple on an attractive shape body, a signed work by widely acclaimed master porcelain ar...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
Japanese Contemporary Red Green White Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 3
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Elegant contemporary Japanese porcelain decorative vase, hand painted in red, blue and green on a beautifully shaped body, a signed wo...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
Japanese Contemporary White Red Blue Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 5
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Elegant contemporary Japanese porcelain decorative vase, beautifully hand painted in red, white and blue on a strikingly shaped body, ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold
Japanese Contemporary Blue Gold Red White Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 4
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Exceptional Japanese contemporary decorative porcelain vase, intricately gilded and hand-painted in beautiful shades of blue and red on an elegantly shaped porcelain body, featuring ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold
Japanese Contemporary Blue Orange Porcelain Vase by Master Artist
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Extraordinary Japanese museum quality contemporary decorative porcelain vase, painstakingly intricately hand painted in stunning hues of blue on a beautifully shaped body, a signed m...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
$5,850 Sale Price
44% Off
Japanese Contemporary Black Platinum Gold Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 3
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Unique contemporary Japanese porcelain vase, hand painted showcasing a dramatic dragon set against a dimpled black background, a signed piece from the signature dragon collection by ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold, Platinum
19th Century Pair of Japanese Bronze Lions Bookends, Meiji Period
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
This superb and rare pair of Japanese Meiji period bronze bookends are cast in solid bronze and depict a pair of Lions, with their heads raised. These finely sculpted pieces are beau...
Category
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bronze
Cloisonné Vase with Silver Mounted, Japan, circa 1900
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Cloisonné vase with silver mounted. Japan, circa 1900.
Category
Early 1900s Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Silver, Enamel
Japanese Contemporary Platinum Pink Green Blue Porcelain Vase by Master Artist
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Exquisite Japanese contemporary large dimpled decorative porcelain vase, hand painted in vivid blue, green and pink on an elegant cylinder shape porcelain body with a stunning scalloped rim, set against an attractive platinum background, a signed masterpiece by highly acclaimed master porcelain artist in the Imari-Arita tradition. In 2016, the British Museum added a work by this artist to its collection of contemporary Japanese porcelain, a large lidded jar in the Imari-Arita polychrome enamel tradition. The artist is the recipient of numerous awards for his unique signature gold and platinum work on porcelain.
This graceful large vase depicts elegant Japanese toad...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Platinum
Japanese Green Blue Gold Porcelain Vase by Master , 3
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Exquisite contemporary Japanese gilded and dimpled porcelain vase decorated with auspicious "ran" or orchid in green, blue and iron-red, by highly respected master porcelain artist i...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold
Japanese Contemporary White Blue Red Gold Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 2
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Unique Japanese contemporry decorative porcelain vase, hand painted in red and beautiful shades of blue on an elegantly shaped ovoid porcelain body, a signed piece by widely acclaime...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold
Japanese White Red Green Porcelain Vase by Contemporary Master Artist
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Exquisite contemporary Japanese porcelain decorative vase hand painted in red, white and green on a beautifully shaped body, a signed work by highly acclaimed Japanese master porcela...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
Japanese Green Black Gold Red Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 2
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Exqusite Japanese contemporary porcelain decorative vase, intricately gilded and hand painted in vivid green, red and deep blue on an ovoid porcelain body in a stunningly beautiful shape, a signed work by highly acclaimed Japanese master porcelain artist in the Imari-Arita tradition and the recipient of numerous awards for his exceptional porcelain work and his unique signature gold and platinum work on porcelain. In 2016, the British Museum added a work by this artist to its collection of contemporary Japanese porcelain, a large lidded jar in the Imari-Arita polychrome enamel tradition. His profile is available upon request.
It depicts a whimsical interpretation of a cherry tree with its graceful trunk in beautiful deep blue and its hanging branches stretching across the whole body of this stunningly shaped vase, and blossoms in deep blue, red and purple hanging...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold
Japanese Contemporary Brown Blue Red Hand-Glazed Porcelain Vase by Master Artist
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Exquisite contemporary highly collectible large hand-glazed decorative porcelain vase, an exhibition masterpiece titled "Dawn" by master porcelain artist from the Arita-Imari region ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
$11,600 Sale Price
20% Off
Large Contemporary Japanese Whit Blue Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 2
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Unique contemporary Japanese porcelain decorative vase, intricately hand painted in underglazed blue on an elegantly shaped globular porcelain body, a signed piece by widely respecte...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
$2,250 Sale Price
30% Off
Japanese Contemporary Green Blue Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 2
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Exquisite large Japanese contemporary porcelain decorative vase, intricately hand painted in vivid blue, red and green on a beautifully shaped porcelain body, a signed piece by a mas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
Japanese Contemporary Blue Green Yellow Porcelain Vase by Master Artist, 2
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Extraordinary museum-quality Japanese contemporary decorative porcelain vase, extremely intricately hand painted in blue, red and yellow on a stunningly shaped ovoid body, a signed m...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold
$3,575 Sale Price
35% Off
Japanese ikebana banakago basket of Chinese style
Located in PARIS, FR
Handled circular ikebana basket (hanakago) in Chinese style, in vanished bamboo and rattan. Inside in copper alloy.
Ikebana or Ka-do (the way of flowers) is a traditional Japanese a...
Category
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bamboo, Rattan
Group of 6 Plates Porcelain Japan 19th-20th Century, Japan, Meiji Era
Located in Milano, IT
Group of six porcelain plates decorated within reserves with two groups of geishas and samurai figures in walled gardens with Mount Fuji horizon, all set against a richly painted blu...
Category
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
$856 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Japanese Bizen Flower Vase
Located in Hudson, NY
Meiji period (1868 - 1912) ceramic vase from Okayama Prefecture. Comes with collector's box. Signature reads Kinetsu.
Category
Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
Japanese Burl Presentation Platform
Located in Hudson, NY
Meiji Period (1868 - 1912) burl wood slab for presenting a flower arrangment or beautiful object.
Category
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Burl
A Meiji period cloisonné box and cover, Ando Company
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Meiji period cloisonné box and cover, Ando Company, worked in silver wire and coloured enamels with an array of brightly coloured flowers, reserved against a rich midnight-blue ground, with silver rims and a silk lining, inlaid Ando mark. Japanese, circa 1910.
Provenance: Acquired from Acanthus...
Category
20th Century Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
Asian Sculpture / Okimono with Lion and Crows, Japan, Meiji Era, circa 1880
Located in VÉZELAY, FR
Rare and important Japanese sculpture / statue / okimono in blackened and carved wood, depicting 1 lion, 2 birds (crows or other birds of prey) and 1 snake held in the claws of one o...
Category
1880s Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Wood
$2,497 Sale Price
25% Off
A Meiji period moriage cloisonné box and cover with two carp
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Meiji period moriage cloisonné box and cover with two carp, the rectangular box worked in coloured enamels in standard, moriage (raised) and musen (wireless) cloisonné with one gre...
Category
19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
Iga-ware Earthenware Flower Container
Located in Hudson, NY
Meiji period (1868-1912) vase with characteristic Iga-ware ears and rough, sandy clay. Comes in original storage box with silk jacket and drawstring.
Category
Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Earthenware
Chinese Export Silver Dragon Cigar Box , 1880 - 1920s
Located in Braintree, GB
An impressive Chinese export solid silver dragon box, crafted circa 1880–1920 from substantial heavy-gauge silver, 900 purity and intended for the Western market. The rectangular fo...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Silver
Large Meiji Period Satsuma Earthenware Floor Vase
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A large Meiji period Satsuma earthenware floor vase, the skittle shaped body painted in pastel overglaze enamels and gilding with a continuous frieze of the Seven Gods...
Category
1870s Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Enamel
A Japanese Meiji Period Patinated Bronze Censer
Located in Stamford, CT
A Japanese Meiji censer rising on three stylized Foo Dogs feet with Frog form handles. Censer having exceptional patination.
Acquired from Michael Goedh...
Category
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bronze
Large Meiji Period Satsuma Earthenware Floor Vase
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A large Meiji period Satsuma earthenware floor vase, the of baluster form, painted in pastel overglaze enamels and gilding with two large sprays of flowers including prunus blossom, ...
Category
1870s Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Enamel
19th Century Meiji Period Bronze Vase with Two Frogs
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Meiji period bronze vase with two frogs against a rough textured ground, signed ‘Hyakusei’, Japanese, circa 1880.
Category
1880s Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Japanese Large Bronze Vases with Turtles and Cranes
Located in Hudson, NY
Early Meiji period (1868-1912) bronze vases, incised, detailed designs on each vase. One vase is decorated with a family of cranes at a rocky water's edge, with flowers and an old pine tree. The other vase depicts turtles at a rocky water's edge with bamboo, along with turtles swimming...
Category
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bronze
Oversize Antique Japanese Hanging Flower Basket
Located in Hudson, NY
Oversize antique Japanese hanging flower basket. Dramatic and large (36" long) flower basket built to be hung on a wall with an insert so you can enjo...
Category
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bamboo
Pair of Meiji Period Japanese Bronze Vases with Mask Head Handles, circa 1900
Located in Central England, GB
A pair of Meiji Period Japanese bronze vases.
This fine pair of late 19th century Japanese bronze vases are well proportioned and of a good decorative size. They are beautifully decorated with panels on one side with magpies amongst irises and the opposite with sparrows in a magnolia tree. They are cast and then finely hand finished with chasing from small chisels. They have mask head...
Category
20th Century Japanese Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bronze
Large Pair of Antique Japanese Meiji Bronze Vases
Located in London, by appointment only
A pair of large Japanese Bronze vases dating from the Meiji period. Of baluster form with raised panels of birds among tree branches foliage...
Category
19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bronze
$12,918 / set
19th Century Meiji Period Bronze of a Boy Collecting Sweet Chestnuts by Seiya
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A charming Meiji period bronze of a boy collecting sweet chestnuts by Seiya, he carries a basket and is looking down at an insect crawling over his hand, he is also evidently wearing...
Category
1880s Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bronze
Meiji Period, Bronze, 'Literate Writing', 19th Century
Located in Beaune, FR
Bronze with brown patina Meiji period representing a scholar sitting writing. The subject is presented on a small square-shaped base resting on 4 small feet. Very nice original brown...
Category
19th Century Asian Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bronze
Meiji Period Japanese Bronze Lion And Crocodile On Wooden Base
Located in Southall, GB
A delightful Meiji Period Japanese bronze lion and crocodile on a root wood base. A skilfully hand crafted piece that encapsulates the splendour of each animal from the lush lions mane and muscular body to the scales and ridges of the toughened skin of the crocodile. The expressions of both the lion and the crocodile are clear and crisp, caught in the midst of a battle for life and death. The lions eyes...
Category
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Decorative Objects
Materials
Bronze
Meiji decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Meiji decorative objects 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 decorative objects 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 metal, ceramic and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Meiji decorative objects made in a specific country, there are Asia, East Asia, and Japan pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative objects, popular names associated with this style include Satsuma, Ando Jubei, Kinkozan, and Inaba Cloisonne Co.. 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 decorative objects differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $83 and tops out at $98,000 while the average work can sell for $2,518.
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