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.
Purple Blue Gold Porcelain Jar by Japanese Contemporary Master Artist
Located in Takarazuka, JP
Unique Japanese contemporary decorative porcelain bottle/jar, hand painted in vivid red, purple and blue on a beautifully shaped porcelain body, a piece by widely respected Japanese ...
Gold
Antique Japanese Meiji Period Brown Monochrome Bottle, 19th Century Collectible
Located in Yonkers, NY
An antique Japanese Meiji period monochrome bottle from the 19th century. This antique Japanese bottle, created during the Meiji period of the...
Ceramic
Japanese Meiji Period Early 20th Century Sake Bottle with Brown Patina
Located in Yonkers, NY
An antique Japanese Meiji period monochrome sake bottle from the early 20th century with concentric lines. Created in Japan during the Meiji period, this antique sake bottle captivat...
Ceramic
$13,525Sale Price / set|35% Off
H 36.23 in Dm 22.05 in
Giant Blue and White Porcelain Jars with Pho Dogs, Japanese, 1960
Located in Brescia, IT
This pair of elegant and fine giant jars in porcelain, has its origin in the extremely East part of the Chinese continent, probably from Japan. The entire surface is decorated with the relief of white flowers, the peonia flowers, symbol of authority, power and wealth. On the surface, are present many drawings in blue of the Pho dogs...
Porcelain
Large Antique 19-20th C Japanese Satsuma Vase Japan Meiji Period Landscape
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Fabulous Satsuma vase with a circular mountainious landscape scene with a bridge and ladies in a pagode garden. Condition Overall condition some spots of enamel loss on the body,...
Earthenware
$395Sale Price / set|41% Off
H 6.13 in Dm 3.19 in
Japanese Cloisonné Vases Butterflies & Flowers, 19th Century Meiji Period, Pair
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
These are a very decorative pair of cloisonné vases, made in Japan and dating to the 19th Meiji Period, circa 1875. The vases have a good baluster shape with a circular form. They...
Ceramic
Japanese Satsuma Ginger Jar Vase, circa Early 20th Century
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful small Japanese Satsuma ginger jar vase, circa early-20th century, Japan. Colors include cream, copper, green, blue, white, black, orange...
Ceramic, Earthenware, Pottery
Antique Meiji Period Japanese Satsuma Vase Floral Decoration, 19th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Fabulous Japanese earthenware Satsuma Vase with nice decoration of flowers. Meiji period, 19/20th c Lovely piece. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Japanese Sty...
Porcelain
Chinoiserie Large Blue and White Porcelain Covered Jars, Pair
Located in Elkhart, IN
A classic pair of blue and white ginger jars, decorated throughout with delicate Chinese landscapes and floral motifs. The pattern is dense yet balanced, wrapping the form in movemen...
Ceramic
Japanese Satsuma Vase, Early 20th Century
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful Japanese Satsuma vase, circa early-20th century, late 1930s-1940s, Japan. Colors include red, black, gold, yellow, white, burgundy, green, and flesh tones. No chip noted....
Ceramic, Earthenware, Pottery
$417Sale Price|20% Off
H 6.3 in Dm 6.5 in
18thC Chinese Export Blue and White Jar Porcelain Hand Painted Scene, Qing
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a heavy Chinese Export porcelain jar hand painted with a blue and white lakeside scene and dating to the late 18th century, Qing dynasty. This is a well potted piece with a ...
Porcelain
Antique Meiji Period Kutani Japanese Porcelain Temple Jar
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Antique Meiji period Japanese porcelain temple jar with intricate hand painted decoration and gilt. The jar in Classic Kutani colors with floral and phoenix birds all over the top an...
Porcelain
Japanese Taishō Period 1920s Blue and White Round Porcelain Planter
Located in Yonkers, NY
A Japanese Taishō period blue and white porcelain planter from circa 1920, with landscape scenes. Created in Japan during the early 20th century Taishō period, this exquisite blue an...
Porcelain
$2,200
H 14 in W 10 in D 10 in
Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Double Happiness Temple Jar, circa 19th Century
Located in Bradenton, FL
This blue-and-white temple jar stands tall with broad shoulders that taper to a splayed base. Bordered by a simple meander at the neck, the jar is decorated with a dense pattern of o...
Porcelain
Japanese Satsuma Tripod Censer, Koro, Meiji period, Early 20th Century, Japan
Located in Austin, TX
A small and finely decorated Japanese Satsuma tripod incense burner (koro), signed Kyozan, Meiji period, circa 1900, Japan. The censer, koro, with a compressed body supported by t...
Stoneware
Japanese Blue & White Sake Keg
Located in Chicago, IL
This large blue & white jar is a vintage Japanese sake keg dated to the early 20th century. Known as taru or daru, large sake casks such as this were often bottled for specific bars ...
Porcelain
Japanese Antique Sake Bottle 'Kayoi Tokkuri' 1900s Meiji era
Located in Paris, FR
This is a sake bottle which was made around 1900s in Meiji era. These kind of bottles are called Kayoi tokkuri or Binbo tokkuri. It can be used as a sake bottle but also as a flower ...
Porcelain
Sold
H 12.41 in Dm 6.7 in
Japanese Antique Porcelain Bottle 'Kayoi tokkuri/ Binbo tokkuri' 1900s Meiji era
Located in Paris, FR
This is a sake bottle called 'Kayoi tokkuri' or 'Binbo tokkuri'. It is made with a porcelain and it is written Manazuru-machi and Fukubi. Manazuru-machi is the city name and it is lo...
Porcelain
Sold
H 17.33 in Dm 9.45 in
Japanese Antique Sake Bottle 1860s-1900s/Flower Vase Pottery Tsubo Wabisabi Art
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
It is a Japanese old sake bottle. It is an item from the Meiji era (1860s-1900s). The pottery is covered with paper. This is as beautiful as an abstract painting. It has been n...
Pottery
Sold
H 16.54 in Dm 11.42 in
Japanese Old Pottery 1800s-1900s/Antique Vessel Flower Vase Wabisabi Tsubo Jar
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
It is a pottery that preserved old Japanese tea leaves. It is an item from the Edo period to the Meiji period (1800s-1900s). The pottery is covered with paper. Comes with a wood...
Pottery
Sold
H 18.12 in W 9.45 in D 9.45 in
Japanese Old Tea Bottle /Antique Flower Vase Pottery Tsubo Wabisabi
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
It is an old tea bottle of Japan. It also comes with an original lid. Old paper is stuck on the surface. It is an item from the Meiji period. It's a original coincidental. T...
Pottery
Japanese Agano-Style Sake Bottle, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This unusual bottleneck jar is a late-Meiji era Japanese sake bottle, also known as tokkuri. Used to heat and serve sake, the ceramic bottle has a graceful, tapered form with wide shoulders and an elongated neck for conserving heat. A dark brown glaze coats the body and is met at the base of the neck by a white drip glaze, reminiscent of the black-and-white glazes of chosen-karatsu ware...
Ceramic
Japanese Sake Bottle, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This glazed ceramic jar is a Japanese sake bottle from the late-Meiji era. The jar has a rounded bottleneck form and is coated with a dark brown ...
Ceramic
Japanese Sake Bottle, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This glazed ceramic jar is a Japanese sake bottle from the late-Meiji era. The jar has a rounded bottleneck form and is coated with a dark brown ...
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Japanese Sake Bottle
Located in Chicago, IL
This glazed ceramic jar is a Japanese sake bottle from the late-Meiji era. The jar has a rounded bottleneck form and is coated with a warm brown glaze in resemblance to bizen ware po...
Ceramic
Japanese Asian Ceramic Vintage Meiji Hand Painted Glazed Sake Bottle Jug
Located in Studio City, CA
A very eye-catching and wonderfully colored and textured piece. Freely hand painted with calligraphy/ Kanji characters and beautifully glazed. Would be a nice addition to any Japanese ceramic...
Stoneware
Japanese Asian Large Ceramic Vintage Meiji Hand Painted Glazed Sake Bottle Jug
Located in Studio City, CA
A very eye-catching and wonderfully decorated piece. Freely hand painted with calligraphy/ Kanji characters and beautifully glazed. Would be a nice addition to any Japanese ceramic collection...
Stoneware