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.
Vintage Asian Style Porcelain Octagonal Ashtray Dish Catchall
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage 1950s Asian style dish, ashtray, catchall. Large vintage ornamental hand painted Chinoiserie porcelain tray/catchall with clipped edges. Hand pa...
Porcelain
Carved Wood Foo Dog Decorative Cigar, Cigarette or 420 Ashtray
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carved Chinese Foo Dog Cigar, cigarette, 420 Ashtray, or Incense Burner - Chinese Guardian Lion. A unique and very interesting piece. The Foo Dog tilts bac...
Wood
Vintage Chinese Porcelain Wucai Blue and Red Dragons Dish Catchall
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Asian square porcelain dish, ashtray or catchall. Chinese Wanli Wucai style porcelain square dish with dragons and floral decoration. Asian them...
Porcelain
Vintage Asian Porcelain Hand Painted White Floral Ashtray China
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
This vintage Asian porcelain hand painted floral ashtray was handmade in China. This gorgeous gilded ashtray is intricately hand painted with Asian floral lotus decoration in gilt and geometric design on white background in blue, pink, red, green and gold jeweled colors. There are three cigarette indentations. Hand Painted Asian Famille rose...
Porcelain
Handpainted Green and Gold Porcelain Ashtray with Chinoiserie Smoking Motif
Ashtray Match Box Case Set Cloisonné Enamel
Located in New York, NY
An enamel Cloisonné match box case and ashtray set, circa early-20th century, Asia. Set includes 1 matchbox holder, and 1 ashtray/dish/plate (for used matche...
Brass, Enamel
Square Famille Rose Pink Chinoiserie Decorative Ceramic Trinket Dish / Catchall
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A beautiful famille rose trinket dish or catchall. Created from ceramic, this piece is square in shape, with scalloped corners. The interior of the dish is in a blue/gray glaze, with...
Ceramic, Paint
Vintage Chinoiserie Brass and Copper Lucky Ashtray or Trinket Dish, Hong Kong
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A beautiful chinoiserie catchall, ashtray, or trinket dish. This piece is round with scalloped edges. It is created from brass and decorated with ...
Brass, Copper
Mid-Century Modern Chinoiserie Ceramic Emerald Green Elephant Ashtray
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A green and yellow ceramic elephant ashtray or catchall. Reminiscent of the ever-popular chinoiserie elephant garden stool, this tall ashtray features...
Ceramic, Paint
Postmodern Bent Glass Ashtray Bowl Catchall, 1990s
Located in New York, NY
A transparent bent glass ashtray or bowl/catchall, Modern style or Postmodern period, circa late-20th century, late 1990s to early 2000s. Two indents at top. Excellent condition as s...
Glass
$1,184
H 2.76 in Dm 9.85 in
Tommaso Barbi Signed Cream Ceramic and Brass Ashtray or Catchall, Italy 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Delightful round ashtray or valet tray in gorgeous burgundy ceramic and brass. This rare decorative piece is signed on the bottom and was designed by Tommaso Barbi and produced in It...
Brass
$777
H 1.19 in W 5.12 in D 1.19 in
Decorative Green Animal Ceramic Cup or Ashtray by Accolay, circa 1960
Located in Neuilly-en- sancerre, FR
Elegant and decorative animal ceramic cup or ashtray. Original green ceramic glaze color and black decoration Signed under the base Original perfect conditions Measures: ...
Ceramic
Vintage Egyptian Porcelain Ashtray
Located in Queens, NY
Middle Eastern Egyptian-style (1930s) porcelain square ashtray with small gilt handles and classic bust in center (NIPPON).
Ash, Porcelain
Modern Large Crackled Glass Cigar Ashtray
Located in San Diego, CA
A very nice modern large and heavy crackled glass cigar ashtray, circa 1990s. The piece is unsigned and in very good condition with no chips or cracks and measures 6.625"W x 6.625"D ...
Glass
Vintage Ashtrays Bavaria Germany Set of Two Hand-Painted Fine Porcelain
By Limoges, Cristalleries De Sevres
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Hand-Painted Square Porcelain Ashtrays Bavaria, Germany. Set of two Bavaria Germany fine porcelain ashtrays with 24 k gilt floral accent and rim. Vintage porcelain ashtrays with Frag...
Porcelain
$598
H 1.58 in W 6.3 in D 7.88 in
Limoges Midcentury Hand-Painted by Cevoli White Porcelain French Ashtray, 1980s
By Limoges
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing midcentury Limoges hand-painted white porcelain ashtray. This fantastic piece was hand-painted by Giulia Lucente Cevoli in Italy during the...
Ceramic, Porcelain
$577 / item
H 1.38 in W 6.3 in D 7.49 in
New Modern Cigarettes and Cigar Ashtray in Black Marble, creator Chiossi Stock
Located in Milan, IT
Tuscan sculptor Michele Chiossi, has found in marble a medium to describe modernity with its myths and symbols, creating the Contemporary collection. An emoji can be a tray; an emoji heart, not necessarily pierced by an arrow, can be a place of creativity in the kitchen, a chopping board or a working surface; a dash; a zigzag; granting the marble a moment of levity, becoming vertical in a vase; reflecting an ideal image of ourselves. Unique objects to be experienced as a couple, to gift to friends, jewels of our daily lives. Time and smoke pass, ashtrays remain. As everlasting as marble, as elegant as a concentric circle of smoke spreading through the air. Chiossi revisits the most Classic of living room...
Marble
Black Croco 2 Cigars Yachting Ashtray
Located in Paris, FR
Ashtray black croco 2 cigars yachting with bag covered with black crocodile finish printed on calfskin with black stitching. Bag filled with 1 kg micro metal balls that give high ...
Brass
$750
H 2 in W 4.75 in D 4 in
Vintage Piero Fornasetti "Caduceus" Lithograph Gilt Porcelain Green Ashtray
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage celadon/mint green ceramic ashtray/trinket dish with cigarette slots by Piero Fornasetti, (circa 1950s, Italy). Features lithographic tra...
Porcelain
Signed Marc Newson Ashtray
By Marc Newson
Located in NYC, NY
A clear smoke-colored ashtray by Marc Newson with facsimile of the artist's signature on underside.
Glass
Jean Boris LACROIX (1902-1984), catchall tray
Located in Paris, FR
Jean Boris Lacroix (1902-1984) was a French designer and architect known for his modernist lighting designs. After apprenticing with Paul Dumas, he debuted at the Salon des Artistes ...
Metal, Nickel
Round Hollywood Regency Faux Bamboo Brass Ashtray or Catchall
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A beautiful faux bamboo brass ashtray. Round in form and created from solid brass, this ashtray or trinket dish features faux bamboo edges and a deep bowl for storing change or colle...
Brass
Set of Four Tobacco Leaf Pattern Ashtrays
Located in Astoria, NY
Set of four square chinoiserie style ashtrays. Each tray is made of porcelain with a tobacco leaf motif and accented in gold-tone paint. Each piece includes a maker's mark on the bot...
Porcelain
Rare Pair of Mid-Century Chinoiserie Brass Ash Recievers
Located in Palm Springs, CA
This pair of unique chinoiserie brass ash recievers are from a very upscale palm springs estate and were only used for decoration on a coffee table. Beautiful aged patina, they have ...