Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
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.
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Silver
1950s American Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Silver
2010s Chinese Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Gold Leaf
1910s English Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
1980s American Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Wood, Lacquer
1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Brass
1980s Italian Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Japanese Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Metal
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Bamboo, Cane
1920s English Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Wood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s English Antique Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Britannia Standard Silver
1920s English Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
1910s English Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Silver
1990s American Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
1960s American Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
1960s Vintage Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver