Edo furniture was created during a flourishing time for the decorative arts owing to the stability of the Tokugawa shogunate rule in Japan. Spanning from 1603 to 1867, this era of peace and economic growth supported artistic advancements in lacquer, woodblock printing, porcelain and other artisanal trades. Because the country was largely isolated, there was little outside influence, leading to centuries of exceptional attention to the design of its furnishings and the quality of its traditional arts.
Unlike during the Meiji period that followed, with an increase in domestic and international markets, furniture during the Edo period was predominately commissioned by the ruling class, although people from across social groups benefited from the burgeoning metropolitan hubs for artisanal trades. For instance, Kyoto became a major center for lacquer art. Most furniture pieces were made from wood such as cedar or ash, including the era’s sashimono cabinets, which involved fine joinery and were rooted in the Heian period.
Sashimono cabinets, which were built by master craftsmen in a range of different wood types owing to the various trees that populate Japan, occasionally featured a stack of slender drawers as well as sliding doors. They were popular with everyone from samurai to kabuki actors. Tansu storage chests crafted from wood with metal fittings were also common in Edo-period homes. Some were designed to be easily portable while others were made to double as staircases.
Painted folding screens, called byōbu, were also fashionable, with Japanese artists inspired by nature, literature and scenes of history and daily life to create vivid works. In Buddhist temples and the palatial homes of the aristocratic class, fusuma, or large sliding panels, would sometimes be adorned with gold or silver leaf. These dividers allowed interiors to change throughout the day, closing in small spaces for personal use or reflecting candlelight to illuminate communal spaces after dark.
Find a collection of Edo tables, lighting, decorative objects, wall decorations and more furniture on 1stDibs.
Antique Japanese Edo Period Kagami Bronze Hand Mirror Cranes Gnarled Pine 11"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Japanese Edo Period bronze kagami / hand mirror. Cast with a design featuring two large pieces of calligraphy over a landscape showing a pair of cranes by a gnarled pine tree...
Bronze
$560Sale Price|37% Off
H 16.15 in W 15.16 in D 7.29 in
Japanese Antique Copper Table Mirror 1920s-1940s / Modern Stand Mirror
Located in Chōsei District Nagara, JP
This is an old tabletop mirror made in Japan. The frame is made of copper and has a unique, subdued shine. It was made in the early Showa period (1920s-1940s), and is a gem that show...
Copper, Iron
Barbera 'Bronze' Makeup Mirror, Cast Solid Bronze
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Designed by Daniel Barbera, the 'Bronze' make-up mirror is made from a sandcast solid bronze form that is hand finished to a smooth mirror polish, with the option of a satin or black...
Metal, Aluminum, Bronze
Art Deco Period Vanity Tray Mirror
Located in New York, NY
A rectangular black and gold glass mirror vanity tray, Art Deco period, circa early-20th century. Beautiful black and light-gold Art Deco details, including angular symmetric detail ...
Glass, Felt, Mirror
$720
H 21.03 in W 15.44 in D 11.34 in
Japanese Antique Table Mirror, Taisho Era (1912–1926), Maple (Kaede), Wabi Sabi
Located in Hitachiomiya-shi, 08
This tabletop mirror was crafted during the Taisho Era (1912–1926) from kaede (Japanese maple) and was used for many years in a traditional Japanese ryokan built in the same period. ...
Maple
Antique Ornate Mirror Cast Bronze Picture Frame, France 1900
Located in Bastogne, BE
Very rare luxurious table mirror, France, 1900. Produced using traditional bronze casting technology. Fits perfectly into any classic or vintage interior. It will be a good gift for all bronze lovers. The magnificent design of the table mirror will be a delightful decoration for a cosmetic table...
Bronze
Antique American Art Nouveau Sterling Silver Hand Mirror
Located in New York, NY
American Art Nouveau sterling silver hand mirror, ca 1890. Beveled glass in round frame with baluster handle. In dense low-relief are swans with whiplash necks, a nymph with tentacul...
Sterling Silver
Antique French Hand Mirror in Etched & Reticulated Bronze
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Exceptional hand held vanity mirror with intricate hand-finished detailing to all its bronze components. It was made in France circa 1850-70. It appears to be gilded - ormolu given t...
Bronze
Antique Chinese Silver Dressing Table / Hand Mirror Circa 1900
By Luen Wo
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Chinese silver dressing table hand mirror; an addition to our collection of Asian antiques. This exceptional antique Chinese export silve...
Silver
Japanese Bronze Mirror, Meiji Period 1868-1912
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Japanese bronze mirror. Great surface colors; old string handle wrap, Meiji period 1868-1912. Wear from polishing. Extensive inscription. 9 5/16...
Bronze
$5,025
H 14.77 in W 9.06 in D 1.58 in
A Napoleon III Period Table Mirror in Gilt Bronze and Sèvres Enamelled Porcelain
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A Napoleon III period gilt bronze and Sèvres enamelled porcelain table mirror, 19th century. Dimensions : H: 37.5cm, W: 23cm, D: 4cm Please contact us before ordering to confirm av...
Bronze
$445Sale Price|20% Off
H 13.78 in W 9.85 in D 7.09 in
Antique Table Mirror Gilded Bronze Vanity Mirror Art Nouveau
Located in Poperinge, BE
Antique table mirror, dressing mirror or make-up mirror with jewelry tray and original mirror glass made entirely of gilded bronze, graceful floral and animal decoration, entirely in...
Bronze, Gold Leaf
An Antique French Bronze and Wood Mirror
Located in New York, NY
A circa 1900 French mirror with bronze applications, it can stand or hang. Measurements: Height: 17" Width: 12' Depth: 1.5" Depth open: 12"
Bronze