Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
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.
Late 18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Leather, Textile, Paper
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Leather, Textile, Wood
17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Leather
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Wood, Giltwood
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Silver, Bronze
Mid-18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron
Late 18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron
Late 17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron
Early 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Leather, Wood, Lacquer
1840s Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal, Gold, Silver
Mid-18th Century Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Paper
17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Steel
18th Century French Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Stone
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Bronze
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron
1930s Japanese Vintage Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Fabric, Glass
Early 20th Century Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Silver, Sterling Silver
17th Century Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron
19th Century French Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Fruitwood
1830s Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Paper
Mid-18th Century German Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Leather, Paper
Early 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Leather, Wood, Lacquer
1840s Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal, Gold, Silver
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Copper, Steel, Iron
Late 18th Century Asian Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Copper, Iron
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Leather
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Gold, Silver, Copper
Late 17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron
Mid-18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron
Early 18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Wood, Lacquer
Late 17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Leather
Late 18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Wood, Lacquer
Late 18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Arms, Armor and Weapons
Iron