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Meiji Sofa Tables

MEIJI STYLE

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.

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Style: Meiji
Japanese old wooden low table/wabisabi coffee table/1868-1920
Japanese old wooden low table/wabisabi coffee table/1868-1920

Japanese old wooden low table/wabisabi coffee table/1868-1920

Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

This piece is a Japanese wooden low table crafted during the Meiji to Taisho period (1868–1920). It is made from tochi (Japanese horse chestnut) wood, a material valued for its su...

Category

Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Sofa Tables

Materials

Wood

Japanese Antique Low Table 1860s-1920s / Sofa Table Wabi Sabi
Japanese Antique Low Table 1860s-1920s / Sofa Table Wabi Sabi

Japanese Antique Low Table 1860s-1920s / Sofa Table Wabi Sabi

By Axel Vervoordt

Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

This sculptural low table is composed of two antique Japanese utilitarian objects, created during the late Meiji to early Taishō period, approximately (1868 to 1920). The tabletop i...

Category

Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Sofa Tables

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Wood, Cedar

Antique Japanese wooden coffee table with a tasteful ink-wash pattern/Meiji
Antique Japanese wooden coffee table with a tasteful ink-wash pattern/Meiji

Antique Japanese wooden coffee table with a tasteful ink-wash pattern/Meiji

Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

Long a beloved part of Japanese culture, the "fuzukue" (writing desk) originated as a piece of furniture for writing, literally meaning "a desk for writing," and has accompanied quie...

Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Sofa Tables

Materials

Beech

Japanese Antique Sofa Table or Storage Box 1860s-1920s / Side Table Wabisabi
Japanese Antique Sofa Table or Storage Box 1860s-1920s / Side Table Wabisabi

Japanese Antique Sofa Table or Storage Box 1860s-1920s / Side Table Wabisabi

Located in Chōsei District Nagara, JP

This is an old Japanese storage chest that also functions as a low table. It was crafted during the Meiji to Taisho periods (1860s–1920s) and made from traditional Japanese cedar (su...

Category

Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Sofa Tables

Materials

Tin

Japanese antique wooden low table/1868-1920/Wabi-sabi coffee table
Japanese antique wooden low table/1868-1920/Wabi-sabi coffee table

Japanese antique wooden low table/1868-1920/Wabi-sabi coffee table

Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

This item is a stately Wabisabi wooden low table with a wooden box from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period (1800-1912) in Japan as the table base, combined with an old oak...

Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Sofa Tables

Materials

Oak

Japanese antique wooden sofa table/Late 19th century/Wabi-sabi low table
Japanese antique wooden sofa table/Late 19th century/Wabi-sabi low table

Japanese antique wooden sofa table/Late 19th century/Wabi-sabi low table

Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

This is a board and a wooden box that were used in Japan from the Meiji period to the early Showa period. These two can be combined to make a low table. The tabletop is made of eithe...

Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Sofa Tables

Materials

Cedar

Japanese Antique Large Black Box / Sofa Table Side Table /1868-1912s / Wabi-sabi
Japanese Antique Large Black Box / Sofa Table Side Table /1868-1912s / Wabi-sabi

Japanese Antique Large Black Box / Sofa Table Side Table /1868-1912s / Wabi-sabi

Located in Iwate-gun Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate Prefecture

This is a large, old Japanese wooden box. It is believed to date from around the Meiji period and is made of pine and cedar. A type of folk item used in the early modern period, thi...

Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Sofa Tables

Materials

Wood, Cedar, Pine

Japanese Antique Low Table / Sofa Table Coffee Table / 1868-1912s Wabi-Sabi
Japanese Antique Low Table / Sofa Table Coffee Table / 1868-1912s Wabi-Sabi

Japanese Antique Low Table / Sofa Table Coffee Table / 1868-1912s Wabi-Sabi

Located in Iwate-gun Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate Prefecture

This is a low table that combines old Japanese trees. The detailed tree species of the upper board is unknown, but it is considered to be katsura wood, and the color has become dark...

Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Sofa Tables

Materials

Wood, Cedar

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$1,000

H 13.98 in W 47.25 in D 47.25 in

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Previously Available Items
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This wooden low table is a wonderful item with the charm unique to Japanese antiques. It was originally used as a work board and was probably used for a long time as a tool for cutti...

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Japanese antique wooden low table/1900's/Wabisabi table/Folk art
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Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

Japanese wooden low table with a quietly captivating presence. Originally crafted as a workbench for cutting fabric in traditional homes, this piece now carries the serene poetry of ...

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Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Sofa Tables

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Antique Japanese wooden coffee table / 1868-1920 / sofa table / display stand
Antique Japanese wooden coffee table / 1868-1920 / sofa table / display stand

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Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

This wooden low table, known as a fuzukue (writing desk), was made in Japan between the late Edo and Meiji periods (circa 1868-1920). A writing desk is a traditional Japanese piece of furniture, originally a small desk used while sitting on a tatami mat. While primarily used as a practical tool for writing, reading, and writing letters, its dignified presence has led to its current popularity as a decorative table and low table. This writing desk is crafted from Japanese zelkova (keyaki) wood. Zelkova is a precious wood that has long been beloved by the Japanese people and is known for its use in shrine and temple construction. Due to its solid, hard wood with particularly beautiful grain, it is often used for luxury furniture and crafts. The tabletop features the beautiful annual ring pattern, known as "bamboo shoot grain," characteristic of zelkova. Combined with the rich texture borne over time, this wood exudes a quiet, engaging charm. The tabletop is carved from a single piece of wood and shows slight warping, but is generally in very good condition. The legs are simple and sturdy, indicating they have withstood years of use. There's no wobble, making it safe to use in modern living spaces. At just 23cm high, it's perfect for pairing with a sofa or zaisu chair...

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Japanese Antique Primitive Low Table 1860s-1920s / Wabi Sabi
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Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

This is a very old low table made in Japan. Its design is simple—consisting of a single slab of wood placed atop a tree stump. The materials used for both the top and base date back ...

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This low wooden table was crafted in Japan between the late Edo period and the Meiji era, and it embodies the essence of wabi-sabi. Known as a bundzuke or writing table, this traditi...

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Japanese antique large wooden low table/1868-1920/long table/Mingei

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Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

A large low table made in Japan from the Meiji to the early Taisho period (1868-1920). Originally, it seems that it was a work table for sitting and doing some work. There are countl...

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Japanese antique large wooden low table / 1868 to 1920 / Wabi-sabi sofa table

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Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

This is a very special low table that combines an old Japanese large board with a table base made from repurposed traditional Japanese drums. The top panel is made of cedar wood fro...

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Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Sofa Tables

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Japanese Antique Low Table with Wheels 1860s-1900s / Sofa Table Wabi Sabi
Japanese Antique Low Table with Wheels 1860s-1900s / Sofa Table Wabi Sabi

Japanese Antique Low Table with Wheels 1860s-1900s / Sofa Table Wabi Sabi

Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

This account is operated by four different companies. As for me, I specialize in Japanese antique furniture and objects. With 20 years of experience as a buyer, I am leading Japanese...

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Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Sofa Tables

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Iron

Japanese antique wooden low table/"Fuzukue"/19th century/Meiji to Taisho period
Japanese antique wooden low table/"Fuzukue"/19th century/Meiji to Taisho period

Japanese antique wooden low table/"Fuzukue"/19th century/Meiji to Taisho period

Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

This writing desk is an antique piece from the Meiji to Taisho periods of Japan, crafted using the luxurious wood of keyaki (zelkova). The desk features the signature "takenoko-moku"...

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Japanese Antique Large Low Table / Sofa Table Coffee Table /1868-1912s Wabi-sabi
Japanese Antique Large Low Table / Sofa Table Coffee Table /1868-1912s Wabi-sabi

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Located in Iwate-gun Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate Prefecture

This is an old Japanese low table. Pine is used for the top plate, and cedar is used for the legs. You can see that it was assembled without the use of nails and was made by very s...

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Meiji sofa tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Meiji sofa tables for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage sofa tables created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include tables, asian art and furniture and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, cedar and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Meiji sofa tables made in a specific country, there are Asia, East Asia, and Japan pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for sofa tables differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $500 and tops out at $2,200 while the average work can sell for $1,200.