Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
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.
19th Century British Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Metal
Mid-20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Mother-of-Pearl, Lacquer
Early 20th Century European Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Pine
Mid-18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
20th Century English Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Mahogany
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood, Lacquer
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
Early 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Oak, Lacquer
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Metal
1760s English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
Late 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Metal
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
Early 19th Century Scottish Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Acrylic
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
Early 20th Century Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
1950s Portuguese Vintage Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Bronze
Late 18th Century Northern Irish Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass, Iron
1940s American Vintage Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood, Paint
Early 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Mahogany
Mid-18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Walnut
20th Century Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood, Paint
Early 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Gold Leaf
20th Century German Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
Late 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Metal
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Glass, Wood
18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Oak
18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Brass
Late 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood
1680s English Antique Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Gold, Brass, Steel, Ormolu
20th Century North American Chinoiserie Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Wood