Japonisme Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

This vintage Japanese tansu cabinet features wood construction (possibly balsa), black painted finish with silver and mother of Pearl inlay, modular 3 box design each with hinged doo...

A rare original and impressively intact Japanese Zenibako (banker's money box) from late 19th century circa Meiji Period (1868-1912). The chest was made from cypress wood and fitted ...

An impressive pair of oriental chinoiserie hexagonal vitrine cabinets made in Okinawa Japan, circa 1970s. Made from red oak with three adjustable glass shelves, a pagoda form dragon ...

Rare pedestal table / bookcase in Japanese / Chinese / Asian style, richly carved. With red marble top, swivel shelves and tripod base carved with dragon / demon heads and clawed le...

Rare Japanese style cylinder desk in tinted and carved wood, richly engraved on all sides with foliage, cherry branches and geometric interlacing. Surmounted by two asymmetrical shelves, the cylinder is decorated with an engraved dragon. Opening this cylinder reveals many compartments with adjustable dimensions, a drawer with engraved decoration and letter storage. The cylinder sides can open laterally, allowing a larger area for working and writing. The lower part of the desk is formed on the left by five superimposed drawers decorated with geometric interlacing and carved branches, as well as Japanese characters, deer and mother-of-pearl foliage. On the right, there is a drawer and a door decorated with carved leaves and mother-of-pearl interlacing, revealing four drawers forming compartments. An ingenious mechanism makes it possible, when the cylinder is closed with a key, to completely lock the desk. Gabriel Viardot career began as a wood carver and he produced small furniture, sculpturally carved with naturalistic motifs and animals. In the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris, his finely sculpted objects were well received. However, with the increasing importation of similarly produced Swiss and German articles, he found less opportunity for these and decided to innovate. G. Viardot succeeded to his father’s business in 1861 installed rue Rambuteau in Paris. Around 1870 he turned to the idea of producing « Meubles genre Chinois et Japonais ». The taste in Europe for exotic furniture, incorporating sometimes authentic Chinese or Japanese objects...

A Japanese style carved wood cabinet, with a painted decor imitating Japanese lacquer, ornamented with flowers, birds and butterflies. Opening onto two drawers and a paper filer, the upright-secretary door is also fitted with red velvet. Surmounted by a drawer and asymmetrical shelves, composed in the Japanese « zen » spirit, the cabinet stands on four legs joined by an engraved stretcher. The great influence of the Far-East, through China and Japan, in the second half of the 19th century French art could be found first in painting and soon after in decorative arts and furniture as well. Following the Franco-English military campaign led in 1860 against the Imperial army in China, the French troops of Napoleon III brought back from the Summer Palace, a part of the Chinese Imperial court treasure, which will make up the famous Chinese Museum of Empress Eugénie at the Fontainebleau Palace. The French artists won’t be long to take inspiration from those exotic and sumptuous objects for their creations, as they used to do in the 18th century, when the best French cabinet-makers adapted the Chinese lacquers on the luxurious royal chests. But the influence of Japan, at the Meiji period (1868-1912), came also very quickly to France, thanks to the opening of the country in the middle of the 19th century, as well as the development of traveling and the amazing Universal Exhibitions, in which Japan participated for the first time in 1867 in Paris. Then many Japanese objects and prints were imported to France and to all Europe, and for which some collectors spent already fortunes. With Manet and Impressionists generation, the passion for Japanese art, more than a simple taste for an exotic style, was still in fashion until the turn of the 19th century. It provoked not only a craze among the French aristocratic families as well as the wealthy Paris high society, wishing renew their mansion inner decoration, but turned also to a real revolutionary movement among the “avant-garde” artists. Those artists, whoever they were, painters, cabinet-makers or designers of ceramic, bronze and crystal objects, adapted then those techniques and naturalistic motifs unknown until this time. Christofle, very famous since 1867 as a silversmith, was also one of the leaders among the inventors of Japanism. He knew how to use Japanese elements to his own splendid works made in silver or “cloisonné” enameled bronze. During the 1878 Paris Universal Exhibition, Christofle presented with great success his life-sized bronze Japanese ladies torcheres, executed by the renowned sculptor Guillemin. Another famous company to be mentioned, is “L’Escalier de Cristal”, producing art objects and furniture, all of high standard quality and innovating much with their Japanese decor. Highly remarked during the Universal Exhibitions, “L’Escalier de Cristal” collaborated with the greatest artists, such Gallé and Rousseau for glass- and ceramic wares, and the cabinet-makers Lièvre and Viardot, whom made furniture including sometimes authentic Japanese elements. In 1872, Alfred Perret and Ernest Vibert opened in Paris, at 33 rue du Quatre-Septembre a store that offered “natural bamboo furniture and cane seats” and all kinds of textile fittings for furniture. This furniture used for winter gardens and terraces of mansions knew then a resounding success. They developed their business around 1884 with their Japanese style furniture, very close to that executed by Gabriel Viardot (1830-1906). In 1886, the company appearing in the category of “Chinoiserie and Japoneries” offered, in addition to furniture and seating creation, works of art and inlaid furniture directly imported from the Far East ; an activity that expanded rapidly. Their exotic fantasy furniture presented at the Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1889 and 1900, rewarded them two silver medals. In 1894, the company was listed under the name “Perret et Vibert”, headed by the son of Alfred Perret and Ernest Vibert. The same year, they redesigned their store on rue du Quatre-Septembre, creating ten new show-rooms, showing complete furniture sets of Japanese and Chinese style inspiration. It was not until 1895, that the company was finally named “La Maison des Bambous” and organized then in their shops an “exhibition of country furniture and seats for castles and villas”, which was visited by Empress Eugenie to furnish her villa Cyrnos at Cap Martin. She actually was a regular customer of the “Maison des Bambous” as she bought repeatedly furniture. In October of the same year, the king of Greece...

Contemporary Japanese style small shelf. This shelf is inspired by Japanese tradition teaware shelf. Made of steel and wood.

A piece of functional art made in Shizuoka for export to the western market, this Japanese chest with drawers on stand, circa 1900s features intricate marquetry work using a traditio...

Japanese Library Furniture - Shou Sugi Ban Technique Immerse yourself in the timeless elegance of Japan with our remarkable bookcase inspired by the anc...

A 19th century French Japonisme style corner cabinet with sturdy burnt bamboo frame and solid rosewood panels. Above the cabinet is an open shelf supp...

Elegant, durable and versatile, the Sukiya presents storage solutions steeped in traditional Japanese tea house aesthetics. Featuring several drawer...

An English bamboo cabinet from the late 19th century, with Japonism décor, three drawers and cabriole legs. Created in England during the late 19th century, this bamboo cabinet captu...

Contemporary Japanese style sculptural shelf. Made of steel, ceramic, and wood. Frame is rusted steel. White trays are ceramics. One brown colored circle tray...

This wonderful display cabinet is designed in a ‘Japonisme’ (Japanese) style, which was popular in Europe in the mid-late 19th century. This craze was kick-started by Japan reopening to trade with the West, and exporting Japanese goods—including furniture and decorative art—to Europe. One craftsmen by the name of Gabriel Viardot (1830-1906) established a name for himself in France producing Chinese and Japanese style furniture...

Bamboo and rosewood (19th Century) lacquered panel etagere with 3 doors with floral and figural decoration.

Rare aesthetic movement showcase, opening in its upper part by two beveled glass doors framed by brass moldings, in its lower part by two door panels in carved walnut decorated with blooming branches and gilded bronze ornaments representing dragons and birds. The sides are carved, like wicker woven. This showcase is topped by an important carved and gilded walnut cornice depicting a Fô Dog in its center, with a protective power, and rests on elephant head with overtuned trunk shaped feet. This type of elephant head with overtuned trunk shaped feet is a characteristic of the Maison Giroux, which can be found on many objects they produced. Aesthetic movement cabinet, signed Maison Alphonse Giroux...

A wonderfully stylized Japanned partners pedestal desk, having carved, inlaid and engraved classical decoration, an inset leather top, eleven drawers to one side, each with brass turtle handles, the reverse with engraved mother of Pearl inlaid doors, raised on carved cabriole legs. Attributed to; Gabriel Viardot (1830-1906) was a famous Parisian cabinetmaker specializing in the production of “Chinese-Japanese genre” furniture in the last third of the 19th century. He started his career as a wood sculptor in 1849, when he sent some naturalistic décor furniture...

A Japanese style carved wood cabinet attributed to G. Viardot. A painted decor imitating Japanese lacquer, ornamented with flowers, birds and butterflies. Opening onto two drawers an...

A Large Chinoiserie Marriage Chest on Stand This Marriage Chest is a bright and colourful piece, the chest is in Fire Red and painted with large stylised chrysanthemum flowers The...

Rare pedestal table / bookcase in Japanese / Chinese / Asian style. Richly carved : top decorated with a dragon, openwork swivel shelves and tripod base carved with clawed legs. Ar...

Elegant, durable and versatile, the Sukiya presents storage solutions steeped in traditional Japanese tea house aesthetics. Featuring several drawers...

French Japonisme style gilt bronze and faience standing jardinière French, late 19th century Measures: Height 84cm, width 69cm, depth 48cm Th...

A modern day rendition of iconic Tansu storage with hand forged iron pulls and traditional wooden drawer glides. Maria Yee is a California contemporary furniture design studio estab...

Lacquer and gilt bronze cabinet in the Japonisme style by Rosel Belgian, late 19th century Measures: Height 185cm, width 94cm, depth 43cm The ...

Antique 19th Century Bamboo Lacquered Display Stand, Perret And Vibert, France. C.1880 In very good condition commensurate of age.

Large Decorated Camphor Wood Blanket Chest This Beautiful Chest is made from and overlaid with Camphor Wood, the decoration is of ships, tigers and dragons The chest stands on small...

Antique 19th Century Lacquered Etagere Perret And Vibert, France C.1890 In very good condition commensurate of age.

1920 elegant Japonisem red and gold dry bar with sculpted figures

Elegant, durable and versatile, the Sukiya presents storage solutions steeped in traditional Japanese tea house aesthetics. Featuring several drawers...