Edo Asian Art and Furniture
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.
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Stone
1940s Japanese Vintage Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Early 17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Iron
Early 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Canvas, Paper
Early 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Sandstone
1840s Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Shell
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Stone
17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
Late 17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
Late 18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Stone
Late 19th Century Korean Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
Early 1700s Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Brocade, Silk
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Linen
1980s Japanese Vintage Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Paper
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silver Leaf
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Paper
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Paper
17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Paper
19th Century Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silver Leaf
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Paper
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
19th Century Asian Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Stone
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Paper
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Wood, Paper
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Wood, Paper
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Paper
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Chinese Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Brass, Gold Leaf
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Cypress
1860s Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Wood, Paper
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Brass, Iron
1970s Japanese Vintage Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Wood
1850s Asian Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
17th Century Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
1840s Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Early 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Gold, Iron, Silver
17th Century Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
1670s Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
1670s Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
1670s Japanese Antique Edo Asian Art and Furniture
Paper