Regency Chinoiserie Japanned Table Cabinet

Country: England

Date: Circa 1815

Medium: Lacquer, Wood

Dimensions

Height: 41.00cm (16.14 inches)

Width: 38.00cm (14.96 inches)

Depth: 23.00cm (9.06 inches)

Main description

This Regency Chinoiserie japanned table cabinet dates to circa 1815 and is decorated throughout with red and gold lacquer work depicting pagodas, figures, birds, foliage and Chinese landscapes.

The top is decorated with pagodas and figures highlighted in red and gold lacquer. It shows some wear and sun exposure and is not as fresh as the remainder of the cabinet.

The left-hand side retains its original lacquer decoration, with a grand pagoda set against a foliage background populated by birds and figures. The right-hand side mirrors the same subject matter, again outlined with original gold and red lacquer work.

The cabinet doors retain their original metalwork and are decorated with striking Chinoiserie scenes centred on full-scale pagodas in two different forms. The reddish tone within the gold decoration is repeated across the composition. Opening the doors reveals further Chinoiserie decoration to the interior, including birds, trees, foliage, pagodas and various Chinese landscape scenes.

The interior is fitted with a bank of decorated drawers retaining their original turned knobs. The cabinet is raised on decorated bracket feet, completing the compact table cabinet form.

View the Complete Freshfords Objet d’Art Furniture collection.

Condition 

The cabinet remains in original condition and has not been refreshed. As noted, the top shows more wear than the rest of the cabinet, with some fading and surface wear from use and exposure.

What is Chinoiserie? 

Chinoiserie (derived from the French word chinois, meaning Chinese) is a distinctly European decorative style that emerged in the seventeenth century and reached its peak of popularity throughout eighteenth and nineteenth century England and Europe. Rather than reflecting authentic East Asian art, it represented a romanticised Western interpretation of Chinese, Japanese, and East Asian culture, architecture, and aesthetics. Driven by an aristocratic obsession with exotic luxury goods imported by East India trading companies, English cabinet makers, artists, and craftsmen created their own domestic variations to adorn grand country houses, a style famously championed by the Prince Regent at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

Visually, Chinoiserie is characterised by stylised, whimsical imagery set within imaginary, idyllic landscapes. Decorative motifs frequently feature intricate pagodas, weeping willows, exotic birds, dragon motifs, bamboo foliage, and figures in traditional Asian attire. These designs were applied across a wide range of decorative arts, including hand painted wallpaper, fine porcelain, textiles, and silverwork. In English cabinet making, the style found its most dramatic expression in lacquered and japanned furniture, where gilded motifs and raised gesso reliefs were set against rich, dark backgrounds of deep black, crimson, or tortoise shell green varnish.

What is Japanned? 

Japanning is an eighteenth and nineteenth century European finishing technique developed to imitate the lustrous, deep lacquerware imported from East Asia. Because authentic Asian lacquer resin derived from the Toxicodendron vernicifluum tree could not survive the long sea voyage to Britain, English craftsmen formulated their own spirit and oil based varnishes. Applied in multiple painstaking layers over a hardwood or paperware carcass, each coat was heat cured and polished to achieve a mirror like surface. In Georgian and Regency England, Pontypool and Birmingham emerged as major centres for high quality japanned metalware and paperware, while cabinet makers created spectacular dark backgrounds to showcase gilded chinoiserie motifs.

Unlike true Asian lacquer, which relies on tree sap, English japanning utilises a base of shellac, linseed oil, and copal resins mixed with dark pigments such as asphaltum, lampblack, or ivory black. The technique involved applying gesso to build up raised decorative details, followed by hand painting figures, pagodas, and botanical scenes using gold leaf, powdered bronze, or shell gold. The finished piece was sealed with clear protective varnishes to withstand daily domestic use. Over centuries, authentic japanned surfaces develop a distinctive fine craquelure and warm patina that distinguishes historical English pieces from modern reproductions.

What is the Regency Period?

The Regency period (1811-1820) formed the closing years of the Georgian era and was defined by refined classical design inspired by ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. Furniture from the period often features bold veneers, clean architectural lines and restrained decorative details in brass, ebony and gilt bronze.

For further information, see our Antique Furniture Periods encyclopaedia on the Georgian Period.

Why Buy From Freshfords Antiques?

Established in 1987, Freshfords Antiques has spent nearly four decades sourcing and curating the finest examples of English antique furniture. Our reputation is built upon a deep-rooted specialism in the Georgian and Regency periods, where we focus on selecting pieces that retain their genuine age, original patination, and unimpeachable authenticity. We believe that an antique should not only be a significant historical object but also a functional and beautiful addition to a contemporary home.

As proud members of the British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA), we operate under a rigorously enforced code of conduct that prioritises professional integrity and expertise. Membership of BADA is only granted after a thorough election procedure and is subject to annual review, ensuring that our clients can purchase with complete confidence. When you acquire a piece from Freshfords, you are benefiting from a wealth of experience, a dedication to craftsmanship, and a commitment to preserving the heritage of the finest English cabinet making.