What is a meiji period table?

A meiji period table refers to furniture and small stands produced in Japan between 1868 and 1912, or imported during that era. It includes low tea tables, side furniture, and stands designed for display. Many listings also encompass tabletop cabinets and lamp conversions utilising antique Japanese vases and bronze elements from the same timeframe.

How were these tables used?

Original Japanese tables served specific domestic functions such as low tea service or the display of art objects. Chabudai tables were used for kneeling meals, while small cabinets held personal valuables. In Western homes, many of these pieces were repurposed as plant stands, side surfaces, or converted into elaborate table lamps during the Victorian and Edwardian periods.

How do I identify Meiji lacquer?

Meiji lacquer exhibits deep black or coloured resin finishes applied to wood bases, frequently enhanced with gold leaf and intricate pictorial designs. The surface feels smooth and hard to the touch. Look for fine hand-painted details depicting natural scenes, figures, or geometric motifs, often combined with inlaid mother-of-pearl or Shibayama elements.

Are these items antique?

Pieces originating from the Meiji era date from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, spanning the years 1868 to 1912. They carry genuine antique status. Later items from the adjacent Taisho period or early twentieth-century reproductions also appear, distinguished by their specific production dates in the listings.

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Meiji Period Table

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When you search for a meiji period table, you find a remarkable range of Japanese furnishings and decorative lamp conversions from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.