Taiwan in Retrospect ~ Article 2
During the Japanese colonial period (1895–1945), European architectural movements—such as Neoclassical, Victorian, and Baroque—heavily influenced design trends in Taiwan. Taiwanese woodworkers adapted these imported Western styles to local materials and traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery.
This era sparked a distinct East-meets-West furniture movement. Functional updates like drawers began replacing traditional cabinet shelves, while Western cabriole and spindle legs were seamlessly integrated into classic Chinese silhouettes. The result was a rich hybrid aesthetic that defined Taiwanese buildings, furniture, and decorative arts throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Featured pieces showcasing this unique heritage form part of the curated Bai Win Collection in Taipei, Taiwan.
Featured Collection
Early 20th-Century Taiwanese Ming/Qing Chair
This exceptional Taiwanese armless chair exemplifies the transitional East-meets-West furniture aesthetic popular during the early-to-mid 20th century. Built on classic Ming and Qing dynasty structural forms, the chair incorporates modified cabriole legs—bridging late Qing craftsmanship and Western Queen Anne or Chippendale design.
The chair’s openwork back splat features a central circular medallion encircled by hand-carved scrollwork and auspicious symbols such as ruyi heads and stylized clouds. Framed by a traditional scrolled yoke top rail with carved floral spandrels, the solid inset seat rests on a molded apron with curvilinear waist detailing and sturdy lower stretchers. Constructed with traditional dovetail joinery from native Taiwanese hardwood, it is finished in a rich, dark lacquer that enhances its natural wood grain.
SKU: HB-8231 ~ Rosewood. Taiwan. Early 1900. 94H x 45.1W x 41.9L cm
Victorian-Style Taiwanese Chair
Crafted in the early 20th century, this piece features a marble-inset back splat, a rounded curvilinear seat, and classic carved cabriole legs.
During the Japanese colonial era (1895–1945), Taiwanese furniture underwent a profound transformation. Master woodworkers skillfully combined traditional Minnan (Southern Fujian) carpentry techniques with Western Revival movements—including Victorian, Queen Anne, Edwardian, and Art Deco styles—introduced through Japanese trade networks and artisans.
This fusion created a distinct East-meets-West aesthetic. Western architectural elements—such as structured proportions, elegant cabriole legs, raised paneling, and glass display panels—were seamlessly integrated with classical Chinese mortise-and-tenon joinery, carved ruyi motifs, auspicious floral details, and traditional raised waist (kua-tui) frames.
Premium rosewood became the wood of choice for high-end transitional pieces, particularly display cabinets and ornate seating.
SKU: 9-708, 9-709 ~ Rosewood. Taiwan. Early 1900. 109.2H x 54.6W x 57.2D cm
Small Tea or Display Table
Crafted during the Japanese colonial era (1895–1945), early 20th-century Taiwanese tea tables are fascinating physical archives of the island’s cultural intersections. Built from dense native Jya Dung and camphor to endure humid subtropical climates, they feature inset marble surfaces that offer a cooling counter for teapots while bridging East Asian tastes with Western neoclassical elegance.
Reflecting domestic modernization, their graceful cabriole legs accommodate both traditional low seating and modern drawing rooms, while open lower shelves highlight active daily living over ceremonial altar functions. In elite homes blending Hokkien architecture, Japanese tatami spaces, and Western reception parlors (ōsetsuma), these tables symbolized cosmopolitan refinement. Beneath these styles, construction remained anchored in traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery. Ultimately, this furniture captures a convergence of local materials, master craftsmanship, and cross-cultural lifestyle shifts.
SKU: 9-711 ~ Marble, Jya Dung, Camphor. Taiwan. Early 1900. 81.28H x 49.53W x 39.37D cm
Taiwanese Colonial-Era Victorian Display Cabinet (01149)
Taiwanese Colonial-Era Victorian Display Cabinet
Dating from the Japanese colonial era through the early-to-mid 20th century, this Taiwanese display cabinet is an exquisite example of East-meets-West transitional design.
The piece combines Western architectural elements—such as molded crown cornices, raised panel drawers, and oval glass display panels—with native Taiwanese joinery and cultural motifs. The double upper doors showcase elliptical glass frames surrounded by intricate floral relief carvings, reflecting the unique hybrid aesthetic of the era.
Designed for both functional storage and display, the unit provides mid-shelf glass cabinet storage above four drawers outfitted with traditional teardrop brass pulls. Its open-frame base features straight legs and a traditional slatted bottom shelf, originally crafted to promote ventilation off humid floors. Built entirely from native Taiwanese camphor hardwood, it features a warm, rich reddish-brown lacquered finish.
SKU: 01149 ~ Camphor. Taiwan. Late 1800 to early 1900. 196.9H x 105.4W x 49.5D cm
Article 2 of a 4-part campaign about the rich history and cultural evolution of traditional Taiwanese furniture. All furniture shown are part of the Bai Win Collection.
Each of these pieces tells a unique story of Taiwan’s craftsmanship and heritage. Would you like to explore more items from the Bai Win Collection? Visit our website to browse the full catalog.
Authors: Faye Angevine, Founder. I Adam McMillan 年安瀾, Curator
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