Antique English chinoiserie sewing table, highly decorated with black & gold with oriental motifs circa 1860-1880. These were especially fashionable during the Georgian and Victorian periods as sewing became a highly ritualized domestic activity. Chinoiserie is a European interpretation Chinese and East Asian artistic traditions, popular from the 17th through the 19th centuries. In furniture, this often means: Lacquered surfaces Gilded and painted Oriental motifs (pagodas, dragons, exotic flora/fauna) Delicate, whimsical scenes meant to evoke the exotic east. This Chinoiserie table features detailed hand-painted decoration with gold and japanning. Japanning is a decorative lacquer work technique developed in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries as an imitation of traditional Asian (especially Japanese and Chinese) lacquer finishes. It became especially popular in decorative furniture, boxes, and trays, often used in styles like Chinoiserie. This table is very chippy and has an amazing patina.