Japanese Antique Low Table 1860s-1920s / Sofa Table Wabi Sabi

Details

Description

This sculptural low table is composed of two antique Japanese utilitarian objects, created during the late Meiji to early Taishō … Read more This sculptural low table is composed of two antique Japanese utilitarian objects, created during the late Meiji to early Taishō period, approximately (1868 to 1920).

The tabletop is formed from solid cedar wood, while the base is a traditional Japanese mortar carved from a single block of zelkova.
Each element carries its own material character and temporal depth, yet together they form a restrained and intentional composition defined by balance, weight, and quiet tension.

The cedar board was originally used as a working surface in daily life, supporting the preparation of mochi and other grains.
The zelkova mortar functioned as a fundamental tool for processing food, closely tied to repetitive bodily movement, seasonal rituals, and communal labor.
Neither element was created for decorative purposes.
They emerged out of necessity, shaped by function, touch, and time.

Through decades of use and exposure to natural conditions, the surfaces have absorbed layers of history.
Marks left by hands, pressure, impact, humidity, and drying cycles have accumulated into a deeply muted patina.
The cedar surface, in particular, reveals an appearance reminiscent of primordial abstraction.
It is not a designed image, but a surface drawn slowly by time itself.

Notably, the tabletop presents distinct expressions on its front and reverse sides.
Each surface carries its own depth and visual resonance, allowing the work to be experienced differently depending on orientation and installation.

When combined, the board and mortar transcend their original roles.
The relationship between the horizontal plane and the vertical mass evokes both architectural clarity and primitive presence.
This piece exists simultaneously as furniture and as an installation object, one that becomes complete only through its placement in space.
Rather than serving as visual ornament, it introduces silence, gravity, and spatial pause.

The work embodies the spirit of wabi sabi, the Japanese aesthetic that embraces imperfection, impermanence, and authenticity.
Its beauty does not assert itself.
Instead, it invites contemplation, allowing material honesty and proportion to speak quietly.
It stands in clear contrast to excess, decoration, and overt refinement.

Surviving examples of utilitarian objects that retain such expressive presence, while achieving sculptural coherence, are extremely rare.
This piece occupies a liminal space between folk object, sculpture, and architectural form, and should be understood as a singular work.

The tabletop is also offered independently.
A separate listing is available for those who wish to acquire the cedar board on its own, allowing for alternative interpretations and installations.

Dimensions
W1100 × D600 × H510 mm

Historically, Japanese culture has emphasized the creation of tools from familiar natural materials, using them repeatedly, repairing them, and passing them down through generations.
The traces left behind are not embellishments, but records of lived time and human gesture.

In a contemporary world driven by speed, consumption, and disposability, this work offers a quiet counterpoint.
It speaks of endurance, reuse, and the dignity of materials shaped by necessity.
Guided by this philosophy, we curate Japanese antiques that possess a silent strength, timeless presence, and deep resonance within space. See less