Japanese Wooden Step Stool / Plant Stand, 1950s–1960s

A simple and beautifully timeworn Japanese wooden step stool, dating from the middle of the Showa period.

Dimensions: height 27.5 cm, width 30 cm, depth 19 cm.

This small wooden step stool has a sober, minimalist construction, with two angled side supports and a solid rectangular top. Over the years, the wood was painted in a grey-white finish; this paint layer has now weathered beautifully and worn away in several places, revealing the warm brown wood beneath.

The surface shows a rich patina of use, with old paint remnants, wear, scratches, darker edges and traces of everyday handling. A particularly charming detail can be found on the underside, where fingerprints and brush marks from the person who once painted the piece are still visible.

Originally used as a practical step stool, today it works beautifully as a decorative object, low plant stand, display for ceramics or as a purely aesthetic wabi-sabi accent in a sober interior. Its simple form, weathered surface and natural materials give the piece a calm, authentic presence.

In beautiful vintage condition, with normal signs of use, paint loss, small imperfections and patina consistent with age and use.