Questions
Answers
Our trusted network of 1stDibs sellers answer common questions
How can I tell if my Chinese furniture is antique?
1 Answer
To determine the age of a Chinese furniture piece, look carefully at the joinery and finish. Natural expansion and contraction of the wood over time will cause a joint to protrude or retract, distorting a once-seamless fit. Antique lacquer finishes become crackled and worn over time. Areas of exposed wood, such as the underside of a table, the footrest of a chair, or the back of a cabinet should appear raw and dry compared to the finished surface. With use, the legs of tables and chairs become weathered near the bottom from precipitation and use.
PAGODA REDOctober 7, 2020
Related Questions
- What is a bureau in furniture?1 Answer
- How do I identify my furniture?2 Answers
- What is the best furniture polish?1 Answer
- Can you bleach wood furniture?1 Answer
- Is Drexel Furniture good quality?1 Answer
Shop for Painted Chinese Cabinets on 1stDibs
Chinese Crackled Lacquer Noodle Cabinet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This painted Chinese cabinet dates to the mid-19th century and has a richly aged patina that only
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Chinese Painted Book Cabinet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
painted cabinet in a children's bedroom or playroom as an unexpected bookcase or toy chest.
Additional
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Cabinets
Materials
Elm
Chinese Bird-and-Flower Painted Side Cabinet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
The darkly lacquered front of this 19th-century Chinese locking cabinet is the perfect canvas for a
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Cabinets
Materials
Elm
Chinese Painted Altar Cabinet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Made of Chinese northern elm, this altar cabinet once contained the essentials for ancestor rituals
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Brass
Pair of Chinese Painted Compound Cabinets, Late Ming Dynasty
Located in Chicago, IL
Seamlessly constructed and lacquered black, this pair of spectacular Ming-dynasty compound cabinets
Category
Antique Early 17th Century Chinese Ming Furniture
Materials
Brass
Pair of Chinese Red Lacquer Cabinets with Birds in Flight, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This pair of early 19th century red lacquer cabinets is an extraordinary find. When placed beside
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Shop More furniture from PAGODA RED on 1stDibs
Japanese Suiting Patchwork Pillow
Located in Chicago, IL
This hand-crafted throw pillow was designed by a local Chicago artist and textile historian who lovingly repurposes the vintage fabrics, garments and embroidery fragments she collect...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Pillows and Throws
Materials
Wool, Cotton, Linen, Silk, Down
Fugui Meditation Stone Sculpture
Located in Chicago, IL
A well-chosen stone is a focal point of both a traditional Chinese garden and a scholar's studio - evoking the complexities of nature and inspiring creative thought. This meditation ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Organic Modern Natural Specimens
Materials
Stone
Pair of Chinese Splayed Leg Courtyard Stools, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
These provincial Chinese stools date to the turn of the century and would have been used throughout a courtyard home as versatile everyday seating. Crafted of elm using mortise-and-t...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Chinese Pale Crackle Glaze Plate, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Humble yet refined, this Chinese porcelain plate from the early 19th century is cloaked in a pale crème glaze and decorated only by an allover crackle. The network of fine lines is b...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Ceramics
Materials
Porcelain
Shanghai Art Deco Side Table with Marble Top, c. 1930s
Located in Chicago, IL
When the Art Deco movement reached major Chinese cities like Tianjin and Shanghai, the design aesthetic that emerged was the perfect intersection of European modernism and Ming-dynas...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Art Deco End Tables
Materials
Marble
Shanghai Art Deco Coffee Table with Marble Top, c. 1930s
Located in Chicago, IL
When the Art Deco movement reached major Chinese cities like Tianjin and Shanghai, the design aesthetic that emerged was the perfect intersection of European modernism and Ming-dynas...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Art Deco Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Marble
Petite Chinese Burl Top Stool, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
With rustic texture and simplicity of form, this petite 19th-century stool is a timeless example of casual seating in rural China. Crafted of northern elm (yumu) with mortise-and-ten...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
