How do you identify antique Chinese furniture?

To identify antique Chinese furniture, look carefully at its details. Chinese craftsmen often built furniture using mortise and tenon joinery, eliminating the need for nails and screws. If you see this type of hardware, your piece is likely not at least 100 years old, especially if the hardware still looks new and shiny. Since antique furniture was handmade, you will normally see slight imperfections, such as tool marks or slight variations in carvings. Pieces that appear completely uniform and pristine are less often genuine antiques.When present, maker's marks can also be helpful. Research the marks to learn more about when the maker was active and producing pieces like yours. Alternatively, you can have a certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer evaluate your furniture for you.Shop an assortment of antique Chinese furniture.

How to know if my Chinese porcelain is antique?

The best way to know is to take it to an expert, such as an appraiser, reputable dealer or auction house, or museum

How can I tell if my Chinese furniture is antique?

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.

Antique Chinese Console

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

Altar Console

Chinese Black Lacquer Dining Tables

Chinese Qing Dynasty Side Table

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Rustic Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Lacquer, Pine

Chinese Cloud Spandrel Altar Table, c. 1900

$2,580

Ju Mu Wood Console Table with Four Drawers

Located in Greenwich, CT

A refined and elegant ju mu wood table with four drawers, brass ring pulls, beautiful color, form and lines.

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Ju Mu Wood Console Table with Four Drawers

$3,800

Fine Ju Mu Wood Console Table with Drawers

Located in Greenwich, CT

A refined and elegant ju mu wood table with four drawers, brass ring pulls, beautiful color, form and lines.

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Fine Ju Mu Wood Console Table with Drawers

$3,800

Fine Ju Mu Wood Console Table with Drawers

Located in Greenwich, CT

A refined and elegant ju mu wood table with four drawers, brass ring pulls, beautiful color, form and lines.

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Fine Ju Mu Wood Console Table with Drawers

$3,800

Fine Ju Mu Wood Console Table with Drawers

Located in Greenwich, CT

A refined and elegant ju mu wood table with four drawers, brass ring pulls, beautiful color, form and lines

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Fine Ju Mu Wood Console Table with Drawers

$3,800

Monumental 19th Century Qing Dynasty Bamboo Altar/Console Table

By Tu Qing Yun

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Stunning 19th century Quing Dynasty bamboo altar/console table. Exquisite Chinese Chippendale

Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Bamboo

Monumental 19th Century Qing Dynasty Bamboo Altar/Console Table

$4,950

19th Century Console Table with Three Drawers and Lattice Shelf

Located in Chicago, IL

This 19th century console table is from Jiangsu, China and is made from elm wood. The console has

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

19th Century Console Table with Three Drawers and Lattice Shelf

$3,200

Chinese Altar Table with Tree Form Stretchers

Located in Chicago, IL

This altar table is made from elm wood and has tree form stretchers.

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

Chinese Altar Table with Tree Form Stretchers

$3,200

Chinese Altar Table with Original Lacquer Patina

Located in Chicago, IL

This beautiful altar table is made from elm wood and retains its original lacquer and patina.

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

Chinese Altar Table with Original Lacquer Patina

$8,800

Provincial Chinese Dongbei Coffer Table, c. 1900

Located in Chicago, IL

Dongbei coffer table. Made for a provincial home in northeastern China, this table was once used to honor

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Pine

Provincial Chinese Dongbei Coffer Table, c. 1900

$5,480

Original 19th C Chinese Partly Red Lacquered Three Drawer Storage Console Table

Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

This is a rarely seen authentic 19th century Chinese console table with three drawers under which

Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Ming Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Brass

Original 19th C Chinese Partly Red Lacquered Three Drawer Storage Console Table

$790

Early 20th Century Chinese Lacquer Topped Waterfall Table

Located in Chicago, IL

A Chinese Northern elm waterfall table from Northern China with a lacquered top from c. 1900

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Early 20th Century Chinese Lacquer Topped Waterfall Table

$4,880

Chinese Black Lacquer Altar Table, c. 1900

Located in Chicago, IL

stretchers follow timeless principles of Chinese architectural design and construction techniques

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

Chinese Black Lacquer Altar Table, c. 1900

$5,880

Chinese Square Corner Painting Table, c. 1750

Located in Chicago, IL

Chinese furniture forms. With its long surface ideal for contemplating scrolls and paintings, the table

Category

Mid-18th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm, Lacquer

Chinese Square Corner Painting Table, c. 1750

$8,800

Fine Black Lacquer Console Table with Four Drawers

Located in Greenwich, CT

A simple and elegant black lacquer table with four drawers, brass ring pulls and locks. Beautiful form, lines and colors.

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Lacquer

Fine Black Lacquer Console Table with Four Drawers

$4,800

Fine Black Lacquer Console Table with Four Drawers

Located in Greenwich, CT

A simple and elegant black lacquer table with four drawers, brass ring pulls and locks. Beautiful form, lines and colors.

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Lacquer

Fine Black Lacquer Console Table with Four Drawers

$4,800

Chinese Two Drawer Offering Table, c. 1800

Located in Chicago, IL

This offering table from China's Shanxi province dates to the early 19th century and was originally

Category

Early 19th Century Chinese Rustic Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Iron

Chinese Two Drawer Offering Table, c. 1800

$3,480

19th Century Chinese Side Chest with Four Drawers

Located in Chicago, IL

This amazing 19th century Chinese side chest is made from Elm wood and has 4 drawers. This side

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Side Chest with Four Drawers

$6,500

19th Century Console Table with 3 Drawers and Shelves

Located in Chicago, IL

This beautiful 19th century console table is made from elm wood with red lacquer and has 3 drawers

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm, Lacquer

19th Century Console Table with 3 Drawers and Shelves

$3,100

19th Century Chinese Three Drawer Floral Carved Altar

Located in Chicago, IL

A table from c. 1850 in Shandong Province, China. This table has three carved drawers as well as a

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Three Drawer Floral Carved Altar

$1,880

19th Century Chinese Altar

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th century Chinese elmwood altar table with a Ming inspired geometric carved apron and "incense

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Altar

$8,800

Antique Chinese Elm Altar Table with Round Legs

Located in San Marino, CA

A simple and elegant elm Chinese altar table featuring rounded legs and braces above each leg. The

Category

19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

Antique Chinese Elm Altar Table with Round Legs

$2,250

Petite Chinese Two Door Four Drawer Altar Table

Located in Chicago, IL

A c. 1850 petite altar table from Southern China with two doors and four drawers with longs legs

Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

Petite Chinese Two Door Four Drawer Altar Table

$1,980

19th Century Chinese Flanked Eight Dragon Altar Table

Located in Chicago, IL

An impressive altar table from Yùnchéng in Shanxi Province, China. This circa 1850 massive

Category

19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Flanked Eight Dragon Altar Table

$10,800

19th Century Chinese Cypress Wood Altar Table with Two Drawers

Located in Debenham, Suffolk

Carved Chinese alter table circa 1880. Different from the norm with the inset and applied

Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Cypress

19th Century Chinese Cypress Wood Altar Table with Two Drawers

$2,526

19th Century Chinese Petite Two-Door Elm Chest

Located in Chicago, IL

A gorgeous elmwood chest with apron from Northern China, circa 1850. This chest features two doors

Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Petite Two-Door Elm Chest

$3,880

Late 18th Century Chinese Ming Style Alter Table

Located in Kastrup, DK

An elegant Chinese Ming style altar table made in walnut. Freestanding with same carved details on

Category

Late 18th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Walnut

Late 18th Century Chinese Ming Style Alter Table

$4,737

19th Century Chinese Petite Flanked Hoof Foot Altar

Located in Chicago, IL

This beautifully proportioned table with slender legs and hoofed feet was made in China’s Shanxi

Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Petite Flanked Hoof Foot Altar

$9,800

Elmwood Shandong Long Console Table with 19th Century Original Finish

Located in Yonkers, NY

century. This long console table comes from Shandong, an Eastern Chinese region, where it was made with

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm, Lacquer

Elmwood Shandong Long Console Table with 19th Century Original Finish

$4,800

A 19th Century Chinese Hardwood 3 Ft. Altar Table

Located in New York, NY

A 19th century Chinese very dark brown hardwood three foot altar table of pegged construction. The

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

A 19th Century Chinese Hardwood 3 Ft. Altar Table

$2,450

Chinese Rare Sideboard, 18th c

Located in San Marino, CA

Chinese rare console with original cinnabar finish and carved ends, four drawers with locking

Category

18th Century and Earlier Antique Chinese Console

Chinese Rare Sideboard, 18th c

$5,600

19th Century Chinese Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Table

Located in Brighton, Sussex

A very impressive 19th century Chinese hardwood alter table, having three inset marble panels to

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl, Hardwood

19th Century Chinese Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Table

$16,388

Pair of Chinese Half-Tables

Located in Chicago, IL

19th century Chinese half-tables with round legs, delicate stretchers, and carved cloud motif

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Pair of Chinese Half-Tables

$7,880

Chinese Ironwood Plank Top Altar Table, c. 1850

Located in Chicago, IL

defines classical Chinese furniture. The 19th-century table would have originally been used as a home

Category

Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Hardwood

Chinese Ironwood Plank Top Altar Table, c. 1850

$14,800

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th century Chinese elmwood altar table with everted ends, cloud carved spandrels and traces of

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

$15,800

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th century Chinese lacquered walnut Ming-style altar table with simple stretchers and horsehoof

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

$4,280

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th Century Chinese elmwood altar table with Ming inspired form, and incense stick carved legs

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

$3,480

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th century Chinese walnut altar table of Ming-inspired proportions with simple spandrels and

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

$5,280

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th century Chinese altar table with elegant proportions consisting of carved ruyi spandrels and

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

$5,480

19th Century Chinese Half Table

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th century Chinese elmwood half, or wine, table with simple Ming-Inspired strechers and lengs

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Half Table

$1,980

A 19th Century Chinese Petite Six Drawer Two Door Altar

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th century Chinese elmwood altar with six petite drawers and two doors with brass hardware.

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

A 19th Century Chinese Petite Six Drawer Two Door Altar

$1,880

19th Century Chinese Long Altar Table with Square Spandrels

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th century Chinese lacquered walnut altar table with square spandrels, square legs and simple

Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

19th Century Chinese Long Altar Table with Square Spandrels

$6,280

19th Century Chinese Petite Two-Door Six-Drawer Altar

Located in Chicago, IL

A petite altar table from Southern China with two doors and six drawers made of Chinese Northern

Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Petite Two-Door Six-Drawer Altar

$1,980

19th Century Chinese Shallow Altar Table with Inset Legs

Located in Chicago, IL

A shallow Chinese Northern Elmwood altar table from Henan Province, China with inset legs, double

Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Shallow Altar Table with Inset Legs

$5,280

19th Century Waterfall Edge Console Table

Located in New York, NY

19th Century altar table with waterfall top and cabriole legs. A rare Chinese Antique Altar Console

Category

19th Century Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Waterfall Edge Console Table

$12,000

Rustic Elm Wood Console / Altar Table with Curved Stretchers

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Antique elm wood altar table with unusual curved stretchers and mortise and tenon construction. Smooth, naturally worn patina.

Category

19th Century Chinese Rustic Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

Rustic Elm Wood Console / Altar Table with Curved Stretchers

$3,640

Rare 18th Century Chinese Qing Style Walnut Alter Table

Located in San Marino, CA

A rare 18th century Chinese brown walnut double faced alters table from Gausu with elbow braces and

Category

18th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Walnut

Rare 18th Century Chinese Qing Style Walnut Alter Table

$7,800

Chinese Altar Table with Inset Ruyi Panels, C. 1850

Located in Chicago, IL

This gorgeous 19th-century console table was finely crafted from walnut by an artisan in China

Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Walnut

Chinese Altar Table with Inset Ruyi Panels, C. 1850

$6,380

Chinese Rosewood Carved Altar Table with Reticulated Grape and Leaf Decoration

Located in Milford, NH

A finely carved rosewood Chinese altar table with reticulated grape and leaf decoration, which

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Rosewood

Chinese Rosewood Carved Altar Table with Reticulated Grape and Leaf Decoration

$1,695

Early 20th Century Chinese Elegant Black Lacquer Wine Table

Located in Chicago, IL

This early 20th century narrow corner leg table from China's Hebei province epitomizes minimalist

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

Early 20th Century Chinese Elegant Black Lacquer Wine Table

$5,380

Antique Art Deco Style Kang-Table Low Console Table , Black Lacquer

Located in Kastrup, DK

Chinese antique Art Deco style 'Kang-table' (low console table). Black lacquer. Double-door

Category

1910s Chinese Art Deco Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Wood

Antique Art Deco Style Kang-Table Low Console Table , Black Lacquer

$2,291

Qing-Dynasty Walnut Console Table with Carved Apron on One Side

Located in Kastrup, DK

Elegant console table with original black lacquer. The natural wear and tear has given the table a

Category

Late 18th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Walnut

Qing-Dynasty Walnut Console Table with Carved Apron on One Side

$4,766

Chinese Table with Lattice Shelf

Located in Chicago, IL

Chinese Table with Lattice Shelf

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm, Lacquer

Chinese Table with Lattice Shelf

$3,800

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

Located in Chicago, IL

A 19th century Chinese elmwood altar table with three drawers each carved with incense burners

Category

19th Century Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Altar Table

$3,880

Mid-19th Century Long Chinese Lacquered Elm Altar Table

Located in Pasadena, CA

This is a long Chinese mid-19th century altar table in brown lacquered solid elmwood. The table has

Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Ming Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm, Lacquer

Mid-19th Century Long Chinese Lacquered Elm Altar Table

$2,950

Early 19th Century Chinese Petite Two Drawer Table with Shelf

Located in Chicago, IL

A petite table with two drawers and a shelf. This c. 1800 table is from Shanxi Province, China and

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

Early 19th Century Chinese Petite Two Drawer Table with Shelf

$4,880

Chinese Qing Dynasty 19th Century Elm Wine Table with Humpback Stretchers

Located in Wilton, CT

Created in China during the Qing Dynasty, this 19th century Elmwood wine console table features a

Category

19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Chinese Console

Materials

Elm

Chinese Qing Dynasty 19th Century Elm Wine Table with Humpback Stretchers

$1,560

Tables Under $2,000

Antique and Vintage Tables

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Antique Chinese Console For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic antique Chinese console available at 1stDibs. Each antique Chinese console for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, hardwood and elm. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect antique Chinese console — we have versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century are available. An antique Chinese console made by Art Deco designers — as well as those associated with Modern — is very popular. Dos Gallos Studio and Rosel each produced at least one beautiful antique Chinese console that is worth considering.

How Much is a Antique Chinese Console?

An antique Chinese console can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $3,909, while the lowest priced sells for $445 and the highest can go for as much as $295,000.

Finding the Right Console-tables for You

Few pieces of furniture are celebrated for their functionality as much as their decorative attributes in the way that console tables are. While these furnishings are not as common in today’s interiors as their coffee-table and side-table counterparts, console tables are stylish home accents and have become more prevalent over the years.

The popularity of wood console tables took shape during the 17th and 18th centuries in French and Italian culture, and were exclusively featured in the palatial homes of the upper class. The era’s outwardly sculptural examples of these small structures were paired with mirrors or matching stools and had tabletops of marble. They were most often half-moon-shaped and stood on two scrolled giltwood legs, and because they weren’t wholly supported on their two legs rather than the traditional four, their flat-backed supports were intended to hug the wall behind them and were commonly joined by an ornate stretcher. The legs were affixed or bolted to the wall with architectural brackets called console brackets — hence, the name we know them by today — which gave the impression that they were freestanding furnishings. While console tables introduced a dose of drama in the foyer of any given aristocrat — an embodiment of Rococo-style furniture — the table actually occupied minimal floor space (an attractive feature in home furniture). As demand grew and console tables made their way to other countries, they gained recognition as versatile additions to any home.

Contemporary console tables comprise many different materials and are characterized today by varying shapes and design styles. It is typical to find them made of marble, walnut or oak and metal. While modern console tables commonly feature four legs, you can still find the two-legged variety, which is ideal for nestling behind the sofa. A narrow console table is a practical option if you need to save space — having outgrown their origins as purely ornamental, today’s console tables are home to treasured decorative objects, help fill empty foyers and, outfitted with drawers or a shelf, can provide a modest amount of storage as needed.

The rich collection of antique, new and vintage console tables on 1stDibs includes everything from 19th-century gems designed in the Empire style to unique rattan pieces and more.

Questions About Antique Chinese Console

How do you identify antique Chinese furniture?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertNovember 4, 2024
To identify antique Chinese furniture, look carefully at its details. Chinese craftsmen often built furniture using mortise and tenon joinery, eliminating the need for nails and screws. If you see this type of hardware, your piece is likely not at least 100 years old, especially if the hardware still looks new and shiny. Since antique furniture was handmade, you will normally see slight imperfections, such as tool marks or slight variations in carvings. Pieces that appear completely uniform and pristine are less often genuine antiques.

When present, maker's marks can also be helpful. Research the marks to learn more about when the maker was active and producing pieces like yours. Alternatively, you can have a certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer evaluate your furniture for you.

Shop an assortment of antique Chinese furniture.
How to know if my Chinese porcelain is antique?
1 Answer
Lotus GallerySeptember 23, 2020
The best way to know is to take it to an expert, such as an appraiser, reputable dealer or auction house, or museum
How can I tell if my Chinese furniture is antique?
1 Answer
PAGODA REDOctober 7, 2020
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.

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