Qing Altar Table
20th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Lacquer, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Elm
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Sideboards
Elm
Antique 18th Century Chinese Qing Buffets
Elm
20th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Elm, Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Cypress
Antique Late 18th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Elm
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Ceramic
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Bamboo, Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Elm
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Elm
Antique 19th Century Console Tables
Walnut
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Console Tables
Elm
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Elm, Lacquer
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Elm
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Organic Modern Console Tables
Reclaimed Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Organic Modern Console Tables
Reclaimed Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Organic Modern Console Tables
Reclaimed Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Elm
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Sofa Tables
Iron
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Antique 1840s Chinese Qing Console Tables
Elm
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Elm
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Bamboo, Wood
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Bamboo, Wood
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Antique 1870s Chinese Qing Console Tables
Brass
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Chinese Console Tables
Limestone
20th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Wood
20th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Serving Tables
Rosewood
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Elm
Antique 19th Century Chinese Console Tables
Elm
Antique 1880s Chinese Qing Console Tables
Elm
Antique 1870s Chinese Qing Console Tables
Bamboo
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Elm
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Elm
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Antique 18th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Elm
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood, Elm
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Pine
20th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Brass
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Elm
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Brass
20th Century Chinese Qing Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Wood
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Chinese Console Tables
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Qing Altar Table For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Qing Altar Table?
A Close Look at Qing Furniture
The last imperial dynasty from 1644 to 1912 was a time of change in China, beginning with the invasion by Manchurian forces that ended the Ming dynasty and established the Shunzhi Emperor. The expansion of exportation and trade that had bolstered the arts during the Ming era continued, as Qing dynasty furniture involved the same attention to craftsmanship with expert construction techniques in hardwood pieces that were assembled with mortise and tenon joints rather than nails or glue. Together, these eras comprise a golden age of Chinese furniture design.
Ming-style furniture is simple and elegant with clean lines. Chairs of the period and other Ming furniture made an impression on Scandinavian modernist Hans Wegner and his streamlined seating, for example. Whereas Qing-style furniture is elaborate, with an increasing influence from the West leading to lavish carving inspired by the European Baroque and Rococo styles. And while many of the forms that define examples of the latter are common within classical Chinese furniture, such as curving and folding chairs as well as large screens, Qing designs are laden with ornamentation. Frequently, the carved motifs and inlaid designs in mother-of-pearl were auspicious, such as peonies for wealth or dragons for luck. Bats were symbols of happiness in the design of Qing furniture, with one of the characters in the word for bat, bianfu, being a homophone for fu, or “fortune.”
While several types of wood were used in the construction of Qing beds, tables, storage pieces and seating, today’s collectors know that the most prized were the rare rosewoods zitan and huanghuali. They were both sourced from Hainan, China’s largest island, and are marked by a rich luster that occurs naturally, without the application of lacquer or other decorative materials. Many of the most popular woods were imported from southeast Asia, adding to their value. Red sandalwood was also sought after for its durability and connection with Chinese medicine, with some chairs being made for health benefits.
Find a collection of antique Qing tea tables, stools, benches, decorative objects and more furniture on 1stDibs.
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.