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 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.

How do you care for Chinese lacquered furniture?

To care for Chinese lacquered furniture, wipe it with a damp cloth regularly. You can use a paste wax intended for use on lacquer finishes to restore shine, but avoid using harsh furniture polishes and cleaners on pieces. On 1stDibs, shop a range of lacquered furniture.

What is Chinese-style furniture called?

Chinese-style furniture is usually called Chinoiserie. The term indicates furniture and decorative objects produced in Europe and North America that borrow design elements from pieces made in China and other East Asian countries. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Chinoiserie.

Soapstone Chinese Furniture

Mid Century Asian Carved

Chinese Village

Black Soapstone

Buddhist Sculpture

Chinese Lacquered Screen

Asian Panel Art Soapstone

Carved Soapstone

Chinese Wood Carving

Soapstone Chinese Furniture For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the piece of soapstone Chinese furniture you’re looking for. Was constructed with extraordinary care, often using stone, soapstone and wood. Your living room may not be complete without an item from our selection of soapstone Chinese furniture — find older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. A choice in our collection of soapstone Chinese furniture is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Folk Art, Louis XVI and Mid-Century Modern styles are sought with frequency. You’ll likely find more than one object in our assortment of soapstone Chinese furniture that is appealing in its simplicity, but Boin-Taburet produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Soapstone Chinese Furniture?

The average selling price for a piece of soapstone Chinese furniture at 1stDibs is $1,007, while they’re typically $199 on the low end and $169,877 for the highest priced.

Questions About Soapstone Chinese Furniture

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 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.
How do you care for Chinese lacquered furniture?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023
To care for Chinese lacquered furniture, wipe it with a damp cloth regularly. You can use a paste wax intended for use on lacquer finishes to restore shine, but avoid using harsh furniture polishes and cleaners on pieces. On 1stDibs, shop a range of lacquered furniture.
What is Chinese-style furniture called?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Chinese-style furniture is usually called Chinoiserie. The term indicates furniture and decorative objects produced in Europe and North America that borrow design elements from pieces made in China and other East Asian countries. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Chinoiserie.