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Chinese Export Decorative Objects

CHINESE EXPORT STYLE

Expanded trade between Europe and East Asia, starting in the 16th century, led to a booming market for exported goods, particularly furniture. This was bolstered by the establishment of the Dutch and English East India Companies at the beginning of the 17th century. From folding screens and chairs to lacquer tables and silver, Chinese Export furniture was in demand and regularly copied and imitated, leading to styles like chinoiserie and Chinese Chippendale.

The expansion of exporting that had strengthened the arts during the Ming dynasty continued into the Qing dynasty era — Chinese designers made many furniture pieces specifically for export, resulting in distinctive designs that mixed traditional techniques with forms appealing to foreign buyers. For instance, cabinetmakers in Canton (modern-day Guangzhou) were prolific in crafting hardwood furniture for export in European styles that involved the expert joinery techniques of Chinese furniture. Designs for Chinese Export porcelain, cabinets, decorative objects and other furniture were often more ornately adorned than they would be for a local audience, such as with mother-of-pearl overlays or surfaces featuring lavish pictorial scenes or gold on black motifs. Some were even commissioned by wealthy European families to be adorned with their coat of arms.

Because lacquer furniture was especially prized, and the resin used to create it was difficult to import as it would harden during the long voyage, artisans in China and Japan exported numerous lacquer pieces. Long before lacquer made its way to Japan, the Chinese treated the material differently. They used it to create smooth, glossy surfaces, but also for carving, an art that began in the 12th century and is exclusively Chinese. These pieces are called cinnabar lacquer after the powdered mercury sulfide (cinnabar) employed to produce their characteristic red hue. A popular form for export was a compact cabinet with drawers, usually displayed on a small table. Undecorated furniture built in Europe was also shipped to China to be lacquered. The international exchange of design would influence furniture into the 19th century and later, informing styles such as Art Deco and Art Nouveau.

Find a collection of antique Chinese Export tables, beds, cupboards, table lamps and more furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Chinese Export
Chinese Polychrome Harmony Fish, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Hand-crafted from reclaimed wood, this large koi sculpture is a traditional symbol of harmony and luck. For Buddhists, such a fish represents a freedom from all restraints. Much of t...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood, Pine

Chinese Sky Blue Gourd Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (late 19th century) sky blue porcelain vase with a bulbous base and thin neck flanked by two lug ears at its top.    
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Off-White and Navy Vine Motif Porcelain Urn Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) off-white porcelain vase with an urn form decorated in a navy blue vine and floral motifs and bold characters on 4 sides.  
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Off-White and Blue Pastoral Scene Porcelain Jar
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) small, porcelain jar depicting a blue pastoral scene on an off-white background with an unglazed rim.   
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Early 20th Century Chinese Black Glaze Pottery Vase
Located in Pomona, CA
Our wonderful collection of handmade old vintage Chinese hand made glazed pottery vase will make great accent pieces for any room of your house. It has some imperfection signs of age...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Pottery

Chinoiserie Vase in Crystal from the 20th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Chinoiserie vase in crystal from the 20th century.  
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Crystal

Pair of Chinese Bamboo Root Carved Peacock Sculptures
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of similar Chinese peacock sculptures carved from the roots of bamboo, utilizing the main section of the root for the bodies, and the "root hair" ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Bamboo, Wood

Chinese White and Multicolor Decoration Porcelain Watermelon Jar
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) low, rounded porcelain vase, known as a watermelon jar, incised and painted with an array of decorations including floral arrangements in urns, bells, small...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Blue and Orange Fish Design Porcelain Sleeve Vases
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of antique Chinese (mid 20th century) sleeve-shaped porcelain vases decorated with orange fish swimming around blue backgrounds, inspired by patterns ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Orange Lidded Porcelain Jars
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) orange porcelain jars depicting white medallions with imagery of fish, seaweed and pastoral scenes and topped with wooden lids (date mark...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain, Wood

Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Terra Cotta Huren Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of a Huren (northern tribesmen) man dressed in red robes and a prominent hat, with one fist raised in the air.  
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Terracotta

Pair of Chinese Rose Medallion and Genre Scene Candle Holders
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese (20th century) porcelain candlesticks featuring an upper design of flowers, butterflies, and leaves, and a bottom design of rose medallions and a genre scene of peopl...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Faux Bamboo and Floral Motif Hat Stand Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese faux bamboo cylindrical porcelain vase, in a shape traditionally used as a hat stand in ancient China, decorated with a raised motif of a bird perched on a flowering branch. ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Blue and White Deer and Floral Motif Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) large porcelain urn with blue spotted deer amid florals on an off-white background and two navy scrolled hand...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Pair 19th Century Hand-Painted Chinese Vases
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair 19th Century Hand-Painted Chinese Vases are stunning works of art, rendered on fine Kaolin clay and illustrative of the mastery of the art attained by master artisans with hundr...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Bai Tea Leaf Jar
Located in Chicago, IL
Rendered in a striking cool white glaze, this contemporary porcelain jar offers a modern take on a classic form. Lidded jars like these were used in tea shops in China, where tea dri...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Pewter Folding Dish
Located in Chicago, IL
This hand held pewter dish is an excellent example of fine Chinese metalwork of the 20th century. During the Qing dynasty, pewter craftsmen experimented with new techniques, showing ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Pewter

Chinese Rust Agate Elephant Urn
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese rust agate tapered urn with carved elephant handles having rings and scroll & floral carving in relief with a finial top with filigree sides. (modern base 1¬O" high).    
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble, Stone

Chinese White and Blue Lily Pad and Floral Design Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) white and blue porcelain urn decorated with a lily pad and floral motif, and accented in two navy scrolled handles along the neck.    
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Pink, Blue and Yellow Bogu Pattern Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) white porcelain urn painted with pink, light blue, and yellow bogu pattern - a traditional decorative theme that employs items like bronzeware, p...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Antique Chinese Painted Clay Buddha Statue with Green and Brown Robes
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (early 20th Century, Republic of China) clay Buddha sculpture with painted details in green, brown, and blue. (Similar sculptures: NWL2497...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Clay

Chinese White and Green Vegetal Winter Melon Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) winter melon-form porcelain vase decorated with an incised, white bottom half that grows into verdant abstracted vegetal and peacock shapes on th...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Off-White and Tonal Patterned Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese off-white porcelain vase with a pear shape carved in a tonal, scrolling botanical pattern (date mark on bottom, see photos).  
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Light Gray and Red Cherry Blossom Tree Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese light gray porcelain vase with a flowering red and gray cherry blossom tree stretching up its urn-shaped form.   
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White, Brown, and Magenta Floral Motif Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese white porcelain vase decorated with incised and painted brown foliage and stems accented by magenta, light blue and yellow florals, and bands of floral garland at the openin...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Antique 1900s Chinese Silver Vinaigrette
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Chinese silver vinaigrette in the form of a purse; an addition to our silver boxes collection This excep...
Category

Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Silver

Chinese Blue Glazed Tripod Censer
Located in Chicago, IL
Censers have been used for thousands of years in Chinese culture as an element of prayer, ritual, and funerary rites. Placed within a shrine and filled with burning incense, the censer issues fragrant smoke that the duration of the ritual and acts as an offering to one's ancestors or religious deities. This round ceramic incense burner...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Porcelain Bowl, Compagnie des Indes, France (mount) - China, 18th/19th Century
Located in PARIS, FR
China 18th Century (bowl) – France 19th Century (mount) Beautiful enameled porcelain bowl in the pink-purple tones characteristic of the “Famille Rose” with polychrome decoration o...
Category

19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Chinese Rust Agate Carved Plate with Sea Motif
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese rust agate plate with a carved crayfish and shells in relief and a crayfish carved handle.  
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Stone, Marble

Pair of Porcelain Armorial Urns by Naples Capodimonte 19th Century
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A pair of hand painted porcelain with armorial cartouches on the fronts and bouquets of flowers on the backs. The shapely form with cobalt and hand gilt decoration, marked with the N...
Category

1880s European Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Black and Green Leaf Glazed Porcelain Globular Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (17th Century-style) black glazed porcelain globular vase decorated with a green leaf on the front and back.   
Category

17th Century Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Beige Carved Floral Pattern Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese beige porcelain vase crafted in the style of the Song Dynasty with a thin fluted neck leading to a bulbous bottom decorated in an incised floral pattern.     
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Blue and White Eight Treasure Gooseneck Jar
Located in Chicago, IL
The eight treasures of a scholar, which celebrate study and success, are hidden among the many symbols on this gooseneck jar, double lozenges for victory, a pearl for granting wishes...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Burgundy and Gold Vine Design Painted Decorative Box
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese wrapped decorative box with a burgundy base with muted metallic gold gourd and leaf pattern on vines with a large central character, bronze handles and latch, and an interior...
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Man and Horse Terra Cotta Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of a man dressed in dark gray robes, with one fist raised in the air, sitting atop a red saddle, on a horse that is painted...
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Terracotta

Pair of Chinese White Peacock and Floral Design Urn-Shaped Porcelain Vases
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese white porcelain vases with urn-shaped forms decorated in large scale dark blue leaves outlined in gold, amid green, yellow and pink foliage and flora topped with blue...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Blue Vine Design Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) white porcelain urn decorated with an all-over blue vine and flower patterned ground, surrounding spaced bold, blue characters. Signs of wear t...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

19th Century Blue White Large Chinese Vase
Located in North Salem, NY
19th century large Chinese blue & white hand painted vase.
Category

19th Century Asian Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Peony Fantail Vases, c. 1920s
Located in Chicago, IL
Resplendent with lush florals and brilliant color, this pair of porcelain vases combines stencil work with hand-painted foliage in a decorative style popular during the first two decades of the 20th century. The stenciled petals and blooms of the peonies, symbols of love and affection, create a graphic pattern of soft, modulated color, while the painted stems and small flowers punctuate the design with sharp detail. Innovative in decoration, the vases are firmly rooted in China’s time-honored ceramic tradition with their Classic fantail contours and butterfly handles.
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Enameled Teapot with Mythical Qilin, c. 1920s
Located in Chicago, IL
Tea drinking has been an integral part of Chinese culture for centuries, resulting in a wide range of social customs and material traditions. In addition to tea leaves, water, and he...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Pair of Silvered Metal Vases, Asia
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of Silvered Metal Vases, Asia, early 20th century. Decorated with dragons and birds. Measures H: 31. 5, W: 23 cm, D: 16 cm.
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Metal

Pair of Silvered Metal Vases, Asia
Pair of Silvered Metal Vases, Asia
$2,228 Sale Price / set
25% Off
Pair of Mid 20th Century Enameled Copper Vases with Floral Geisha Decoration
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This pair of vases on stands are unsigned, but presumed to have originated from China and dating to approximately 1960 and done in a period Chinese Export style. The vases are compos...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass, Copper

Pair Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Glass Bowls Carved Red Glass Overlay
Located in Miami, FL
Offering a pair of Peking glass bowls with original stands, circa 1940s. These lovely bowls are made of white translucent glass and have carved red overlay designs and are from the C...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Art Glass

Glazed Earthenware Bowl, Song Dynasty, China
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Song dynasty period earthenware glazed bowl Gorgeous patina and wear. Overall excellent condition. Height: 2.7" Diameter: 6.5"
Category

15th Century and Earlier Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Earthenware

Silver Figures of Eight Immortals Yangqinghe Jiuji Marks, Late Qing Dynasty
Located in New York, NY
Important and rare silver figures of eight immortals Yangqinghe Jiuji marks, Late Qing dynasty. Each hollow figure portraying one of the immortals in an animated pose, with highly detailed facial features, four pierced with apertures for the insertion of facial hair, clad in finely chased robes, all but two with their characteristic attributes, their bases bearing either two seal marks reading Yangqinghe Jiuji gongyibu and Zhe'ning Hu Qiusheng zao, or three marks in regular script reading Yangqinghe Jiuji gongyibu, Shang and Sheng zuo, original hand-carved wood stands. Measures: 11 1/4in (28.5cm) high (tallest one). The earliest records of the silver atelier known as Yangqinghe date to 1775 in Shanghai...
Category

1890s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Silver

Near Pair of Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Vases Decorated with Dragons
Located in New York, NY
Of typical form, stenciled with stylized clouds and "pencilled" with dragons. Unmarked. Covers absent.
Category

Mid-20th Century Asian Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Early 20 Century Antique Carved Bronze 3 Generations of Buddha Statues
Located in Pomona, CA
Three generations of Buddha represents Past, Present and Future three generations of Buddha. They are Dipamkara Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Buddha. They wer hand made from ...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Pair Antique Chinese Hand-Painted Vases
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair Antique Chinese Hand-Painted Vases will make a colorful addition to your decor. Using several shades of green combined with blue and a brick red, a scene of entertaining at the ...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

19th Century Bronze Mounted Rose Medallion Lidded Urns
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th Century rose medallion covered urns with beautifully cast dore bronze French mountings. In excellent condition. Lids are not removable.
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

"Massage" Large White Porcelain Vase by Luce Raggi, Italy / China Contemporary
Located in London, GB
Luce Raggi, Massage (food porn), 2017 glazed porcelain 65 x 25 cm Hand-painted vase representing police men, seductive women and amused saints, all dedicated to their passion fo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Quing Dynasty Silver Chinese Vases
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of Quing dynasty silver Chinese vases, 1800s.
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Silver

Pair of Great Dragon Temples Chinese Minguo Period
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of great dragon temples. Chinese Minguo period (1912-1949), in carved bone plates. With detailed dragon carvings. Sitting on a wooden base. faults ...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Bone

Fantastic 19th Century Chinese Blanc De Chine Model of a Water Buffalo or Ox
Located in New York, NY
A Fantastic 19th Century Chinese Blanc De Chine Model of a Water Buffalo. Beautifully hand-carved and enameled with a bright white body and black enamel eyes. This piece is really superb and in fabulous condition for its age. In Chinese culture, the water buffalo symbolizes the coming of spring. Throughout China the spring season began with a ceremonial plowing by the imperial capital through the use of a water buffalo, symbolizing its importance to the imperial heritage. Water buffalo were created in China for centuries, with terracotta pieces found in Han dynasty tombs...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Very Good Quality Large Chinese Lidded Jars / PAIR
Located in Dallas, TX
a large pair of Chinese vases, very good quality, each with female figures as finials, seated next to garden seats, and foo lion mask hand...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Bronze Buddha Head on Stand
Located in New York, NY
Unique bronze Buddha head on walnut stand.
Category

17th Century Asian Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Two Brass Chinese Figures (Ox Elephant) - W4000 NUST SELL
Located in Shamokin Dam, PA
Two Brass Chinese Figures (Ox & Elephant) - W4000 MUST SELL This is a pair of heavy Chinese brass figurines of an ox and an elephant. They are in very good condition with some resid...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass

Hand Carved Soap Stone Chinese Buddha Sculpture
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Exceptional vintage hand carved stone chinese Buddha.
Category

1980s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Stone

19th Century Chinese Export Solid Silver Bowl, Wing Cheong, Hong Kong c.1890
By Wing Cheong
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique late 19th century Chinese solid silver decorative fruit bowl, of traditional round form, applied with a shaped arched and pierced rim w...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Silver

Pair of Chinese Export Silver Vases - Made by Wang Hing circa 1900, Dragons
Located in London, London
Made circa 1900 by Wang Hing, this handsome pair of Antique Chinese Export silver vases, are of traditional form, decorated with a dragon motif. Each vase measures 7.25"(18.5cm) tall...
Category

Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Silver

19th Century Hand Painted Cantonese Vase
Located in Dublin 8, IE
19th century hand painted Cantonese vase in the Famille Rose style. The baluster-shaped body with brightly painted panels depicts interior sc...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Export decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Chinese Export decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative objects created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, asian art and furniture, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, porcelain and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinese Export decorative objects made in a specific country, there are Asia, East Asia, and China pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative objects, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, Hung Chong Co., Mottahedeh, and Samson Cie. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for decorative objects differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $68 and tops out at $216,780 while the average work can sell for $1,500.

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