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Chinese Export Furniture

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
Recognized Seller Listings
Chinese Porcelain Reticulated Octagonal Pink and Green Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese porcelain table lamp comprised of a porcelain vase with eight reticulated sides in green with pink porcelain edges and a motif of Chinese vases filled with flowers on each si...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Brass

Chinese Export Silver Biscuit Box
Located in London, GB
A Chinese Export Silver Biscuit Box, round with a collet foot and profusely decorated with applied prunus. against a smooth plain background. The box has...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Silver

Chinese Export Silver Goblet
Located in London, GB
Chinese Export Silver Goblet, with prunus decoration. The goblet weighs 258g and dates from around 1885. Marked WH for Wang Hing '宏兴‘ whi...
Category

1880s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Silver

Chinese Rust Agate Vessel
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese rust agate (vessel) urn with a carving in relief and ring sides holding a loop handle with a cover having carved bats. (modern hanging stand 8½"w x 11¾"h)
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Marble

Pair of Vintage Chinese Red and Gold Hand-Painted Tole Ginger Jar Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Vintage Chinese tole table lamps made from lidded ginger jars mounted with brass hardware, hand painted with an outdoor garden / genre scene in gold, white, and black, agains...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Brass

Vintage Chinese Brown and Gold Tole Serving Tray with Lake Scene
Located in Queens, NY
Vintage Chinese brown and gold tole serving tray featuring a lake scene with trees, bridges, boats, and fishermen.  
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Metal

Pair of Chinese Oxblood Red Fluted Vases
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese oxblood red vases with fluted necks, accentuated by figurative ears holding wooden rings, leading to bulbous lower halves, atop a small, round foot (priced as pair). ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Large Ormolu Mounted Chinese Porcelain Jardinière
Located in London, GB
A large ormolu mounted Chinese porcelain jardinière French and Chinese, Late 19th Century Height 102cm, width 80cm, depth 63cm Combining Ch...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Ormolu

Framed Chinese Pen and Ink Ancestor in Navy Robes Portrait
Located in Queens, NY
Vintage (20th Century) Chinese pen and ink ancestor portrait capturing the honoree seated in a red chair on a patterned floor and wearing an elabor...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paper, Glass, Walnut

Chinese Black and White Cherry Blossom Tree Motif Porcelain Jar
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese black porcelain jar with red and white cherry blossom trees growing from a green pastoral scene at the base. Condition: Good; Wear consistent with age and use
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Asian Chinese (19th Cent) Red Gilt Side Chairs
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Asian Chinese (19th Cent) red and gilt lacquered side chairs with filigree sides and back (PRICED PER Pair) (matching table #032840) ONLY 3 available
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Lacquer

Chinese Celadon and Blue Dragon Motif Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese celadon porcelain vase painted with a blue dragon amid the clouds and made with a small mouth opening. Some wear to finish."
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Green and Botanical Hand-Made Tole Lidded Urn
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese hand-made, light green tole urn painted with branches, fruit, and a dark green band at the base and finished with a finial atop its lid.  
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Metal

Chinese White Green and Yellow 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 Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Koi Fish and Seaweed Porcelain Moon Flask Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (early 20th Century) white porcelain moon flask vase decorated with an underwater scene of seaweed, koi and turtles surrounded by flowers and topped with two handles....
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Asian Rooster Finial Lidded Red Urns
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Asian Rooster Finial Lidded Red Urns
Category

20th Century Asian Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Pair of Vintage Chinese Gold and Green Tole Palm Tree Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Vintage Chinese tole table lamps in the shape of palm trees, painted with golden leaves and green trunks, resting on octagonal bases and mounted with brass hardware. (PRICED ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Brass

Chinese Mauve Glazed Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese tall glazed porcelain vase in an elegant mauve shade (date mark on bottom, see photos).      
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Set of 4 Chinese Imari Style Porcelain Plates
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 4 Chinese Export Imari style porcelain plates with red, white, and blue designs (PRICED AS SET)
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Vintage Chinese Rectangular Tole Black and Gold Monestary Scene Tray
Located in Queens, NY
Vintage Chinese rectangular tole serving tray with a painted gold design of a figures in a monestary courtyard on a black background surrounded by a shallow lip with rounded corners....
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Metal

Pair of Chinese Cloisonne Pots with Stands
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Asian Chinese (19/20th century) blue and multi-colored cloisonnv small rectangular cachepots. (priced as pair).       
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Pair of Chinese White and Umber Floral Design Porcelain Vases
Located in Queens, NY
"Pair of Chinese white porcelain vases decorated with umber and pink floral motifs wrapping the bulbous forms, accented in blue, pink and yellow patterned bands around the tops and b...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Antique Chinese Export Silver Firewater Dragon Cocktail Shaker
Located in New York, NY
Chinese export silver cocktail shaker, ca 1910. Tapering and girdled bowl with curved shoulder, high-looping handle, and stubby spout with chained cap. Cork-lined cover with scroll-b...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Silver

Chinese White and Navy Blue Botanical Design Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) white, porcelain urn decorated with a blue botanical scene of an oversized peony emerging from a marsh under a bird...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Antique 1800s Chinese Export Silver Three Piece Tea Service
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Chinese export silver three piece tea service; an addition to our diverse silver teaware collection This exceptional antique tea set/service, in Chinese Export Silver consists of a teapot, cream jug and covered sugar bowl. Each piece of this tea service has a circular compressed rounded form. The surface of each piece is embellished with fine and impressive applied bamboo stalk, chrysanthemum and iris designs. The upper collet style rim of each piece is plain and unembellished. The teapot and sugar bowl are fitted with the original covers surmounted with cast silver finials modelled in the form of a bamboo stalk; the cover to the teapot is hinged. Each cover is embellished with an applied splay of bamboo leaves. This Chinese silver teapot...
Category

1890s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Sancai Glazed Terra Cotta Woman Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta figure of a woman wearing robes bearing the Tang Dynasty's traditional tri-color glaze, or Sancai, utilizing brown, green and off-white...
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Terracotta

Pair of Early 20th Century Chinese Multi-Colored Cloisonne Rooster Sculptures
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of early 20th century Chinese cloisonne rooster sculptures with red, white, blue, green, and yellow enamels standing on circular cloisonne bases...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Enamel

Chinese Paper Scroll in Plexiglass Case
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese paper scroll in a plexiglass case.
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Glass

Chinese Han Dynasty-Style Patinated Bronze Rectangular Vessel
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Han Dynasty-style copy of a bronze tapered urn with a green patina, decorated with raised geometric patterns, accented with two handles and sitting atop a trapezoidal...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Chinese Wooden White Painted Contortionist Console Tables
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese console tables comprised of whitewashed wooden bases carved to resemble acrobatic figures supporting gray, rectangular t...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Wood

Pair of White and Blue Pattern Lidded Porcelain Ginger Jars
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese white and blue porcelain lidded ginger jars painted with floral and vine motifs, Greek key patterned bands at the openin...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Export Style Porcelain Oval Basin
Located in New York, NY
With applied handles to the sides, painted in blue monochrome with band of swags under the rim, over crown, shield motifs and sparse stylized flowers; the interior with three leaves ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Pale Green and Pink Blossom Lidded Jars
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese pale green lidded jars decorated with lily pads and pink lotus blossoms on one side of their round forms and extending up to the lids,...
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Sancai Glazed Terra Cotta Camel Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of a Bactrian camel, the main form of transport over the Silk Road, with its head tilted back and mouth open to the sky, we...
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Terracotta

Chinese Celadon-Glazed Molded Fish Brush Pot
Located in New York, NY
The cylindrical body molded with overlapping waves and applied with leaping carp; the underside bearing a molded apocryphal Daoguang seal mark.
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Celadon, Porcelain

Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Bactrian Camel Terra Cotta Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of a Bactrian camel, the main form of transport over the Silk Road, with its head tilted back and mouth open to the sky, we...
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Terracotta

Chinese Watercolors of Exotic Fruit on Pith Paper- A Set of Eight
Located in Downingtown, PA
The Chine trade watercolors are of fine quality and depict various exotic fruits including pineapples, lychees, finger citrus and orange amongst others. Now framed with a thin gilt f...
Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Paper

Chinese Export Silver Box
Located in London, GB
A Chinese Export Silver Box, c1890. Two dragon on the hinged lid. Embossed and chased with fish and crustaceans. Marked with LH, for 'Luen Hing' ’联兴‘, a retailer based in Shanghai, b...
Category

1890s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Silver

Chinese Export Silver Card Case
Located in London, GB
Chinese Export Silver Card Case, circa 1890, embossed and chased with a dragon among clouds on one side, featuring a single vacant shield-shaped cartouche; the reverse decorated with...
Category

1890s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Silver

Pair of Chinese Export Silver Candlesticks
Located in London, GB
A Pair of Chinese Export Silver Candlesticks, each with coiled dragon chasing a fire pearl around the plain column, with the dragons rising in opposing directions to face each other....
Category

Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Silver

Antique Chinese Export Silver Cigar Case
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Chinese Export Silver cigar case; part of our diverse Asian silverware collection This exceptional antique Chinese Export Silver (CES) ci...
Category

1910s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Silver

Chinese Beige Botancial Motif Rounded Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) bulbous porcelain vase with pink florals and an orange bird amid green leaves on one side and characters on the reverse. There is dark, speckled ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Mid-Century White Porcelain Chickens
Located in Queens, NY
"Pair of Antique Chinese (Mid 20th Century) white porcelain chickens, detailed with tonal feathers and red features and sculpted perched on rocks (P...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Porcelain Light Green and White Cartouche Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) bulbous porcelain urn with a large white cartouche depicting a basket of botanicals on each side against a light green background patterned with...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Navy Blue Patterned Handled Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) white porcelain urn painted with a blue pattern featuring urns, furniture, and florals with blue scrolled handles on the neck. Light wear."
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Yellow and Cherry Blossom Design Porcelain Sleeve Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese yellow porcelain sleeve vase with cherry blossom branches and birds in a pale neutral palette, wrapping all four sides and growing up t...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Maroon Lacquered Wall Shelf
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese style (19th Cent) maroon lacquered and gilt carved wall shelf with mirror back and 3 shelves
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Lacquer

Chinese Off-White and Blue Figurative Scene Stoneware Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) table lamp made from an off-white and blue stoneware vase with carved floral bands, two small decorative handles, and a scene depicting two women...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Vintage Chinese Black Two-Tiered Tole Oval Server
Located in Queens, NY
Vintage Chinese black tole, two-tiered server with a black metal frame holding two oval shelves decorated in a garland border of gold leaves with red dots...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Metal

Vintage Chinese Green Two-Tiered Tole Oval Server
Located in Queens, NY
Vintage Chinese dark green tole, two-tiered server with a black metal frame holding two oval shelves decorated in a garland border of gold leaves with red...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Metal

Chinese White and Navy Blue Symbol Patterned Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) large, off-white porcelain urn painted with a navy blue pattern featuring Buddhist symbols and other shapes with accented blue scrolled handles. ...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Beige Kwanyin Figurines
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of Similar Chinese beige plastic robed, beaded figurine depicting the Buddhist Goddess with left arm raised, grasping a lotus, right arm relaxed with open palm. (PRICED AS PAIR)...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Chinese Style Striped and Faux Bamboo Chippendale Bench
Located in Queens, NY
English Chinese Chippendale style (20th Century) mahogany rectangular bench with a tufted striped upholstered seat and having a faux bamboo frame with cluster legs
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Bamboo

Pair of Antique Chinese Orange and Gold Floral Round Porcelain Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) round table lamps made from orange, luster porcelain vases with gold floral designs, mounted on brown wooden bases with patinated brass h...
Category

Early 19th Century Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Pair of Chinese Black Lacquered Coromandel Cabinets
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of Asian Chinese style (19th Century) black lacquered and decorated coromandel cabinets with 4 doors with carved panels (PRICED AS PAIR). Antique condition, minor losses and cr...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Lacquer

Chinese Style Stoneware Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese style (20th cent) stoneware vase with multi-colored glaze and 3 figures in high relief.      
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Off-White Orange and Pink Floral Motif Porcelain Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
"Pair of similar Chinese porcelain table lamps made from off-white, urn-shaped vases with pink, orange and green florals, berries, leaves and snap dragons with wooden bases and brass...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

An extremely rare Chinese export famille rose armorial porcelain charger
Located in Amsterdam, NL
An extremely rare and large Chinese export famille rose armorial porcelain charger with the Amsterdam coat-of-arms Qianlong period, circa 1720-1...
Category

Early 18th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Enamel

Antique Chinese Export Silver Dragon Card Case
Located in New York, NY
Chinese export silver card case, ca 1910. Rectangular. Chased ornament on stippled ground. On recto, a blossoming prunus branch with armorial cartouche (vacant). On verso, a fanged a...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Silver

Chinese Export ‘Brighton Pavilion’ Bamboo Adjustable Day Bed
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Chinese Export ‘Brighton Pavilion’ bamboo adjustable day bed, possibly Canton, decorated throughout with pierced geometric and foliate motif...
Category

1810s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Bamboo

Chinese Export furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Chinese Export furniture 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 furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include asian art and furniture, decorative objects, 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 furniture 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 furniture, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, Wang Hing Co., Luen Wo, and Hung Chong Co.. 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 furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $40 and tops out at $216,780 while the average work can sell for $1,998.

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