Carved Jade Wall Hanging
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Mounted Objects
Rosewood
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1960s Chinese Chinese Export Chairs
Teak, Wood, Cane
Antique 1790s English Chinese Export Lacquer
Metal
Antique Early 1900s Chinese Edwardian Paintings and Screens
Wood
Antique 19th Century British Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Bronze
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture
Brass
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desks
Gold
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Paintings and Screens
Soapstone, Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Rosewood
Vintage 1930s Chinese Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
Antique Early 1600s Japanese Antiquities
Gold, Brass
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lacquer
Wood, Cypress, Lacquer
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Lacquer
Lacquer
20th Century Chinese Qing Paintings and Screens
Brass
Antique 1880s Japanese Meiji Lacquer
Porcelain, Softwood, Lacquer
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture
Elm
Recent Sales
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Screens and Room Dividers
Stone
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Textiles
Silk, Wood
A Close Look at chinese-export Furniture
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.