Celedon Chinese Export China
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Table Lamps
Porcelain
People Also Browsed
Mid-20th Century Chinese Export Table Lamps
Celadon
20th Century American Table Lamps
Ceramic, Wood
Vintage 1960s Chinese Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1960s Chinese Table Lamps
Brass
20th Century American Hollywood Regency Table Lamps
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Table Lamps
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Table Lamps
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Table Lamps
Ceramic
Antique Late 18th Century Chinese Export Figurative Sculptures
Porcelain
Antique 19th Century Chinese Porcelain
Porcelain
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Table Lamps
Giltwood, Porcelain
Vintage 1940s American Table Lamps
Celadon
Vintage 1930s Table Lamps
Porcelain
Antique 19th Century Chinese Table Lamps
Ormolu
Antique 19th Century European Louis XVI Table Lamps
Porcelain
Vintage 1950s Chinese Chinese Export Table Lamps
Porcelain
Recent Sales
Antique Early 1900s Chinese Chinese Export Planters and Jardinieres
Porcelain
Antique Early 1900s Chinese Chinese Export Planters and Jardinieres
Porcelain
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Platters and Serveware
Porcelain
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Table Lamps
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Chinese Export Table Lamps
Vintage 1940s Chinese Export Ceramics
Antique Mid-19th Century French Chinese Export Table Lamps
Glass, Wood
20th Century Asian Chinese Export Cabinets
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Table Lamps
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Burmese Chinese Export Collectible Jewelry
Jade, Gold, Gold Plate
Antique 19th Century Chinese Stools
Porcelain
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.