Chinese Export Turquoise Ducks
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Animal Sculptures
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics
Porcelain
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Porcelain
Porcelain
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures and Carvings
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s Hong Kong Chinese Export Ceramics
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures and Carvings
Porcelain
20th Century Asian Chinese Export Ceramics
Porcelain
People Also Browsed
Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Vases
Metal
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Settees
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Danish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1920s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Alabaster
20th Century Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany, Satinwood
Vintage 1920s American Art Nouveau Glass
Art Glass
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics
Porcelain
Antique Late 19th Century Danish Country Cabinets
Pine
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Brass
Antique 1780s English Neoclassical Pottery
Stoneware
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture
Brass
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Modern Credenzas
Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century Belle Époque Sterling Silver
Jade, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Chandeliers and Pendants
Milk Glass
Antique 1890s French Art Nouveau Vases
Art Glass
Mid-18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
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.