Chinese Export Water Buffalo
20th Century Chinese Table Lamps
Brass
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antiquities
Porcelain
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics
Porcelain
Recent Sales
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Table Lamps
Fabric, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Tibetan Chinese Export Table Lamps
Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Animal Sculptures
Teak
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1950s American Folk Art Decorative Baskets
Cane, Rattan, Pine
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics
Porcelain
Antique Mid-18th Century Danish Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Ceramics
Porcelain, Wood
Antique Early 18th Century Chinese Qing Antiquities
Porcelain
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Soup Tureens
Porcelain
Antique Early 1800s English Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Porcelain
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Chinese Ceramics
Ceramic
Early 2000s American Regency Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Metal
1990s American American Classical Console Tables
Fabric, Glass, Wood
Vintage 1950s French Regency Slipper Chairs
Cane, Wood
Vintage 1940s European Rustic Planters and Jardinieres
Metal, Zinc
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Soup Tureens
Creamware
Antique 1730s Chinese Chinese Export Porcelain
Porcelain
Antique 19th Century French Romantic Animal Sculptures
Bronze, Metal, Copper
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.