The last imperial dynasty from 1644 to 1912 was a time of change in China, beginning with the invasion by Manchurian forces that ended the Ming dynasty and established the Shunzhi Emperor. The expansion of exportation and trade that had bolstered the arts during the Ming era continued, as Qing dynasty furniture involved the same attention to craftsmanship with expert construction techniques in hardwood pieces that were assembled with mortise and tenon joints rather than nails or glue. Together, these eras comprise a golden age of Chinese furniture design.
Ming-style furniture is simple and elegant with clean lines. Chairs of the period and other Ming furniture made an impression on Scandinavian modernist Hans Wegner and his streamlined seating, for example. Whereas Qing-style furniture is elaborate, with an increasing influence from the West leading to lavish carving inspired by the European Baroque and Rococo styles. And while many of the forms that define examples of the latter are common within classical Chinese furniture, such as curving and folding chairs as well as large screens, Qing designs are laden with ornamentation. Frequently, the carved motifs and inlaid designs in mother-of-pearl were auspicious, such as peonies for wealth or dragons for luck. Bats were symbols of happiness in the design of Qing furniture, with one of the characters in the word for bat, bianfu, being a homophone for fu, or “fortune.”
While several types of wood were used in the construction of Qing beds, tables, storage pieces and seating, today’s collectors know that the most prized were the rare rosewoods zitan and huanghuali. They were both sourced from Hainan, China’s largest island, and are marked by a rich luster that occurs naturally, without the application of lacquer or other decorative materials. Many of the most popular woods were imported from southeast Asia, adding to their value. Red sandalwood was also sought after for its durability and connection with Chinese medicine, with some chairs being made for health benefits.
Find a collection of antique Qing tea tables, stools, benches, decorative objects and more furniture on 1stDibs.
Set of Six Chinese Geometric Lattice Door Panels, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A hallmark of Qing-dynasty domestic architecture, tall lattice panels such as these were used in traditional courtyard homes to allow light and air into a room whilst maintaining privacy. With grand proportions and elongated windows, this set of six lattice door panels...
Elm
Pair of Antique Chinese Iron Bound Courtyard Doors, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This impressive set of doors dates to the turn of the century and originated as the outermost entrance gate to a traditional courtyard home in northern China. Crafted of locust wood and hand-worked iron, the rustic doors have developed a fantastic texture from years of use. The original layer of dark brown lacquer has eroded with an inimitable crackle, revealing the beautiful wood grain underneath. The door fronts are reinforced with studded iron bands and decorative iron plates in the shape of clouds or ruyi. The doors are fitted with a simple iron latch and four round door pulls...
Iron
$5,380 / set
Pair of 19th Century Chinese Quatrefoil Doors
Located in Chicago, IL
This pair of doors is over a century old and originally decorated a Qing dynasty home in China’s Fujian Province. The thin cedar slats mimic bamboo and overlap the quatrefoil windows...
Cedar
Set of Four Chinese Courtyard Door Panels, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A hallmark of Chinese architecture, tall door panels such as these were used in provincial courtyard homes to easily open up a room to the outdoors. Designed with solid wood panels instead of lattice windows, these door panels were likely installed facing the street, used to protect the home rather than provide decoration. The doors were originally linked by hinges set in opposite directions, allowing the doors to fold upon themselves as they open. Instead of the elaborate carvings often found on Qing-dynasty doors...
Brass
Pair of 19th Century Qing Dynasty Wooden Palace Doors with Iron Fittings
Located in Yonkers, NY
A pair of Qing Dynasty period wooden palace doors from the 19th century with iron fittings. This striking pair of Qing Dynasty period wooden palace doors from the 19th century instan...
Iron
Pair of Chinese Black Lacquer Courtyard Doors, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This impressive set of doors dates to the turn of the century and originated as the outermost entrance gate to a traditional courtyard home in northern China. The pair is crafted of northern elm (yumu) and finished with dark black lacquer and hand-worked iron hardware. Bands of studded iron reinforce the fronts and simple iron plates secure the door latch and round door pulls...
Iron
Pair of Chinese Floral Chainlink Lattice Panels, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This pair of elaborately carved early 19th century Chinese courtyard panels feature intricately carved lattice comprised of chain links connected with floral blossoms. This complicat...
Elm
Set of Four Chinese Courtyard Lattice Panels, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A hallmark of Qing-dynasty domestic architecture, tall lattice panels such as these were used in provincial courtyard homes to allow light and air into a room whilst maintaining priv...
Elm
Chinese Quadrilobe Lattice Courtyard Panel, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This elegant, 19th-century door panel evokes life in a traditional courtyard home, where the openwork lattice design allowed light and air to flow into the inner rooms while maintain...
Fir
$4,800Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 115 in W 56 in D 2.25 in
Early 20th Century Large Pair of Antique Egyptian Doors with Iron Panels
Located in Stamford, CT
This pair of Egyptian doors were produced at a time when French architecture and style had a great influence on the Egyptian culture, especially in Cairo. They are a very impressive ...
Iron
Pair of Massive Antique Arch Form Doors
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A pair of antique doors with arched and paneled design with remnants of old green and other encrusted paint. The doors do have some old hinges an...
Iron
$1,100
H 12.25 in W 9 in D 5 in
Qing Ching Dynasty 1821-1850 Porcelain Enamel Double Mouth Chinese Vase
Located in Louisville, KY
This stunningly enameled porcelain vase has a double mouth opening with hand-painted images of boys playing among the vines, gourds and gourd blossoms. There is a border of bat-like ...
Porcelain
Pair of 19th Century French Doors with Wrought Iron Panels
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Pair of stunning stripped 19th century French doors with wrought iron, featuring bold molded detail framing the lower panels as well as the intricate wrought iron inserts, which open...
Wrought Iron
Pair of 19th Century Reclaimed Decorative French Doors
Located in Mckinney, TX
Striking double-sided French doors, crafted from solid oak in the 19th century and reclaimed from a historic property in France. Each panel showcases a different character-rich finis...
Oak
$2,800
H 73.23 in W 48.9 in D 1.97 in
Japanese Antique large iron plated Kurado, wabi sabi Storehouse door 1870s-1900s
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
A Japanese antique Kurado, a large, thick iron-plated wooden door for the entrance of Kura (a traditional storehouse), made of solid Keyaki Zelkova. It was manufactured in the 1870s–1900s (Meiji period) based on its style and condition. The front panel is fully covered with iron sheets that have been nailed down, and a warm patina has developed on the black rust. The surface is partly rough with red rust. This piece's distinctive feature is its large door lock plate, which is not commonly found on traditional Kurado pieces. This lock plate shares similarities with the decorative lock plates attached to Tansu furniture...
Iron
Chinese Six-Panel Lacquer Screen
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Chinese six-panel lacquer screen. This lovely and versatile screen is in the great style of Coco Chanel who loved to decorate with Coromandel s...
Wood
Pair of 19th Century Swedish Diamond Pattern Doors
Located in East Point, GA
A pair of Swedish doors with geometric patterns and original paint from the 19th century. This pair of antique doors from Sweden feature a repeating diamond pattern, comprised of a s...
Iron
19th Century Golden Black Lacquer Chinese Tea Caddy
Located in Brea, CA
19th century lift-lid gilt-decorated goldenblack lacquer Chinese tea caddy, small and beautiful piece.
Lacquer
$2,144Sale Price|20% Off
H 1.5 in W 26 in D 17 in
19th Century Chinese Gilt Lacquer Fan with Mother of Pearl Faces and Lacquer Box
Located in Brea, CA
Antique 19th century hand painted Chinese fan with mother of pearl faces, Qing dynasty, the fan features black and gold lacquered handled a colorful screen with a figural, hand painted, scene in shades of blue, green, purple and brown and red. With antique lacquer fan...
Lacquer
Pair of French Wrought Iron Door Guards
Located in Buchanan, NY
These elegant French door guards from the early 20th century are a true work of art. Made from wrought iron, they showcase intricate neoclassical details that are both beautiful and...
Wrought Iron
A Pair of 19th Century Gustavian-Style Painted Doors
Located in New York, NY
A pair of Swedish Gustavian-Style hand-painted pine cabinet doors. By repute, these doors were painted Danish-Norwegian painter and art critic Poul 'Pola' Gauguin (1883-1961), the so...
Pine
Chinese Qing Four Panel Lacquered Incised Coromandel Screen
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Rare unusual late 19th century/early 20th-century Chinese Qing four-panel coromandel screen. The front features dark red lacquer decorated with scholars objects and small landscape s...
Brass
Chinese Export Four Panel Coromandel Screen Cranes on Gold Leaf
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Dazzling Chinese export lacquered four-panel coromandel screen featuring a flora and fauna waterscape with stylized cranes. The carved lacquer panels...
Brass, Gold Leaf
$3,325
H 84 in W 80 in D 1 in
Hand-Painted Four-Panel Chinese Screen with Garden Pavilion and Peony Motifs
Located in Yonkers, NY
A four-panel folding screen depicting a serene Chinese garden landscape, this piece brings a sense of depth and tranquility to any interior. The detailed hand-painted scene captures ...
Wood, Paper
Pair of Chinese Floral Lattice Panels, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
A hallmark of Qing-dynasty domestic architecture, tall lattice panels such as these were used in provincial courtyard homes to allow light and air into a room whilst maintaining priv...
Elm
Chinese Geometric Lattice Door Panel, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A hallmark of Qing-dynasty domestic architecture, tall lattice panels such as this were used in traditional courtyard homes to allow light and air into a room whilst maintaining privacy. With grand proportions and an elongated window, this lattice door panel...
Elm
Set of Four Chinese Floral Lattice Panels, 19th C.
Located in Chicago, IL
A hallmark of Qing-dynasty domestic architecture, tall lattice panels such as these were used in provincial courtyard homes to allow light and air into a room whilst maintaining privacy. Crafted in the 19th century, this set of four lattice door panels...
Elm
Sold
H 90.16 in W 18.71 in D 1.78 in
Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912), Four Claustra Sliding Doors, China 19th/20th Century
Located in PARIS, FR
Set of four patinated wooden doors or lattice partitions, China, early 20th century. Rectangular in shape, with solid lower sections and open latticework in the upper sections, some ...
Wood
Pair of Chinese Iron Bound Courtyard Doors, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This impressive set of doors dates to the mid-19th century and originated as the outermost entrance gate to a traditional Qing dynasty courtyard home. Crafted of Northern elmwood (yu...
Iron
Early 20th Century Large Doors from Shanxi, China
Located in Singapore, SG
These large doors originated from Shanxi province, China, and are approx. 100-120 years old. Made of Elm & Pine, the most unique part about these doors are the many signs that are affixed on it, do note that although the doors are antique, these signs are added much later on. Besides the actual door number and road name, the others are the many accolades that this family has earned. Starting from the red plate on the left, this was given by the Shanxi Provincial People's Government. The Chinese words translate into "family of glory", this was to given to the household as a member of the family had retired from the military, to recognise his contribution to the country; it could also had been given to the family if the soldier was sacrificed during his service. Next to it is a small blue plate...
Iron
Set of Three Chinese Quadrilobe Lattice Courtyard Panels, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
The sweeping elegance of these 19th-century courtyard doors, with their intricate lattice panels, hides the mathematical brilliance required to create them. The wax-finished, knotty ...
Fir
Pair of Chinese Iron Bound Courtyard Doors with Frame, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This monumental pair of doors dates to the mid-19th century and once enclosed the inner courtyard of a grandQing-dynasty home in northern China. The courtyard doors are crafted of northern elm (yumu) and are complete with the original door frame comprised of thick wood beams. The door fronts are reinforced with studded iron bands and decorative iron plates with a foliate design. The doors close by a simple iron latch and open with two round door pulls...
Iron
Pair of Chinese Courtyard Doors with Iron Butterflies, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This imposing set of doors dates to the mid-19th century and once enclosed the inner courtyard of a Qing-dynasty home in northern China. The double doors are crafted of northern elm (yumu), a common hardwood appreciated for its strength, warm coloring and expressive grain. The fronts are reinforced with iron bands studded with brass hobnails and decorated with hard-worked iron plates with a foliated design. A square lock plate secures two round door pulls and a simple door latch, engraved with an everlasting knot, lotus blossoms, and ornamental koi. Little iron butterflies flit across the front, auspicious symbols of blessings, happiness and longevity. The monumental doors...
Brass, Iron
Sold
H 90.75 in W 63.5 in D 1.75 in
Pair of Chinese Qing Dynasty 19th Century Architectural Panels with Fretwork
Located in Yonkers, NY
A pair of Chinese Qing Dynasty period large carved architectural panels from the 19th century, with fretwork design, openwork and foliage motifs carved in low relief. Created in Chin...
Wood
Pair of Chinese Lattice Screen Panels, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A hallmark of Qing-dynasty domestic architecture, tall lattice panels such as these were used in provincial courtyard homes to allow light and air into a room whilst maintaining priv...
Elm
Pair of Chinese Oval Lattice Courtyard Doors, C. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
A hallmark of Qing-dynasty domestic architecture, hand-carved lattice panels such as these were used in courtyard homes to allow light and air int...
Brass
Sold
H 93.5 in W 47.5 in D 2 in
Pair of Chinese Qing Dynasty 19th Century Architectural Panels with Fretwork
Located in Yonkers, NY
A pair of Chinese Qing Dynasty period large carved architectural panels from the 19th century, with fretwork. Created in China during the Qing Dynasty, each of this pair of architectural panels...
Wood
Early 20th Century Very Tall Chinese Door Panels
Located in Singapore, SG
A set of 8 early 20th century lacquered door panels from Chaozhou city, Guangdong province, China. There are many decorations on these door panels, starting with the carved scroll de...
Elm, Fir
Late 19th Century Chinese Door Panels
Located in Singapore, SG
Late 19th century door panels from Shanxi province, China. These doors are simple in appearance but have many nice details; like the many layers of edging around the main lattice, an...
Elm, Pine