Chinese Export Boxes
CHINESE EXPORT STYLE
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.
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Style: Chinese Export
Wicker Elephant Box
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Chinese elephant box ambitiously crafted in wicker with carved wood tusks, feet, and lid handle. From the noted Shanghai collection.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wicker
Mid-Century Chinese Wicker Giraffe Box
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Standout vintage Chinese giraffe box ambitiously hand crafted in wicker and wood having a removable lid with a baby giraffe handle. From the famed Shangha...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wicker, Wood
Antique Chinese Export Silver Cigar Case
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Chinese Export Silver cigar case; part of our diverse Asian silverware collection
This exceptional antique Chinese Export Silver (CES) ci...
Category
1910s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Silver
Antique Chinese Decorated Lacquer Decorative Box
Located in Houston, TX
Antique Chinese lacquer decorated decorative box. This Stunning Chinese export hand decorated lacquered box is the perfect accessory for a coffee table or dressing table. Could be used for jewelry or important documents.
Category
1920s Vintage Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
19th Century Chinese Export Silver Dragon Cigar Box
Located in Stamford, CT
Late 19th century, circa 1890 Chinese export silver rectangular box. Hand engraved repoussè dragons. Wood lined. Makers mark on the underside.
Category
1890s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Silver
Large Chinese Export Famille Verte Peach Motif Box, Republic Period
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Large Chinese Export Famille Verte peach motif box, Republic period, exquisite all over decoration with peaches, trees and flowers. Unmarked.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Porcelain
Mid-Century Chinese Black & Gold Cloisonné 'Good Luck' Circular Table Box
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Mid-Century Chinese black & gold cloisonné 'good luck' circular table box.
The tall circular box of exceptional quality, The conforming removable lid enameled with the Chinese character for 'Happiness' A stately piece, its an unusual example in black cloisonné fish...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Brass
Antique Chinese Export Silver Box by Wang Hing
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Chinese export silver dragon box; an addition to our collection of boxes and cases
This fine antique C...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Silver
1920s Chinese Export Silver Box
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Chinese Export silver box; an addition to our collection of boxes and cases.
This exceptional an...
Category
1890s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Silver
Chinese Etched Brass Box with Carved Jade Inset Top, Circa 1900
Located in Stamford, CT
Sweet little Chinese export brass box with beautiful floral etched designs, looks like peonies to me. With a lovely white jade top carved in fretwork with a vase framed by the flower...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Jade, Brass
Large Jewellery Box, with a Mirror Inside, Vietnam from the End of 19th Century
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Large box from Vietnam. Manufactured at the end of the 19th century. Red in color slightly pinkish, with magnificent fish decorations in white and yellow colors. This box locks, the ...
Category
Late 19th Century Vietnamese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Mirror, Wood
Mid-Century Chinese Wooden Scenic Design Carved Hinge Top Box
Located in New York, NY
Mid-century Chinese carved wooden box featuring an elaborate scenic design with a hinged top and brass closure hardware. (Stamped HUNG HOP CHEST CO. HONG...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Metal, Brass
1950s Mid-Century Chinese Rosewood+Brass Turtle Hinged Jewelry Box Chinoiserie
Located in Hyattsville, MD
An older mid-century Chinese export/souvenir Jewelry Box. Inside it has two removable separators, outside is has brass decorations, hinges, and a wond...
Category
1950s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Brass
Chinese Lacquer Box
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A metal framed box with all-over lacquer decoration featuring multi-coloured flowers, leaves, ribbons. The inside of the box is veneered in a light wood. It is stamped China on the u...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Late 19th Century Engraved Chinese Brass Box with Carved Nephrite White Jade Lid
Located in Kenilworth, IL
Antique carved nephrite white jade from a ruyi, mounted to the hinged lid of a conforming brass box. The inside of the lid and outer surfaces are engraved with propitious symbols.
C...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Jade, Brass
Chinese Wicker Camel
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Mid century Chinese smiling camel caught in mid strut, ambitiously crafted in wicker with wood highlights. From the noted Shanghai Collection.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wicker
Antique Chinese Wooden Jewelry Box or Vanity Dresser Chest with Intricate Inlay
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This very elaborate jewelry box or vanity dresser makeup chest is unsigned, but presumed to have been made in China in approximately 1850 in the period Chinese Export style. The box ...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Metal
19th Century Handmade Wooden Chinese Hat Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Chinese wooden hat box - handmade, with a chinoiserie image. The box is in very good condition with fitted top, the wood is a wonderful patinated colo...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Cylindrical Box, Brown Lacquer Paint with Flower Decoration, Japan, Early 20th
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This is a very beautiful Japanese box dating from the beginning of the 20th century. It is lacquered in brown color, with flower patterns.
It was made in Japan.
Category
Early 20th Century Japanese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Asian Style Leather Box on Stand
Located in Westwood, NJ
An Asian style leather box on stand table. The rectangular box with a removable lid is covered in leather with nailhead trim. It sits on a reclaime...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Chinese Gilt-Decorated Black Lacquer Sewing Box
Located in New York, NY
The rectangular box with canted corners, opening to a lacquered interior; decorated overall with floral and foliate motifs and cartouches of floral sprays and temples; on gilt claw f...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Giltwood, Lacquer
Mid-Century Chinese Wooden Scenic Design Carved Hinge Top Box
Located in New York, NY
Mid-century Chinese carved wooden box featuring an elaborate scenic design with a hinged top and brass closure hardware. (Stamped HUNG HOP CHEST CO. HONG...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Metal, Brass
Chinese Mother of Pearl Inlaid Lacquered Box
Located in New York, NY
Chinese mother of pearl inlaid lacquered rectangular box, depicting in landscape, circa late 19th-early 20th century. Measures: 3.5" H x 9.75" ...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Chinese Huanghuali Stacked Wood Box
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Chinese Huanghuali picnic box with carrier frame featuring three removable stacking trays. It appears to be made with old Chinese rosewood (Huagnh...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Antique Early Chinese Republic Era Stacking Lacquered Box Set with Dragon Motif
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique lacquered stacking box set is unsigned, but presumed to have originated from China during the Early Republic period of approximately 1920 and done in a period Chinese Ex...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Softwood
19th Century Chinese Canton Export Lacquered Giltwood Tea Caddy on Shishi Feet
Located in Haarlem, NL
Clover or quartreform shaped mid-19th century Chinese canton export tea caddy in gold lacquered wood on a black background.
Decorated with palace scenes...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Pewter
Set of Chinese Red & Black Boxes, 20th Century
Located in London, GB
Set of Chinese red & black boxes, 20th century.
Set of three Chinese red and black boxes, decorated with scenes of figures amongst landscapes with temples and pavilions.
Wood,...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Chinese Pig Head Shaped Porcelain Tureen
Located in New York, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) export porcelain tureen in the form of an orange and pink pig head divided into lid and base at the mouth, and decorated ...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Gold and Black Painted Cherry Blossom Motif Decorative Box
Located in New York, NY
Chinese large decorative wooden box with gold cherry blossom design on top and sides against a black background, with a hinged lid, and small hid...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Metal
Vintage Chinese Red and Gold Carved Handled Box
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Chinese red and gold painted decorative wooden box with a metal latch and band around the base and an ornately carved handle featuring a scenic image of two men.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Antique Chinese Carved Wooden Gold and Red Decorative Box
Located in New York, NY
Antique Chinese circular wooden box with carved top character design and carved geometric foot, painted in gold and red with a fitted lid and fine black painted border pattern.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Chinese Export Early 19th Century Chinoiserie Teacaddy with Pewter Tea Boxes
Located in Wells, ME
Chinese export lacquered hand painted octagonal chinoiserie teacaddy , black with gold decoration. The interior has two hand engraved pewter tea boxes, each with double lids to keep ...
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Chinese Royal Lacquer Box for Poetry Slips
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Chinese Royal court lacquer box made specifically to contain the poem slips composed by Qing Dynasty emperor Qianlong (1711-1799). Although we are pretty certain that the current b...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Cinnabar Chinese Covered Jar
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand carved. Early 1900s. Enameled.
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Enamel
Small Handcarved Chinese Chest
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A hand carved Chinese large table box with hinged lid. Intricately carved all-over with Asian carvings resting of four paw feet. Bronze lock plate on front.
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Hardwood
Chinese Mother of Pearl Inlaid Lacquered Box
Located in New York, NY
Chinese mother of pearl inlaid lacquered long rectangular box, the cover depicting two figures or immortals with all-over landscape decoration,...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Chinese Jewelry Box with Drawers with Hand Carved Bird and Dragon Sculptures
Located in Lisse, NL
Rare, colorful and highly decorative Chinese box.
If you like the look and feel of Chinese antiques and ancient Asian symbolism then this handcrafted and hand carved box from the turn of the century could be perfect for you. Its unusual size (smaller than a cabinet, but larger than your average antique box) may have something to do with the content we purchased it with. In a number of the small compartments we found Chinese porcelain tea cups...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Brass
Chinese Burgundy and Gold Vine Design Painted Decorative Box
Located in New York, NY
Chinese wrapped decorative box with a burgundy base with muted metallic gold gourd and leaf pattern on vines with a large central character, bronze handles and latch, and an interior...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Rare Chinese Tonkin Ware Shakudo Sawasa Erotic Tobacco Box
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A ruyi-shaped Shakudo-style erotic tobacco or snuff box, relief-decorated with silvered applied figures
Possibly Jakarta (Batavia), first half 18th century
Measures: H. 2.2 x L. 12.1 x W. 8 cm
This box is very much in the Dutch taste, for the illustration is after a print with a legend reading “L’oiseau sans cage. Prenez, belle, mon oiseau. C’est le plus doux présent que je puisse vous faire. Pour les autres oiseaux, la cage d’ordinaire est une espèce de tombeau. Mais le mien semble prendre une nouvelle vie, Lorsqu’il sera dans la cage de mon aimable Silvie.” The erotic message is as clear as can be.
In Dutch culture the verb ‘vogelen’ (catching a bird) is another word for having sex and a bird escaping from his cage indicates loss of chastity. The lady with the bare breasts, while making the sign of sealed lips to the lady behind her, who is pointing towards heaven, seems to be caressing the bird held in the sleeping man’s groin. 17th century Dutch pictures...
Category
Early 18th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Gold, Silver, Bronze
Magical Old Chinese Box in Faded Cinnabar
Located in Hopewell, NJ
If objects could talk, this box would have some interesting stories for all its wonderful aged patina, cracks and character. A faded cinnabar, the entire surface is meticulously hand...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Early 19th Century Export Chinoiserie Lacquer Box on Carved Feet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1820s lacquered chinoiserie box on elegant carved feet. Produced at the height of England's craze for Chinese lacquerware, this item features an ex...
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Chinese Hexagonal Cast Brass Tea Caddy
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A Chinese hexagonal cast brass tea caddy, early 20th century. Each rectangular side with a shou symbol surrounded by five stylized bats on blue enamel ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Brass
Chinese Export Silver Cigar Box by Hung Chong & Co.
Located in Savannah, GA
Sterling silver cigar box marked Hung Chong (or Cheong) & Co., silversmiths & retailers, Canton, China, circa 1860-1930. Classic intertwined ...
Category
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Sterling Silver
Pair of Chinese Mahogany and Tin Hinged Painted Figural Tea Bins, Circa 1840
Located in Hollywood, SC
Pair of Chinese mahogany and tin hinged painted tea bins with gilt figural stenciling and decorative landscape scenes with bird motif, Mid-19th century.
Category
1840s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Metal
Antique Chinese Silver Bamboo Tea Caddy by Hung Chong
Located in New York, NY
Chinese export silver tea caddy, circa 1900. Baluster with drum-form neck and cover. Chased and repousse bamboo and blossoming prunus branches on stippled ground. Plain band at shoulder. Also plain are foot rim, neck, and cover sides. Cover top has circular frame (vacant). Fully marked with Chinese characters and letters HC for Hung Chong...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Silver
Fine Chinese Export Lacquer Game Box
Located in Essex, MA
Rectangular form with hinged lid opening to a fitted interior, with lower conforming case.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
Woven Chinese Tea Cozy Box, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Tea drinking has been an integral part of Chinese culture for centuries, resulting in a wide range of social customs and material traditions. In addition to tea leaves, water, and he...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Wood
Large Chinese Export Red Lacquer Character Box
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Large Chinese Export red lacquer character box, sculptural, well executed Chinese two part lacquer table box.
Decorated with vines, symbols and bats. Unmarked.
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Chinese Export boxes for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Chinese Export boxes for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage boxes created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with enamel, lacquer and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinese Export boxes made in a specific country, there are Asia, China, and East Asia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for boxes differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $500 and tops out at $840 while the average work can sell for $750.
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