Chinese Export Sculptures
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
Small Carved Jade East Asian Woman’s Figurine
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a small jade East Asian woman’s figurine. It depicts a carved jade woman’s figure that appears to be dancing or stretching herself. She is wearing a...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Jade
20th Sculpture of an Asiatic Man with Birds and Harlequin Motifs, Spain
Located in Miami, FL
This alluring statue will elevate any interior decor.
Nimble and flexible yet astute and clever, this statue is here portrayed in the midst of a traditional dance. The masterful de...
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
San Pacific Bronze Crane
Located in Pasadena, TX
This beautiful crane is made by San Pacific International. It's cast in bronze and has a beautiful verdigris patina. It balances on a round base and stands 17" tall.
Category
Late 20th Century Asian Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Antique Chinese Painted Clay Buddha Statue with Red Robes
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (early 20th Century, Republic of China) clay Buddha sculpture with painted details and red and green robes. (Similar sculptures: NWL2498, ...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Clay
19Th C. Chinese Sancay Glazed Pottery Figure of Guanyin
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Beautiful 19Th C. Chinese Sancai Glazed Pottery Figure of Guanyin.
This Guanine figure stands 17" .tall, she holds a lotus blossom in her right arm and a flower basket in her left a...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Pottery
Chinese Rose Quartz Rooster
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese rose quartz small carved figure of a rooster (as is-repair to base) (20th Cent)
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Rose Quartz
20th Century Chinese Wooden Carved Tieguai Li
Located in Pomona, CA
Up for sale is a magnificent vintage Chinese Wood Carved Tieguai Li Statuary. It is all hand made and hand carved from boxwood. According to legend, after Tieguai Li becoming an immo...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Boxwood
Pair of Chinese Export Porcelain Puppies
Located in Essex, MA
Well modeled "lion dogs'" modeled after a Pekingese the companion pet of Chinese royalty. Cream colored ground with brown accents.
Category
1860s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
Asian Hand Carved Wood Sculpture Star of Longevity Shòu Xīng
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Asian Shòu Xīng Hand Carved Wood Sculpture Star of Longevity
Star of Old Age
Chinese original carving master deity with crane.
Patina unrestored fair original vintage condition nick...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Vintage Chinese Hand Carved Bamboo Fish Man Sculpture
Located in Pomona, CA
Look at this beautiful vintage Chinese hand carved bamboo fish man. It is 100 percent hand made from bamboo shoot. You can see the pictures ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Bamboo
Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Terra Cotta Horse with Rider Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of a rider wearing robes and a red sash sitting on a horse that is painted in blue dots and a red bridle, with its head bow...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Terra Cotta Horse with Rider Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of a girl wearing a red hat riding a brown horse, standing on a textured base.
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Terra Cotta Huren Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of a Huren (northern tribesmen) man dressed in red robes and a prominent hat, with one fist raised in the air.
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Three Mid-20th Century Stone's Patinated Wood Statues of Chinese Figures
Located in Catania, Sicilia
Three hand-carved wood chinese figures with a patina that makes them look like stone in good conditions with just signs of age. The finish ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Chinese Large Royal Gold Plated Cloisonne Bull Statue
Located in Pomona, CA
This magnificent antique Chinese Cloisonne bull statue is made from gold plated bronze/copper and shows very detailed hand craft works of Cloisonne art - a lot of Chinese traditional folks art like Buddhas flower...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Copper
Bronze Buddha Head on Stand
Located in New York, NY
Unique bronze Buddha head on walnut stand.
Category
17th Century Asian Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Early 20 Century Chinese Rosewood Panels, Wall Hanging with Jade Inlay Picture
Located in Pomona, CA
This is a set of 3 panels Chinese antique Rosewood with Jade inlay Panels. They were hand made and hand painted. It features beautiful detailed carved painting and jade inlay of Chinese traditional design - 8 immortals...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Rosewood
Chinese Rose Quartz Toad
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese rose quartz figure of a toad standing on a teak base (20th Cent)
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Teak
Two Chinese Famille Verte Porcelain HeHe Groups Kangxi Period
Located in Dallas, TX
A Pair of Chinese famille verte laughing twins 'HeHe Erxian' biscuit group, Kangxi (1662-1722), the two boys with jovial expressions and seated upon an openwork rock-base studded wit...
Category
17th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
Silvered Metal Manjushri, Sino, Tibetan Buddhist Deity
Located in North Hollywood, CA
A silvered figure of Manjusri seated in dhyanasana on a Pala style Indian base, wearing an ornate crown and wearing body jewelry,
Manjushri holds the sword of wisdom in his right hand and above his left shoulder is a lotus flower upon which rests a volume of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras.
Manjushri - Tibetan Buddhist Deity...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tibetan Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Antique Chinese Painted Clay Buddha Statue
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (early 20th Century, Republic of China) clay Buddha sculpture with painted details in red, green, and blue. (Similar sculptures: NWL2497, ...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Clay
Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Terra Cotta Woman and Horse Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of a woman dressed in gray and red robes sitting atop a blue and green saddle, on a horse that is standing on a square base...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Chinese Style Verdigris Copper Boar Objet D’Art
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Figurative decorated boar objet d’art. Made of verdigris copper. Attributed to being Chinese based on style and subject.
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Copper
Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Sancai Glazed Camels with Musicians Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of two camels carrying a band of five musicians - four seated with instruments, and one central figure standing to sing. Th...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
20th Century Chinese Antique Cloisonne Figurine with Musical Instrument
Located in Pomona, CA
Look at this magnificent Chinese Antique Cloisonne Beauty Figurine. It was hand made from gold copper cloisonne. This stand Beauty has very d...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Pair of Chinese Lidded Porcelain Elephant Figurines
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of Antique Chinese olive green elephant figurines, decorated with carved detailing and pierced sides, and fitted with lids (PRICED AS PAIR).
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
Heavy Sancai Glazed Terra Cotta Wisdom Figure in Tang Dynasty Style
Located in Dallas, TX
Gorgeous SanCai glazed terra-cotta wisdom figurine, Crafted in the Tang Dynasty Style. The clay is coated or made into clay sheets, then placed inside the model, and pressed into for...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Pair of Great Dragon Temples Chinese Minguo Period
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of great dragon temples.
Chinese Minguo period (1912-1949), in carved bone plates. With detailed dragon carvings. Sitting on a wooden base. faults ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Bone
Chinese Rose Quartz Reclining Lady
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese rose quartz carved reclining lady on an oval wood base (20th Cent)
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Pair of Chinese Bronze Deity Figures, 20th Century
Located in Belmont, MA
Pair of Chinese bronze figures of deities standing on dragons. The two sculptures were made in the 20th century. They represent the Tao gods Lu Xing and Fu Xin...
Category
1980s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Chinese Export Famille Rose Pheasant With Ormolu Mounts, Late 19th Century
Located in Austin, TX
A gorgeous Chinese export famille rose enameled porcelain model of a pheasant mounted on an ormolu stand.
The elegant bird is portrayed perched on a ...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Ormolu
20th Century Chinese Antique Cloisonne Figurine with Musical Instrument
Located in Pomona, CA
Look at this magnificent Chinese Antique Cloisonne Beauty Figurine. It was hand made from gold copper cloisonne. This stand Beauty has very d...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Terra Cotta Rider and Horse Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terracotta tomb figure of a girl in a red garment holding an object riding a dark brown horse, standing on a textured base.
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Chinese Wicker Rooster
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Chinese rooster expertly crafted with an ambitious weaving technique using bamboo and bamboo wicker with carved wood highlights, from the noted Shanghai ...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Wicker
Pair of Early 20th Century Chinese Multi-Colored Cloisonne Rooster Sculptures
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of early 20th century Chinese cloisonne rooster sculptures with red, white, blue, green, and yellow enamels standing on circular cloisonne bases...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Enamel
Chinese Multicolor Porcelain Pheasant Statue
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Mid 20th Century) glazed porcelain statue of a pheasant with colorful, gold-outlined plumes perched on a rocky formation of green and brown. (Smaller version availab...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
20th Century Chinese Antique Cloisonne Longevity Star Statuary
Located in Pomona, CA
This magnificent Chinese Antique Cloisonne Longevity Star Statuary was hand made from gold copper cloisonne. This stand Longevity Star has ve...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Antique Chinese Painted Clay Buddha Statue with Green and Brown Robes
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (early 20th Century, Republic of China) clay Buddha sculpture with painted details in green, brown, and blue. (Similar sculptures: NWL2497...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Clay
Bronze Sculpture, Late 19th Century, Asia
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Bronze sculpture, late 19th century, Asia
Measures: H 19cm, W 15cm, W 8cm.
Category
1880s Asian Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Camel with Rider Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terracotta tomb figure of a bearded rider dressed in a gray coat and brown boots riding a yellow Bactrian camel standin...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Pair of Chinese Carved Stone Foo Dogs on Rectangular Plinths, 20th Century
Located in Charleston, SC
Pair of Chinese hand carved stone Foo dogs resting on rectangular decorative carved plinths. 20th Century
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Terra Cotta Woman and Kneeling Camel Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terracotta tomb figure of a woman in a gray dress sitting on a kneeling Bactrian camel with its head tilted back and mout...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Chinese Tang Dynasty-Style Man and Horse Terra Cotta Tomb Figure
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty-style terra cotta tomb figure of a man dressed in dark gray robes, with one fist raised in the air, sitting atop a red saddle, on a horse that is painted...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
19th Century Pair of Chinese Hardwood Buffalo & Boys with Bone Flutes
Located in Dublin 8, IE
19th Century pair of dark hardwood water buffalo with inset glass eyes. These finely carved and highly detailed figures have carved boy figures sitting on their backs holding bone flutes...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Hardwood
Two Brass Chinese Figures (Ox & Elephant) - W4000
Located in Shamokin Dam, PA
Two Brass Chinese Figures (Ox & Elephant) - W4000
This is a pair of heavy Chinese brass figurines of an ox and an elephant. They are in very good condition with some residue from cl...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Brass
19th Century Pair of Chinese Guardian Lions in Red and Gold Lacquer
Located in NICE, FR
We present you with this stunning pair of statues representing Chinese guardian lions, also known as lions of Fo, made in red and gold lacquer and painted wood. Their origins date ba...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
Vintage Chinese Hardstone Sea Buckthorn Bushes, Pair
Located in Astoria, NY
Vintage Chinese hardstone Sea Buckthorn (Shaji, or Hippophae rhamnoides) plant sculptures, each with nephrite leaves wired to a trunk sprouting Cinnamon Jade berries in agate pots, t...
Category
Mid-20th Century Asian Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Multi-gemstone
Pair of Chinese Marble Lions from the 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of Chinese Marble Lions from the XIX century
Elegant lions of the Quing Dynasty carved in white marble with chisel. They are in good conditio...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Marble
1900s Chinese Cloisonne Leopards
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Late 19th Century to 1900s Chinese cloisonne leopards. Finely detailed. Cast in bronze and brass with enamel. Supposedly owned by the Gucci family in Ne...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Brass, Bronze, Enamel
Asian Hunting Scene in Gilt Bronze 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Asian hunting scene
In gold bronze
Chinese warrior bear hunting
19th century
Measures: 20 x 18 x 9 cm.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Antique pair of Homunculus Sculptures
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Unique and charming set of homunculus type figures on wooden base. Unknown origin and date but probably early 20th century. See pics
Category
20th Century Unknown Chinese Export Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Chinese Export sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Chinese Export sculptures for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage sculptures created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, asian art and furniture, building and garden elements and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinese Export sculptures made in a specific country, there are Asia, East Asia, and China pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original sculptures, popular names associated with this style include and Europa Antiques. 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 sculptures differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $195 and tops out at $98,000 while the average work can sell for $1,895.