Skip to main content

Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

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.

to
70
590
26
9
15
177
398
35
106
78
25
3
7
1
2
5
1
7
1
1
10,759
5,733
3,273
3,034
1,962
644
641
434
413
194
190
171
153
131
118
113
105
61
505
430
112
29
28
497
107
590
574
568
13
10
Height
to
Width
to
625
625
625
3
2
2
1
1
Style: Chinese Export
Chinese Multicolor Banded Pattern Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) porcelain urn wrapped in a variety of patterned bands, including florals, roosters, and geometric patterns in pink, green, blues and yellows. Th...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Early 20th Century Chinese Black Glaze Pottery Vase
Located in Pomona, CA
Our wonderful collection of handmade old vintage Chinese hand made glazed pottery vase will make great accent pieces for any room of your house. It has some imperfection signs of age...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Pottery

Pair of White and Blue Pattern Lidded Porcelain Ginger Jars
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese white and blue porcelain lidded ginger jars painted with floral and vine motifs, Greek key patterned bands at the openin...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Bogu Pattern Tiger-Handled Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) white porcelain vase painted with a pink and green bogu pattern featuring bonsai, art objects, and calligraphy, green tiger ornamentation on each ...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White Floral and Butterfly Patterned Porcelain Vases
Located in Queens, NY
3 Chinese white porcelain vases with pear-shaped forms decorated in butterflies above pink and orange florals growing from green leaves on one side with characters on the reverse. (P...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Guangzhou Dog Hunt Scene Conjoined Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) Guangzhou painted export porcelain vase with a conjoined form depicting a richly colored dog hunt scene between gold-patterned bands.  
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Beige and Green Botanical Motif Rounded Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) bulbous porcelain vase with pink florals and a yellow-chested bird amid green leaves on one side and characters on the reverse. There is speckled...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Blue Character and Floral Ginger Jar Vases
Located in Queens, NY
3 Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) similar porcelain ginger jars with blue floral designs around bold, centered characters and geometric bands leading to unglazed rims (jars vary...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Off-White Gourd-Shaped Double Ear Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese off-white porcelain, gourd-shaped double ear vase decorated in highly subtle tonal lemons, swirling clouds and writing, and accented with two shoulde...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Orange Botantical Motif Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) white porcelain urn decorated with green and blooming orange florals with two birds perched on a nearby branch, and accented with orange dog...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Navy Egret Design Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) white, porcelain urn with a navy egret amid florals and two blue scrolled handles along the neck. Dimpling and crazing."
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Langyao Emerald Green Glazed Footed Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese bulbous footed porcelain vase crafted in the Lang kiln (Langyao) in a dazzling and uniform emerald green glaze with a strong glass-like luster, shift...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Green and Red Faded Floral Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) white porcelain urn decorated with a faded green and red floral pattern and accented with pale pink scrolled handles along the neck. Signs of we...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Parade Scene Rounded Porcelain Watermelon Jar
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) low, rounded white porcelain vase, known as a watermelon jar, depicting a spirited procession of participants holding flags and playing drums lea...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Black and Green Leaf Glazed Porcelain Pear Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (17th Century-style) black glazed ceramic pear-shaped vase decorated with a green leaf on the front and back.    
Category

17th Century Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Blue Feather and Floral Motif Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese porcelain urn painted with a blue and white floral background surrounding a center white oval with bold markings, dark blue feathers along the neck, and geometric patterned ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese White Porcelain Gall Bladder Vases
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of antique Chinese (Mid 20th Century) white porcelain gall bladder form vases, named for their resemblance to the shape of the organ, with bulbous bottoms and thin, delicate nec...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Imari Porcelain Vases
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Asian Chinese Imari (18th cent) porcelain small vases with a scalloped top and scenes of figures and flowers. (small chip to 1 top) (priced as pa...
Category

18th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Floral Rounded Porcelain Watermelon Jar
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) low, rounded porcelain vase known as a watermelon jar, painted with colorful, flourishing florals on one side and characters on the reverse.   
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Blue Foo Dog Design Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) off-white porcelain urn decorated with blue foo dogs playing amid the clouds and accented in two pale blue scrolled ...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Speckled Maroon Glazed Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese porcelain vase with a fluted opening and a speckled maroon finish that adds dimension to its rounded base, sitting atop an earthtone glazed foot. Glaze chip at center."
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Off-White and Navy Blue Bird Motif Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) off-white, porcelain urn with a navy blue bird amid florals and two blue scrolled handles along the neck. Light wear, hairline cracks."
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Six-Sided Beige Crackled Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese six-sided, beige, crackled porcelain vase, crafted in a style typical of the Song Dynasty's official kiln during the Southern Song period and acc...
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Green Floral Scrolling Design Ginger Jar Vases
Located in Queens, NY
3 Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) similar green ginger jars with floral scrolling designs surrounding circular, yellow, centered emblems, unglazed openings, and a hole in the ba...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Blue Village Scene Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) large white, porcelain urn depicting a blue scene of a village along the water, and finished with two dark blue scrolled handles along the neck. ...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Black and Multicolor Floral Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese black porcelain vase decorated with an abundance of flowers varying in size, shape and color and two patterned bands around the to...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Off-White and Navy Vine Motif Porcelain Urn Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) off-white porcelain vase with an urn form decorated in a navy blue vine and floral motifs and bold characters on 4 sides.  
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Blue Garden and Bird Design Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) white and blue porcelain urn decorated with a bird amid a flowering garden, and accented in two navy scrolled handles along the neck. Light wear...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Multicolor Decoration Porcelain Watermelon Jar
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) low, rounded porcelain vase, known as a watermelon jar, incised and painted with an array of decorations including floral arrangements in urns, bells, small...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Blue and Orange Fish Design Porcelain Sleeve Vases
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of antique Chinese (mid 20th century) sleeve-shaped porcelain vases decorated with orange fish swimming around blue backgrounds, inspired by patterns ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese Orange Lidded Porcelain Jars
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) orange porcelain jars depicting white medallions with imagery of fish, seaweed and pastoral scenes and topped with wooden lids (date mark...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain, Wood

Chinese Blue and White Deer and Floral Motif Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) large porcelain urn with blue spotted deer amid florals on an off-white background and two navy scrolled hand...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Blue Lily Pad and Floral Design Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) white and blue porcelain urn decorated with a lily pad and floral motif, and accented in two navy scrolled handles along the neck.    
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Rust Agate Elephant Urn
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese rust agate tapered urn with carved elephant handles having rings and scroll & floral carving in relief with a finial top with filigree sides. (modern base 1¬O" high).    
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Marble, Stone

Chinese White and Pink, Blue and Yellow Bogu Pattern Porcelain Urn
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) white porcelain urn painted with pink, light blue, and yellow bogu pattern - a traditional decorative theme that employs items like bronzeware, p...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White and Green Vegetal Winter Melon Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) winter melon-form porcelain vase decorated with an incised, white bottom half that grows into verdant abstracted vegetal and peacock shapes on th...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Off-White and Tonal Patterned Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese off-white porcelain vase with a pear shape carved in a tonal, scrolling botanical pattern (date mark on bottom, see photos).  
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Famille Rose Baluster Jar with Ancient Censers, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Beautifully commemorated on this lidded baluster jar, censers have been used for thousands of years in Chinese culture as a part of funeral rites or prayer offerings. Filled with dried aromatic plants and essential oils, the censer issued fragrant smoke that forged a connection to the spiritual realm. This late Qing-dynasty jar...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Blue and White Eight Treasure Gooseneck Jar
Located in Chicago, IL
The eight treasures of a scholar, which celebrate study and success, are hidden among the many symbols on this gooseneck jar, double lozenges for victory, a pearl for granting wishes...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Black and Green Leaf Glazed Porcelain Globular Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (17th Century-style) black glazed porcelain globular vase decorated with a green leaf on the front and back.   
Category

17th Century Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Beige Carved Floral Pattern Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese beige porcelain vase crafted in the style of the Song Dynasty with a thin fluted neck leading to a bulbous bottom decorated in an incised floral pattern.     
Category

20th Century Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Porcelain Armorial Urns by Naples Capodimonte 19th Century
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A pair of hand painted porcelain with armorial cartouches on the fronts and bouquets of flowers on the backs. The shapely form with cobalt and hand gilt decoration, marked with the N...
Category

1880s European Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Chinese White Peacock and Floral Design Urn-Shaped Porcelain Vases
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese white porcelain vases with urn-shaped forms decorated in large scale dark blue leaves outlined in gold, amid green, yellow and pink foliage and flora topped with blue...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese White, Brown, and Magenta Floral Motif Porcelain Vase
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese white porcelain vase decorated with incised and painted brown foliage and stems accented by magenta, light blue and yellow florals, and bands of floral garland at the openin...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Green Glazed Shiwan Pottery Teapots Qing Dynasty, 'Pair'
Located in Dallas, TX
A near pair of 19th century Sancai green glazed pottery teapots. Both with yoked handles, spouts and lids. Both also have the Republic era official government wax red seal signifying...
Category

1880s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Pottery

Chinese Enamelware Teapot with Mythical Qilin, c. 1920s
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 Vases and Vessels

Materials

Ceramic

Tall Asian Vases with Oriental Enamel
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Pair of tall tapered cylindrical vases presented on carved hardwood bases. Enamel decorated with dragons in a floral field of a deep red background.
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Enamel

Chinese Enameled Ginger Jar with Children at Play, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Contrasted by a crisp white field, this oval jar is decorated in the famille rose style with a lively scene of young children playing in a courtyard garden. Under an overarching bamb...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Enamel

Pair Antique Chinese Bronze Brown Vases Relief Bird Floral Motifs Animal
Located in London, GB
Pair Antique Chinese Bronze Brown Vases Relief Bird Floral Motifs Animal Chinese, c. 1900 Height 45cm, diameter 18cm This fine pair of Chinese bronze vases is distinguished by their...
Category

Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Bronze

Chinese Enameled Teapot with Mythical Qilin, c. 1920s
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 Vases and Vessels

Materials

Ceramic

Pair of 19th Century Famille Rose Beaker Vases
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large pair of beautifully hand-enameled. No cracks, breaks or repairs.
Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain, Paint

Antique Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Large Bowl with Colour Emamels
Located in Brea, CA
an antique important fine gold Chinese famille rose porcelain 12'' bowl with very beautiful colour enamels, hand painted, mark DaQingQianLongNianZhi, excellent condition, Measures: 1...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of 19th Century Ormolu-Mounted Chinese Porcelain Vases
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of 19th century ormolu-mounted Chinese porcelain vases.
Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Antique Pair of Chinese Dehua Porcelain Figures of Boys on Water Buffalos
Located in Brea, CA
A pair of antique Chinese measures: 8” x 8'' dehua porcelain figures of boys on water buffalos, republic period, 3'' see more pictures. buy from Bonham...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Large Pair of Canton / Rose Medallion Vases or Lamps, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very impressive pair of 19th century Chinese Cantonese or rose medallion vases or lamps. Each with wonderful bold colors, with classical oriental scenes of courtiers walking around...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Ormolu

Pair of Gu-Form Pink Porcelain Family Vases, Late 19th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Small gu-form porcelain vases decorated with pink family enamels on a yellow background with green interlaces. Decoration of white background cartouches with pink dahlias. Geometric...
Category

Late 19th Century Asian Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Blue & White Large Chinese Vase
Located in North Salem, NY
19th century large Chinese blue & white hand painted vase.
Category

19th Century Asian Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Chinese Aubergine and Blue Changing Glaze Bulbous Vase
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese bulbous vase made with a glaze that transforms after being fired in the kiln, resulting in traces of blue showing through the main aubergine/purple color. Condition: Good; W...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Ceramic

Very Good Quality Large Chinese Lidded Jars / PAIR
Located in Dallas, TX
a large pair of Chinese vases, very good quality, each with female figures as finials, seated next to garden seats, and foo lion mask hand...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Porcelain

Large 19th Century Rose Medallion Vase or Lamp, Ormolu Mounted
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very impressive 19th century Chinese rose medallion / canton vase / lamp, having wonderful gilded ormolu scrolling foliate Rococo style mounts with putti seated on either side. The...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Vases and Vessels

Materials

Ormolu

Chinese Export vases and vessels for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Chinese Export vases and vessels 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 vases and vessels created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, asian art and furniture, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, porcelain and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinese Export vases and vessels 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 vases and vessels, popular names associated with this style include Mottahedeh, Ben Owen III, CANTON FAMILLE ROSE, and Capo Di Monte. 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 vases and vessels differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $68 and tops out at $216,780 while the average work can sell for $1,497.

Still Thinking About These?

All Recently Viewed