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.
Japanese 19th Century Scalloped Imari Porcelain vase Mejii Period
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Japanese Vase, made in Japan at the beginning of the 19th century. Mejii Period With beautiful colors in red blue and white. The vase is in good condition.
Porcelain
Japanese 19th Century Scalloped Imari Porcelain Dish or Charger
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Japanese Dish or Charger, made in Japan at the beginning of the 19th century. With beautiful colors in red blue and white. The Item is in good condition.
Porcelain
Chinese Export Famille Rose Porcelain Dinner Service-Eighteen Pieces
Located in Downingtown, PA
Exquisite Bloom: Chinese Export Famille Rose Dinner Service This magnificent eighteen-piece Chinese Export Porcelain Dinner Service, dating from Circa 1730–1735, is a superb example...
Porcelain
$1,340Sale Price / set|20% Off
Mid 19th Century Set of Chinese Cantonese Blue & White Dinner/Lunch Set 71 pcs
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fantastic set of blue & white hand decorated porcelain Canton ware, perfect for a lunch 68 pcs. 13 - tea cups 13 - saucers 13 - 9" plates 2 - 7" bowls 17- 6" plates 3 - 10" dinner pl...
Paste, Porcelain
Japanese 19th Century Scalloped Imari Porcelain vase Mejii Period
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Japanese Vase, made in Japan at the beginning of the 19th century. Mejii Antique Japanese Porcelain Vase, Early 20th Century, Blue and Orange Floral Design, 23 cm Diameter This stunning Japanese porcelain vase dates back to the early 19th century and boasts a captivating blue and orange color palette with subtle touches of red. Featuring intricate floral and vegetal motifs, the design gracefully intertwines across a rich deep blue background, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship. With a diameter of 23 cm and a height of 20 cm, this vase is perfectly sized for display as a centerpiece or part of a curated collection. Its excellent condition preserves its timeless elegance, making it an ideal choice for lovers of antique Japanese art, porcelain decor, or unique design pieces. A rare find for collectors and enthusiasts alike, this vase embodies the aesthetic refinement of early 19th-century Japanese ceramics. Keywords: Japanese porcelain vase, early 19th century, blue and orange vase, floral design, antique Japanese decor...
Porcelain
Fine Chinese Export Canton Porcelain Plate
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This is a plate from china, it has been made late 19th century, very nice colors, green, orange blue. It is a canton plate.
Porcelain
Japonese Plate Famille Rose Meiji Period, Japan 1830
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This plate is a japanese place in porcelain. Made in Japan circa 1830, during the Meiji period. Representing a lady and a child. With colored enamaled porcelain, decorations.
Porcelain
Japanese 19th Century Scalloped Imari Porcelain Dish or Charger
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Japanese Dish or Charger, made in Japan at the beginning of the 19th century. With beautiful colors in red blue and white. The Item is in good condition.
Porcelain
Pair of Antique Chinese Export Famille Rose Dessert Plates Circa 1750
Located in Katonah, NY
We are pleased to offer this pair of Chinese export Famille Rose dessert plates with sprays of delicately painted flowers in purple and pink surrounding a bouquet of tulips and peoni...
Porcelain
$476Sale Price / set|20% Off
Mid 19th Century Hand Crafted Flow Blue Ironstone set 6 Deep Lunch Plates Nankin
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fantastic set of six Flow Blue deep lunch plates. 8.5 x 1,75 deep. Excellent antique condition except for one plate which has a chip and crack on edge, see pic. Beautifully decorated...
Paste, Ironstone
Large Japanese dish, Ilmari period, Japan, 19th century
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
A superb large Japanese porcelain platter in the Imari style, dating from the 19th century. This richly decorated piece features an elegant composition blending figurative scenes and floral motifs, typical of the Imari tradition. The decoration depicts female figures dressed in refined kimonos, surrounded by stylized landscapes, birds, and floral compositions. The emblematic colors—deep blue, orange-red, green, and gold highlights—create a striking contrast and demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship. The decorative reserves, alternating narrative scenes and abstract motifs, offer a harmonious balance and exquisite execution. This platter can be used as a decorative wall piece or as a centerpiece on a table, bringing a touch of Asian and historical elegance to your home. Characteristics Period: 19th century Origin: Japan Style: Imari Material: Porcelain Colors: Blue, red, green, white with gold highlights Decoration: Figures, flowers, birds, traditional motifs Use: Decorative dish, collectible, wall decoration Condition: Good antique condition with signs of wear consistent with age Style Asian Art Imari Traditional Japanese Decor Antique Keywords Imari Japanese plate, antique Japanese porcelain, Imari dish, 19th century Japanese ceramics, oriental decorative plate, Japanese antique dish, Imari porcelain plate, Asian art plate, vintage Japanese decor, large Imari dish, Japan, antique Japanese porcelain, Japanese decorative dish, antique Asian art, Imari collection...
Porcelain
Set of Eight Chinese Enamel Plates, Floral Border, 19th Century, China
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 8 Asian Chinese-style (19/20th Century) enamel plates with blue floral border and figural scene (PRICED AS SET)
Enamel
$6,500 / set
Nine Blue Onion Meissen Show or Wall Plates
Located in Stamford, CT
Nine blue onion Meissen show or wall plates. This is a stunning collection of blue white wall platters purchased from a NYC Socialite at the Beekman on the East side of Manhattan. Th...
Porcelain
Pair Chinese Export Yongzheng Famille Rose Plates, circa 1730, China
Located in Austin, TX
A gorgeous pair of 18th century Chinese Export porcelain plates decorated in stunning famille rose enamels, Yongzheng Period, circa 1730, China. The small plates decorated in bright and bold famille rose enamels, with pink dominating the color palette. The center of the plates featuring large floral sprays featuring magnolia and peony blossoms among other flowering plants. The rims of the plates with alternating half blossoms of pink magnolia and pink lotus against a dense diaper ground. Gilt painted ribbons scroll around the rim and down the cavetto, holding peaches and Daosit emblems, including castanets, a flute, a drum, and a ruyi scepter...
Porcelain
Japanese 19th Century Scalloped Imari Porcelain Dish or Charger
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Japanese Dish or Charger, made in Japan at the beginning of the 19th century. With beautiful colors in red blue and white. The Item is in good condition.
Porcelain
Chinese porcelain dish with blue floral motifs, China 19th
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
An elegant 19th-century Chinese porcelain plate, decorated in underglaze blue on a white ground. The central design features a refined array of stylized floral and plant motifs, accompanied by traditional architectural elements. The rim is adorned with a repeating geometric and floral frieze, harmoniously framing the main scene. The delicacy of the design and the richness of the detail attest to the skill of Chinese workshops of this period. An ideal decorative piece for an antique porcelain collection or to enhance a gallery wall. Characteristics Origin: China Period: 19th century Material: Porcelain Decoration: Underglaze blue, floral and plant motifs Shape: Round Condition: Good antique condition, slight signs of age consistent with its age Style Traditional Chinese porcelain Blue and white decoration Antique Asian art Classic elegance Keywords Chinese porcelain plate, China, 19th century, blue and white, floral decoration, antique porcelain, Asian art, antique tableware, Chinese porcelain collection, plant motif, antique oriental plate...
Porcelain
Set of 4 Chinese Export Porcelain Plates with Floral Decoration & Armorial Crest
Located in Atlanta, GA
Set of 4 Chinese Export Porcelain Plates with Floral Decoration & Armorial Crest, ca. 1760
Porcelain
Chinese octagonal Imari export plate, c. 1740-60
Located in Kenilworth, IL
Chinese export porcelain octagonal plate decorated in the Chinese Imari taste. The plate is decorated in cobalt underglaze blue and ...
Porcelain
Yongzheng Chinese Export Porcelain Plate with Arms of Elwick of Middlesex
Located in Downingtown, PA
Mercantile Masterpiece: The Elwick Armorial Plate (c. 1730) This rare and historically significant Chinese Export Armorial Porcelain Plate, dating to Circa 1730 during the Yongzheng...
Porcelain
Early English William Whiteley Ltd of London Ironstone Imari Plates, S/10
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a lovely set of early 20th century English ironstone Imari plates by William Whitely Ltd. of London. There are no chips or cracks, and ...
Ironstone
Chinese Export Porcelain Famille Rose Plates Painted with Flower Baskets
Located in Downingtown, PA
Exquisite Prosperity: Chinese Export Porcelain Famille Rose Plates with Flower Baskets Set of Six. This beautiful pair of Chinese Export porcelain plates, dating from the Yongzheng ...
Ceramic, Porcelain
Fine Chinese Export Porcelain Plate
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This is a plate from China, it has been made late 19th century, very nice colors, black, brown blue. It is a canton plate.
Porcelain
$1,600 / set
Chinese Canton Style Porcelain Plates
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 5 Asian Chinese Canton-style (19th Century) porcelain plates with figures and floral design (PRICED AS SET) Minor chips to edge
$324 / set
Pair of Japanse Plates
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Pair of Japanese porcelain plates. The colors are blue, pink and green. They were made in Japan in the 19th century.
Porcelain
$369Sale Price|23% Off
18th Century Chinese Plate or Bowl Blue & White, Qing Qianlong Circa 1770
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a good Chinese porcelain circular deep plate or soup bowl made for the export (Canton) market, during the middle of the 18th century, Qing-Qianlong period. The plate is well...
Porcelain
The Gresley-Bowyer Commission: Armorial Porcelain with a Chinese View
Located in Downingtown, PA
The Gresley-Bowyer Commission: Armorial Porcelain with a Chinese View: Yongzheng Armorial Plate (1735) This superb Chinese Export Armorial Porcelain Plate...
Porcelain
$4,760Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair, Chinese Export ‘Yonge’ Armorial Porcelain Soup Plates Yongzheng Circa 1731
Located in Atlanta, GA
Pair, Chinese Export ‘Yonge’ Armorial Porcelain Soup Plates Yongzhen or Yongzheng Circa 1731. “Pair of Export Porcelain Armorial Soup Plates, China, c. 1731, centering the arms of Y...
Enamel
Large 18th Century Chinese Export Armorial Charger
Located in Dallas, TX
An impressive 18th century Chinese export armorial charger. Crest in center of plate with floral sprays around the border. Decorative bands around of plate and the rim. White backgro...
Porcelain
19th Century Chinese Porcelain Dish
Located in Brea, CA
19th century Chinese porcelain dish with beautiful hand painted. Diameter 12.4 inch, with a mark.
Porcelain
19th Century Pair of Chinese Porcelain Fruit Dishes
Located in Brea, CA
19th century a pair of large Chinese porcelain fruit dishes with beautiful hand painted. Measures: 8.5 x 6.25 x 2 inch.
Porcelain
$2,400 / set
Three 18th Century Chinese Export Plates
Located in Buchanan, MI
Set of three Chinese export plates with floral decoration. Three 18th century Chinese exprort plates.
Porcelain