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.
$3,552Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set of 6 Antique Kangxi Chinese Porcelain Floral Cup Saucer Tea Set, 18th C.
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Sharing this fantastic and unsually beautifull tea set in Blue and white, all of moulded shape. Six blue and white porcelain cups and sa...
Porcelain
$360Sale Price|25% Off
Chinese Enamelware Teapot with Twin Dragons, 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 heat, the art of drinking tea (chayi) calls for a variety of teaware and utensils - both practical and decorative. This rounded teapot...
Brass
Antique Blue & White Porcelain Tea Caddy, Hand Painted, China, 19th Century
Located in Chatham, ON
Antique blue and white porcelain tea caddy - hand painted in cobalt blue with birds and butterflies among flowering branches - non glazed lip and b...
Porcelain
$77Sale Price|45% Off
Antique Chinese Tea/Coffee Cup Flowers Yonzheng Porcelain
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A nice Imari Rose coffee cup with beautiful flower scene. Qing Dynasty – Qing Period. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Emperor: Qianlon...
Porcelain
$7,107Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set of 16 Antique Kangxi Period Chinese Porcelain Fishermen Teaset Cup Saucer
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Fantastic and unually large teaset in Blue and white, all of moulded shape. Sixteen blue and white porcelain cups and saucers, plus one extra dish All depict fishermen in a watery landscape surrounded by flowery ornamental bands. Not marked. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Decoration Type / Colour: Blood & Milk Region of Origin: China Emperor: Yongzheng (1722-1735) Period: 18th century China Dynasty Period: Qing (1661 - 1912) Condition: 8 dishes with a hairline, 2 dishes perfect, 7 dishes...
Porcelain
$2,000Sale Price|45% Off
Antique Chinese Porcelain Yellow & Overglaze Blue Teapot Chine de Commande
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Yongzheng, 18th century, Very fine painting. Yellow glaze and overglaze blue. Very rare combination. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Em...
Porcelain
Blue and white tea set c 1725, Qing dynasty, Yongzheng reign
Located in seoul, KR
The teabowl and saucer set depicts botanical elements and butterflies, motifs rich in symbolism within Chinese culture. Butterflies often represent transformation and immortality, wh...
Ceramic
Fine Qing Dynasty Four Piece Silver Coffee and Tea Service by K.W
By Kwan Wo
Located in London, GB
Kwan Wo, Chinese, active from 1875. The handles and spouts modelled as bamboo shoots, decorated overall with dragons and clouds in relief, marked 'K.W'. Total weight 1474.18gr, cof...
Silver
$885Sale Price / set|20% Off
Antique Kangxi Porcelain Chinese Red Famille Verte Tea Set Top, 18th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Kangxi period, Red Famille Verte. Stunning scene Rare set! Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Type: Tea/Coffee Drinking: Bowls, Cups & Teapots Tea Bowls & Cups R...
Porcelain
$264Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Chinese Porcelain QIanlong Fencai Decorated Teapot Rose, Ca 1740
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A very nicely decorated teapot. Qianlong period. Great decoration in Famille Rose / Fencai palette. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Per...
Porcelain
$1,507Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set of Antique Kangxi Period Chinese Porcelain Dish Amsterdam Bont Parrot
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Antique Rare Kangxi Period Chinese Porcelain Dish Amsterdam Bont Parrot Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Emperor: Kangxi (1661-1722) Chi...
Porcelain
$600Sale Price|20% Off
Three yixing teapots in a velvet lined box. Each teapot is a different color.
Located in Chicago, IL
Three yixing teapots in a velvet lined box. Each teapot is a different color clay: red, purple, and yellow. With moveable pieces in the lids. Impressed/marked on the underside, thoug...
Carrara Marble
Antique 19th c Chinese Porcelain Cantonese Figural Plate Figures Qing Daoguang
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Nice and Beautifully painted Cantonese dish with lots of highly detailed figures, flowers and animals. Early Canton ware Daoguang period. There is some text at the base, probably inv...
Porcelain
$384Sale Price|20% Off
Chinese Turquoise Enamelware Teapot, 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 heat, the art of drinking tea (chayi) calls for a variety of teaware and utensils - both practical and decorative. This rounded teapot...
Ceramic
$173Sale Price|45% Off
Antique Chinese Porcelain Qianlong Period Creamer Sauce Boat Flowers, 18th C.
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A wonderfull and high quality painted creamer. Qianlong. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Decoration Type / Colour: Imari Region of Origin: China Emperor: Kangx...
Porcelain
$198Sale Price|45% Off
Antique Chinese Porcelain Qianlong Flowers Teapot, 18th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A very nicely decorated teapot in Fencai palette. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Period: 18th century Emperor: Qianlong (1735-1796), Y...
Porcelain
$709Sale Price / set|20% Off
Antique Kangxi and Edo Period Blue and White Floral Tea Bowl Fire of Rotterdam
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A very nicely made set of tea bowls China and Japan. Historically very interesting. It has burning damage. According to the history of the family who owned it was burned after the fires that occurred during the German bombardment of Rotterdam in WW2 The German bombing of Rotterdam in World War II, also known as the Rotterdam Blitz, was the aerial bombardment of Rotterdam by the Luftwaffe on 14 May 1940, during the German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II. The objective was to support the German troops fighting in the city, break Dutch resistance...
Porcelain
$1,152Sale Price|20% Off
Tea Set Chinese Porcelain Dish Cornelis Pronk ‘Dame Au Parasol’ Pattern, 18th C.
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A Chinese Export Porcelain saucer dish and Cup after the ‘Dame Au Parasol’ design by Cornelis Pronk (1691 - 1759) commissioned by the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or V.O.C.) in 1737. Cornelis Pronk (1691-1759) was an accomplished painter and draftsman who was commissioned by the VOC in 1714 to provide designs for porcelain manufactured and painted in China. Decorated in underglaze-blue with ‘La Dame au Parasol...
Porcelain
$1,151Sale Price|45% Off
Antique Chinese Porcelain Qianlong Putti Decorated Teapot Rose, Ca 1740
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A very nicely decorated teapot. Qianlong period. Great decoration in Famille Rose / Iron red. Very nice colors. With a highly unusual figural decoration in iron red of two figures i...
Porcelain
$1,775Sale Price / set|20% Off
Antique Kangxi Chinese Famille Verte Tea Set Top, 18th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Kangxi period, Famille Verte. Stunning scene Rare set with floral and bird scene. The cup with an unusual Hare Mark. Chinese café au lait porcelain is a type of Chinese porcelain t...
Porcelain
$264Sale Price / set|20% Off
Antique Chinese Porcelain Tea Cup & Saucer Imari Qing Period, 18th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Lovely set from the qing period. Additional information: Primary Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Period: 18th century China Dynasty Period: Qing (1661 – 1912) Japanese Style...
Porcelain
$131Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Chinese Porcelain Kangxi Imari Landscape Teapot, 18th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A very nicely decorated teapot in imari palette. Kangxi period with landscape Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Period: 18th century Emp...
Porcelain
Set of 5 Antique Qianlong Period Chinese Porcelain Floral Tea Bowls with Dish
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Antique Chinese Qianlong period set of cups and saucers. Fine potting and handpainting. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Decoration Type / Colour: Blue & White ...
Porcelain
$131Sale Price / set|20% Off
Qianlong Chinese Porcelain Tea Bowl Antique, China, 19th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Cantonese tea bowl and qianlong saucer Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Period: 18th century Emperor: Kangxi (1661-1722), Yongzheng (172...
Porcelain
$530Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Antique Chinese Porcelain Eggshell Saucers Yongzheng Period Bont, 18 C
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Sharing this unusual Dutch Decorated pair of Chinese Yongzheng Eggshel Porcelain cup and saucer. Top Quality. References of similar pieces can be found in: European Decoration on Or...
Porcelain
$822Sale Price / set|20% Off
Antique 19th c Chinese Porcelain Cantonese Figural Plate Figures Qing Daoguang
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Nice and Beautifully painted Cantonese vase with lots of highly detailed flowers and animals. Early Canton ware Daoguang period. Condition No damages, just some minimal enamel loss ...
Porcelain
$52Sale Price|46% Off
Antique Porcelain Lid Cantonese Foo Dog Chinese Canton Qing Period
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Nicely made Lid from a teapot in Canton palette. Qing period. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Period: 19th century Condition: Chip to r...
Porcelain
$908Sale Price|45% Off
Chinese Porcelain Valentines Patter Teapot Chine de Commande Qianlong, 18th C
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A Chinese Porcelain teapot. Qianlong period Fantastic and highly detailed decoration in Grisaille/Encre de Chine Painted with ‘The Valentine Pattern’. Two doves perched on a quiver o...
Porcelain
$719Sale Price|39% Off
Antique Qing Chinese Porcelain Chine de Commande Creamer Fencai, 18 Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A rare Chine de Commande creamer. Possibly the lid is not matching. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Period: 18th century, 19th century...
Porcelain
$76Sale Price|46% Off
Antique Porcelain Lid Blue and White Chinese Landscape Qing Period
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Nicely made Lid from a teapot in Blue and White palette. Landscape scene. Qing period. Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Period: 19th cen...
Porcelain
$2,120Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Antique Chinese Porcelain Cantonese Cup & Dish Figures Qing Daoguang
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Nice and Beautifully painted pair of Cantonese Cups and dishes. Painted with different kind of figural scenes. Very good quality Cantonese ware. Additional information: Material: Po...
Porcelain
Blue And White Flower Pattern Tea Set C 1725, Qing Dynasty, Yongzheng Era
Located in seoul, KR
They display central floral motifs surrounded by a variety of botanical patterns including branches and blooms, indicative of classic East Asian ceramic artistry. Period : Qing Dyna...
Ceramic, Porcelain