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.
DECORATiVE PAIR OF ANTIQUE CHINESE CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER VASE TABLE LAMPS
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely pair of Chinese Circa 1940's Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Vase form table lamps A striking pair of C...
Wood
Associated Pair of 19th Century Chinese Porcelain Mirror Black Lamps
Located in San Francisco, CA
Associated pair of 19th century Chinese porcelain mirror black lamps, circa 1880 Baluster Classic form. Both on old hardwood bases. Two similar age...
Porcelain, Hardwood
Japanese, Copper, Lacquered Metal, Brass, Maruni Vase Table Lamps, Japan, 1960s
Located in Stamford, CT
Japanese, Copper, Lacquered Metal, Brass, Maruni Vase Table Lamps, Japan, 1960s Pair of lacquered deep red table lamps designed and produced in Japan in the middle of the 20th centu...
Metal
Chinese Porcelain Table Lamp with Cherry Blossom Motif, 20th Century
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese off-white porcelain table lamp made from a bulbous vase with a budding green and pink cherry blossom tree growing up its form, a wooden base, and brass hardware. Ships witho...
Ceramic
$550Sale Price / set|35% Off
Chinese Export Style Armorial Porcelain Vases as Lamps, Pair
Located in Astoria, NY
Pair of Chinese Export Style Armorial Porcelain Two Handled Vases Mounted as Table Lamps, 20th century, each decorated with polychrome flowers and a central coat of arms, depicting a...
Porcelain
Pair of Mid-Century Style Turquoise Table Lamps
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Striking pair of table lamps crafted in porcelain in a classic asian form with an alluring blue glaze and presented on lucite bases.
Porcelain, Lucite
Early 19th Century Chinese Export Porcelain Pistol Handle Urn, wired as a Lamp
Located in Atlanta, GA
Early 19th Century Chinese Export Porcelain Pistol Handle Urn, wired as a lamp.
Porcelain
Chinese White and Blue Figurative Scene Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) table lamp made from a white and blue baluster-shaped porcelain vase depicting a mother and children playing outside...
Metal, Brass
19th Century Chinese Famille Rose lamp.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th Century Chinese Famille Rose export porcelain vase / lamp. Having wonderful scrolling foliate and motif decoration, the inset hand painted panels depicting a vases of flowers, tables and chairs...
Porcelain
Chinese Export Style Jar / Vase Form Crackle Glaze Table Lamps W/ Fruit - Pair
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a lovely pair of large scale Chinese export style jar or vase form table lamps with beautiful applied fruit. They are ceramic with a bright marigold crackle finish. The pair...
Pottery, Wood
Antique Chinese Orange and Metallic Bamboo Design Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) table lamp made from a round, orange, luster porcelain, lidded vase with a metallic bamboo design, mounted on a brown wooden base and fitted wit...
Metal, Brass
Pair of Ceramic Oriental Table Lamps, Decoration, Bronze, 19th C.
Located in Stamford, CT
Pair of Ceramic Oriental Table Lamps, Decoration, Bronze, 19th C. A fine pair of porcelain vase style table lamps depicting gathered figur...
Porcelain, Teak
Antique Chinese Table Lamp, Off-White & Blue, Late 19th Century
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Late 19th Century) table lamp made from an off-white and blue stoneware vase with carved floral bands, two small decorative handles, and a scene depicting two women...
Metal, Brass
Mid-Century Chinese Export Ceramic Lotus & Floral Table Lamps - Pair
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a pair of Chinese export ceramic lotus and floral table lamps. They have 6 inch wooden bases and brass caps. It is 19.75 inches to the socket. They are a mid-century find and...
Brass
Pair of Good Quality 19th Century Chinese Rose Medallion Vases
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality pair of 19th century Chinese Cantonese / rose Medallion vases, each having the classical green ground with pink floral decoration, pierced blue handles to either ...
Porcelain
Pair of Chinese Famille Rose Ginger Jar Lamps, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality pair of 19th century Chinese Famille rose lidded ginger jar lamps, each with wonderful colorful scenes depicting vases, motifs and floral decoration, raised on pierced...
Porcelain
Chinese Export Porcelain Lamp Base
Located in Dallas, TX
A Chinese export porcelain lamp base with French, Louis XVI style bronze doré mountings.
Frederick Cooper Bronze Chinese Warrior & Horse Table Lamp
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a 1970s cast bronze Chinese warrior on horseback table lamp by Frederick Cooper. It is such a handsome piece! The lamp is in working order...
Bronze
19th Century Chinese Export Ginger Jar Lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Covered ginger jar converted to lamp. Overall ginger jar diameter is 10.5" wide at its widest point. The custom parchment shade is 19" in diameter and 9" high. Dore bronze mounts are...
Bronze
$780Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Chinese Export Chinoiserie Floor Lamp For The English Market
Located in New Orleans, LA
An outstanding antique lacquered, hand painted and hand crafted chinoiserie Chinese Export floor lamp, made for the English market and dating from about 1920. This is a quality lamp ...
Brass, Gold Leaf
Antique 19th Century Chinese Mirror Black Porcelain Jar Lamp
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A stunning antique Chinese porcelain 19th century jar, as a lamp. The porcelain jar is in a Mirror black glaze, which is a very dark The Lamp measures 27 inches to the top of the sha...
Brass
Pair of Chinese Export Porcelain Lamp Bases
Located in Dallas, TX
A pair of Chinese Export porcelain lamp bases mounted in French Louis XVI style bronze dore.
1940s Chinese Blanc-de-Chine Figural Lamp of the Goddess Guanyin
Located in Cookeville, TN
A beautifully rendered blanc-de-chine porcelain figural lamp depicting the revered Chinese goddess Guanyin, dating to the 1940s. The sculpture features graceful drapery, serene expre...
Metal
A fine pair of 19th c Chinese Rose Medallion porcelain and gilt bronze lamps
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine pair of 19th century Chinese Rose Medallion porcelain and gilt bronze mounted urn lamps. Fine quality
Bronze
Early 19th Century Chinese Celadon vase/lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality early 19th Century Chinese Celedon porcelain vase / lamp. Having a wonderful bellied form with classical embossed motif decoration around, shell like handles to e...
Ormolu
19th Century Chinese Famille Verte Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 18th century style Chinese Famille verte vase / lamp. Having bold classical Chinese scenes of courtiers under pagoda buildings and in gardens playing games and on...
Porcelain
Vintage Chinese Porcelain Nanking Crackle Glaze Famille Rose Vase Lamp 20c
Located in Richmond, CA
A vintage Chinese porcelain ovoid jar vase with Nanking style crackle glaze and decorated in famille rose with warrior figures in a battle scene, electrified and turned into a lamp o...
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Decalcomania Vase Lamp
Located in Dublin 8, IE
Early 20th Century large decalcomania vase lamp of baluster form depicting oriental figures, birds, butterflies and foliate detail set against g...
Ceramic
Pair 19th Century Chinese Rose Medallion Vases / Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
Pair 19th century Chinese Rose medallion / Cantonese spill vases, each with the classical Green ground, wonderful floral and foliate decorati...
Porcelain
19th Century Chinese Urn Lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Originally, a ginger jar converted to a lamp. Fine French dore bronze mounts. Custom parchment shade is 14" in diameter by 9.5" high. The overall body width is 9.5".
Bronze
19th Century Chinese Porcelain Lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautifully painted 19th Century Chinese vessel converted to lamp. Wooden base. Custom parchment shade is 10" high x 16" wide.
Enamel
Vintage Shanxi Province Elm Cream Lantern Floor Lamp
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Shanxi Province Elm Cream Lantern Floor Lamp This limited edition Vintage Shanxi Province Elm Cream Lantern Floor Lamp is crafted from antique elm that is over a 100 years o...
Fabric, Wood, Elm
19th Century Chinese Famille Noire Porcelain Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality 19th century Chinese Famille Noire porcelain vase / lamp, having wonderful exotic flowers hand painted to a Black ground, a tapering form mounted on bronze claw feet. ...
Porcelain
Bronze Chinese Table Lamps with Silk Pagoda Shades
Located in Bochum, NRW
Bronze Chinese table lamps with silk pagoda shades Pair of large bronze table lamps with feline decor handles. Wooden foot, silk fabric screens in pagoda form, first half of the 2...
Bronze
Late 19th Century Chinese Famille Verte Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality late 19th century Chinese Famille Verte vase/lamp. Having classical green motif and symbol decoration, mythical dog of faux handles either side. Mounted on a gilded wo...
Porcelain
Large 19th Century Chinese Rose Medallion / Canton Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality late 19th century Chinese Cantonese / rose medallion vase / lamp. Having gilded dog of faux handles and serpents, classical green ground decoration with inset painted ...
Porcelain
Pair Chinese blue and white Ginger jar vases / lamps, C19th.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
An unusual pair of late 19th Century Chinese blue and white ginger jar lamps. Each with hand painted motif decoration to the gro...
Porcelain
Vintage Shanxi Province Elm Red Lantern Floor Lamp
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Shanxi Province Elm Red Lantern Floor Lamp This limited edition Vintage Shanxi Province Elm Red Lantern Floor Lamp is crafted from antique elm tha...
Fabric, Elm
Vintage Shanxi Province Elm Brown Lantern Floor Lamp
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Shanxi Province Elm Brown Lantern Floor Lamp This limited edition Vintage Shanxi Province Elm Brown Lantern Floor Lamp is crafted from antique elm that is over a 100 years o...
Fabric, Elm
Pair of 20th Century Chinoiserie Brass Candles Sconces
Located in Germantown, MD
Measures 37" in width x 18" in depth at the base x 41.5" in height.
Brass
Pair Chinese Blue and White crackleware vases / lamps, 19th Century.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality pair of late 19th Century Chinese blue and White crackleware vases / lamps. Each with bronzed scrolling impressed boaders and handles. The crackleware ground with scro...
Porcelain
1930s Antique Chinese Brass Lotus Table Lamp, Hollywood Regency
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Under stated beauty, made in China, c.1930s. Nice heavy antique lamp from a wonderfully old multi-generational estate. Included is the original worn octagonal lampshade.
Brass
Tang Dynasty Style Pewter and Brass Horse Mount Table Lamp by Frederick Cooper
Located in New York, NY
Chic Asia Modern, Hollywood Regency, Chinese style table lamp, depicting a Tang Dynasty style horse constructed of pewter and brass table, with flowing hair tail. This example is in ...
Brass, Pewter
19th Century Chinese Blue and White crackle ware vase / lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A Chinese 19th Century Blue and White crackleware vase / lamp. Having a classical scene of a mother and child speaking to a traveller, a pair of ring drop bronzed handles in the mout...
Porcelain
$300Sale Price|20% Off
Lovely Decorative Chinese Vase Converted into a Table Lamp Decorative Piece
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely vintage Chinese vase converted into a lamp A very good looking and well-made lamp, exceptionally decorative and I think the only one...
Porcelain
19th Century Famille Rose Style Samson Porcelain Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th century Famille rose style Samson porcelain lidded vase / lamp. Having classical oriental scenes with flowers, folate and motif decoration, inset painte...
Porcelain
19th Century Rose Ormolu Mounted Rose Medallion Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th century Chinese rose medallion Cantonese vase / lamp, having wonderful gilded ormolu mounts to the top and base. Hand painted classical oriental scenes, depi...
Porcelain
Pair of Kerosene Lamps with Birds in Chinese Style
Located in Peyraud, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Pair of French antique kerosene lamps. The bronze paunch is decorated with birds on branches and flowers in Chinese style. What makes these lamps stun...
Bronze
Table lamp Rosewood - Shoulao - God of Longevity Prosperety - China
Located in Den Haag, NL
Beautiful large antique Chinese sculpture of the god of luck Shou Lao/Shouxing Lao the immortal, with crane. Silver inlay . God of Longevity cut from heavy rosewood. Dates back to t...
Rosewood
French Large Samson Chinese Export Style Porcelain Armorial Table Lamp
Located in Vero Beach, FL
French Large Samson Chinese Export Style Porcelain Armorial Table Lamp Elegant French porcelain Samson style armorial decorated table lamp from the early...
Porcelain
Pair of Chinese Porcelain Hat Stands Mounted as Lamps
Located in Germantown, MD
A Pair of Chinese enamel and pierced Porcelain Wig / hat Stands Mounted as Lamps, with Ebonized wooden base. Measures 6" in width x 6" in depth x 18.5" in height to the top light bu...
Brass
A Pair of Chinese Export Hunt Scene Porcelain Lamps
Located in Savannah, GA
A pair of Chinese export hunt scene porcelain lamps, 20th century. 7 inches wide by 6 inches deep by 20 inches tall; 16 ½ inches to top of wooden cover
Porcelain
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
Chinese Export Prunus Vase, Now as a Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Chinese Export Prunus Vase, Now as a Lamp Early 20th Century, China Dimensions: Height: 24 in Diameter: 7 in Bring home this beautifully crafted Chinese E...
Porcelain, Wood
Mid-Century Chinese Export Oxblood Red Porcelain Vase Table Lamps - Pair
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a pair of Chinese Export phoenix tail form oxblood red porcelain table lamps in very good condition. The wiring is vintage but in wor...
Porcelain, Wood
Pair of 19th Century Famille Verte Chinese Export Crackle Ware Vase Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Pair of 19th century Famille Verte Chinese Export porcelain crackle ware vase lamps on carved hardwood square bases. Entirely hand decorated, each slightly different from the other. ...
Ceramic, Hardwood
20th Century Tall Chinese Export Chinoiserie Table Lamp / Hand-Painted Details
Located in Tarry Town, NY
This impressive 20th-century Chinese export table lamp features a beautifully hand-painted Chinoiserie scene, showcasing fine craftsmanship and attention to detail. The lamp’s striki...
Brass
Antique Chinese Black Cloisonné Table Lamp with Floral Motif, China, circa 1890
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Offered is a stunning, 19th century cloisonné table lamp with a floral and bird motif. Rested upon decorative wooden stand. US PLUG ADAPTATOR WILL BE FURNISHED FOR FREE TO THE US BU...
Brass
Chinese Table Lamp, 19th Century with Brass Mount, 19th Century Famille Rose
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This table lamp is a 19th century Famille rose vase lamp, it has been made in china circa 1880. The mount is in brass, and the porcelain in hand painted. USA PLUG ADAPTATOR WILL BE ...
Bronze
$2,800Sale Price|20% Off
Early 20th Century Chinese Carved Green Jadeite Quartz Lamp
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A relatively large Chinese carved stone lamp mounted on a stepped brass and a carved wood base. The carved stone is often referred to as Jadeite or Quartz but is in fact from the flu...
Quartz
Pair of Beautiful Chinese Porcelain Lamps with Brass Bases and Custom Shades
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Pair of elegant Chinese hand painted porcelain table lamps having new leaf shaped finials and chocolate colored custom shades. Lovely brass filigree bases. SW 30” H to finial. 9” ...
Brass