Chinese Export Lighting
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
Pair Rose Medallion Chinese vases / lamps, 19th Century.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
Pair of good quality 19th Century Chinese Rose medallion porcelain vases / lamps. Each vase having the unusual pink colouring, bird handles to either side, and Lizards. The inset han...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Chinese Blue Tole Palm Tree and Man Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese light blue tole table lamps depicting a man holding a fan sitting in the shade of a palm tree. (PRICED AS Pair)(Companion lamps: NWL2012)
On...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
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...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Off-White and Blue Figurative Scene Stoneware Table Lamp
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...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Pair of Chinese Off-White Orange and Pink Floral Motif Porcelain Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
"Pair of similar Chinese porcelain table lamps made from off-white, urn-shaped vases with pink, orange and green florals, berries, leaves and snap dragons with wooden bases and brass...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Pair of 19th Century Rose Medallion Ormolu Mounted Vases / Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality pair of Chinese Cantonese / rose medallion bellied vases / lamps. Each with wonderful gilded ormolu scrolling foliate mounts top and bottom. ...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
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".
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair Chinese Blue and White Crackle Ware Lamps, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
Pair late 19th century Chinese blue and white crackle ware vases, each with hand painted scenes of Doves sitting among flowers and foliage set b...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century Rose Medallion lamp.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th Century Chinese Rose medallion vase / lamp. Having classical inset hand painted panels depicting classical scenes of various courtier, the ground in the typi...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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.
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
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 ...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
ANTIQUE CHINESE EXPORT CIRCA 1920 ANTiQUE CHINOISERIE BLACK LACQUER FLOOR LAMP
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques
Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this very rare hand painted and lacquered Chinese Export circa 1920's Chinoiserie floor standing lamp
Pleas...
Category
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Wood
Importance Chinese Lamp from the Beginning of the 20th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Importance Chinese lamp from the beginning of the 20th century mounted on gold gilt bronze.
H: 116cm, D: 60cm
Category
Early 20th Century Asian Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Vintage Mid-Century Chinese Wooden Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
Vintage Mid-Century Chinese style wood lamp with fretwork design carving.
Ships without a shade
Category
20th Century Unknown Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Wood
LOVELY ANTiQUE STYLE CHINESE PORCELAIN LARGE TABLE LAMP SUPER DECORATIVE FINISH
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques
Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely ex-display Chinese Porcelain table lamp with lovely original finish
Please note the delivery f...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Hand Painted Ceramic Table Lamp
Located in Bradenton, FL
A Chinese table lamp made with a converted fragrance vase as the base. The vase is hand painted with two long-tailed blue birds perched on flowering Cherry blossom branch. Below is a...
Category
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ceramic
Pair of 19th Century Rose Medallion, Canton Vases or Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
An impressive pair of 19th Century Chinese cantonese, rose medallion vases or lamps. Having panels of classical oriental scenes, also flowers, birds and butterflies amongst a green b...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Art Deco Turquoise Craquelure Porcelain Vase Lamp
Located in New York, NY
Chinese Art Deco turquoise craquelure porcelain vase lamp with stylised
foo dog handles. Original brass base and lamp cap.
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ceramic
Pair of Canary Yellow Porcelain Vases as Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Each of square tapering form mounted on a turned gilt base, fitted with adjustable brass rod and two-light sockets, height of vase is 15.5".
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
$2,800 / set
Important Chinese blue ceramic lamp with butterflies, Quing Thongzhi, China 1865
Located in VÉZELAY, FR
Important Chinese lamp in blue ceramic decorated with butterflies and flowers.
China.
QING dynasty, Tongzhi era, 1861-1875
Blackened wooden base
In excellent condition, electricity ...
Category
1860s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain, Wood, Ceramic
$2,587 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Chinese Export Urn Lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Originally a covered Chinese jar converted to lamp with very fine French dore bronze mounts. Beautiful bronze finial. Custom parchment shade dimension is 15" in diameter x 9.5" high.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Chinese Famille Verte Vase or Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th century Chinese Famille Verte vase or lamp. Having wonderful hand painted inset panels to the green ground, depicting birds, flowers and various plants. Tape...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century Samson, Famille Verte Style Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th century Samson, famille verte style lidded vase / lamp, having wonderful gilded ormolu scrolling foliate and beeded decoration. The vase having a green folia...
Category
19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Quartz
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...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair Yellow Porcelain Dragon Table Lamps
Located in Houston, TX
Pair carved porcelain gourd lamps with white shades. Intricately incised porcelain detailed with bold multi colored auspicious dragons, clouds and greek key over a bold yellow backgr...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
$6,400 / set
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...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Samson Porcelain Famille Rose Style Lidded Vase
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th century Famille Rose style porcelain lidded vase / lamp. Having wonderful colorful floral and motif decoration with scenes of vases with exotic flowers....
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Crackle Glazed Vase Mounted as a Table Lamp, 19th Century
Located in London, by appointment only
Chinese Crackle Glazed Vase Mounted as a Table Lamp.
Chinese monochrome crackle-glazed vase with opposing black lion masks, now mounted a...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Rose Medallion Canton Baluster Vase circa 1800 Mounted as a Table Lamp
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Rose Medallion Chinese Export Canton baluster vase circa 1800 mounted as a table lamp wired for the USA. This exquisite Rose Medallion Chinese Export baluster vase from circa 1800 ...
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
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...
Category
Early 20th Century Irish Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ceramic
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.
Category
1930s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
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...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Porcelain and Brass Table Lamps with Chinese Decoration
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This very nice and fine pair of table lamps is made of porcelain in the blue and white tons with Chinese decoration on a brass base. This is a French work. Circa 1970
Category
Late 20th Century French Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
19th Century Chinese Powder Blue Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A striking 19th century Chinese power blue vase / lamp with French gilded ormolu mounts to the top and plinth base.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
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...
Category
20th Century French Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair Chinese Celadon Porcelain Vases / Lamps, circa 1900
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative pair of late 19th century Chinese Celadon porcelain two handled vases, each with embossed classical motif decoration. Mounted on faux Sienna marble plinths and wire...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese 19th Century Sang Du Bouf Vase or Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality 19th century Chinese Sang du Bouf porcelain vase / lamp. Having gilded ormolu mounts.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century, Chinese Blue and White vase / lamp. 56cm (22") high
Located in Brighton, Sussex
An impressive, good quality late 19th Century Chinese export blue and white crackleware vase / lamp. Having wonderful hand painted scenes of soldiers on horseback and running holding...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Mid-Century Chinese Export Style Green Embossed Gourd Table Lamps - Pair
Located in Kennesaw, GA
I love the color! This is a pair of mid-century Chinese Export style gourd lamps .They have dual sockets and adjustable stems. The bases and caps are brass, and the bodies are a rais...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Mid-20th Century Vintage Chinese Hand-Painted Porcelain Jar Table Lamp
Located in Pomona, CA
A vintage famille rose porcelain table lamp from the mid-20th century with kids playing design and Buddhist floral pattern. Born in China during the mid-20th century, this vintage fa...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Chinese Export Jadeite Stone Lamps
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
The stone bodies of this type of interior illuminated lamp are often referred to as quartz, jadeite or even jade but are in fact of the fluorite famil...
Category
Mid-20th Century Asian Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Quartz
$2,000 Sale Price / item
20% Off
Marbro Asian Style Hand Painted Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Fulton, CA
Hand painted porcelain table lamp by The Marbro Lamp Company, circa. 1950's. Asian style ginger jar design with floral motif. Double pull-chain light socke...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Large Antique Oriental Ceramic Table Lamp
Located in London, GB
A stunning and very impressive large antique oriental ceramic table lamp. We can’t work out if it’s Chinese or Japanese. It dates from the late 19th century and was likely converted ...
Category
1890s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ceramic, Wood
Chinese Porcelain Hat Stand Table Lamp
Located in Baltimore, MD
This is a colorful antique Chinese porcelain hat stand, depicting a group of women in a traditional Chinese setting, converted into an eleg...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain, Linen, Rosewood
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...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair 19th Century Rose Medallion porcelain vases / lamps.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
An unusual and rare pair of 19th Century Chinese Rose Medallion porcelain vases / lamps. Each with wonderful raised decoration, depictin...
Category
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Blue and White 19th Century Vase / lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A decorative late 19th Century Chinese export blue and white vase / lamp. Having wonderful flower and leaf decoration and mythical ...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Export Lamp
Located in Stockton, NJ
A blue and white motif Chinese export vase, now as lamp. Interesting raised dragon detail. Distress painted base. Two sockets. Shade for display purposes only. Vase measures 19"H.
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
$2,200
Pair Chinese Porcelain Dragon Vases fitted as Lamps
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a very large and stunning pair of late 19th century Chinese Pale Celadon Crackle Glazed Dragon and Flaming Pearl Vases that have been adapted to lamps with double socket fitt...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Hand-painted Flower Motif Porcelain Table Lamp, Qing Dynasty, China
Located in Grythyttan, SE
Hand-Painted flower motif porcelain table lamp, Qing dynasty, China, late 19th or early 20th century.
This stunning cylinder-shaped table lamp has been expertly repurposed from a va...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Large Pair of Canton / Rose Medalion Chinese Vases / Lamps, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality pair of large 19th century Chinese Canton vases / lamps. Each with a green ground with flowers, foliage, butterflies and birds surr...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Black Chinese Pottery Vase Designer Table Lamp
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Huge Black Chinese Pottery Vase Now a Designer Table Lamp
Additional information:
Materials: Pottery
Color: Black
Designer: Randy Esada Designs...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Pottery
Pair 19th Century Famille Verte Chinese Porcelain Lamps
Located in Bradenton, FL
Rare pair decorated with court figures engaged in leisurely pursuits, on carved wood bases. Bright vivid and colorfully hand painted motif. Please note shade is not included.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
$2,340 Sale Price / set
35% Off
Vintage Chinese White Porcelain Jar Table Lamp
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Chinese table lamp made from a white porcelain urn painted with a floral red roses design around mounted on a brown wooden base and fi...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair Antique Chinese Famille Rose Rouleau Figural Vase Table Lamps Early 20c ROC
Located in Richmond, CA
A matching mirror pair of antique Chinese early 20th century famille rose figural rouleau vase turned into lamps. The finely painted decorations depict a scene of a general looking u...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
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...
Category
19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Export lighting for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Chinese Export lighting 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 lighting created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include lighting, asian art and furniture, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, porcelain and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinese Export lighting 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 lighting, popular names associated with this style include The Marbro Lamp Company, CANTON FAMILLE ROSE, Capodimonte, and Chapman Manufacturing Company. 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 lighting differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $200 and tops out at $24,680 while the average work can sell for $2,406.
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