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.
to
56
218
133
364
4
1
Height
to
Width
to
251
121
56,500
19,161
8,867
7,768
3,787
2,678
1,945
1,572
1,571
898
832
742
619
595
525
405
200
131
10
161
193
5
53
49
22
3
6
4
3
4
9
4
1
2
278
235
139
97
77
299
289
285
26
20
369
369
369
1
1
1
1
1
Style: Chinese Export
Elegant hand painted Chinese pottery table lamps/a pair
Located in Allentown, PA
This is an elegant pair of hand painted Chinese pottery table lamps. These converted hand painted vases have been turned into this pair of elegant table lamps. The lamps feature hand...
Category
1990s Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Pottery
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...
Category
1950s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Rosewood
Chinese Porcelain Table Lamp With Foo Dogs on Lucite Base
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
19th Century Chinese Familie Rose Style Porcelain Vase Table Lamp. This ceramic urn has been converted into a table lamp an old wooden circular base and later refitted on a square fr...
Category
1880s Italian Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain, Lucite, Wood
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 Chinese Export Turquoise/ White Famille-Verte Floral Vases Now as Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair Chinese Export Turquoise/ White Famille-Verte Floral Vases now as Lamps
Each one of square form, finely decorated with intricate turquoise enameled necks, the sides hand paint...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain, Wood
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 Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
Chinese Export Mandarin Warrior Famille Rose Vase, Now as a Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Chinese Export Mandarin Warrior Famille Rose Vase, Now as a Lamp
The porcelain vase, China circa 1860
The gilt mountings and lamping USA, Circa 1925
A magnificent Chinese Export Man...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal
Fine Antique Chinese 19c Relief Carved Celadon Porcelain Vase Table Lamp 20c
Located in Richmond, CA
A fine 19c Chinese relief carved celadon glaze handled vase, decorated with scrolling vines, lappets and borders, with faux ring handles to neck, and "S...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese 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
Antique Chinese Carved Green 'Jadeite' Quartz Lamp
Located in Norwood, NJ
A Chinese carved stone lamp mounted on a carved rosewood base. The carved stone is often referred to as Jadeite or Quartz but is in fact from the fluorite family. This lamp base was ...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Quartz
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
Pair Chinese Export Blue & White Porcelain Exotic Florals & Foo Dog Medallions
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair Chinese Export Blue & White Porcelain Exotic Florals & Foo Dog Medallions, China, 20th Century
This striking pair of Chinese Export Blue & White Porcelain Lamps captures the t...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
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
Asian Export Ceramic Rabbit lamps
Located in Denton, TX
Beautiful Chinese export ceramic rabbits mounted on a scrolled wooden base with adjustable shade height. The rabbit is the symbol of kindness and hope. Originally the rabbits were a ...
Category
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Chinese Porcelain Vase Table Lamp
Located in Baltimore, MD
This is a colourful antique Chinese porcelain vase, depicting a traditional Chinese scene with exotic birds and landscape, converted into an elegant table lamp with a fine linen shad...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Hardwood, Porcelain, Linen
Blue and White Cherry Blossom Vase Lamp on Gilt Wood Base
Located in New York, NY
Blue and white cherry blossom vase lamp on gilt wood base. Late 19th Century hand-painted blue and white Chinese vase in the cherry blossom pattern...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain, Giltwood
Chinese Sang Du Boeuf vase / lamp, 1860
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative early 19th Century Chinese Export, Sang Du Boeuf porcelain vase with wonderful French gilded ormolu Rococo style collar and base.
Batch 83 63435 DNKZZ
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
Vintage Pierced Blanc de Chine and Bisque Porcelain Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Vintage bulbous pierced single lamp, of grand scale. The globe-form Blanc de Chine bottom portion surmounted by a cylindrical pierced top of unglazed bisque porcelain.
Base (Diame...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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
Large Pair of 19th Chinese Yellow and Green Ground Vases/ lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A large, good quality pair of 19th century Chinese green and yellow ground vases, each with classical motif decoration, scrolling flowers, leaves an...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Japanese Vase with Black Background in the Style of Chinese Famille Verte
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Japanese Vase with Black Background in the Style of Chinese Famille Verte. Well decorated with woman in a garden. No chips, cracks or repairs, drilled for electricity
21" h to socke...
Category
20th Century Japanese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Carved Soapstone Lamp
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A carved soapstone lamp base, unusual because of the color of the stone; reddish, brown and black. The carving is in the shape of a vase which i...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Sandstone
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
Antique Chinese Famille Rose Multi-Colored Porcelain Vase Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese table lamp made from an 18th century porcelain vase mounted with wood and brass hardware as a lamp, with a famille rose intr...
Category
18th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Pair of Antique Chinese Porcelain Lamps
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Pair of early 20th Century Chinese porcelain vases custom mounted on lucite bases. Each vase decorated with a perched birds of paradise and colorful vegetation on a brown ground.
Wi...
Category
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
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 Chinoiserie Faux Cinnabar Lacquer Vase Lamp
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A large Chinoiserie faux
Cinnabar lacquer vase lamp
Mid 20th century.
Baluster-shaped vase cast in plaster in great detail
Shaped panels depic...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Pottery
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.
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Decorative Chinese Flying Foo Dogs Carved Wooden Base Table Lamps
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
For customers that require professional insured delivery we are proud to have teamed up with a nationwide professional delivery company that will assist with coordinating your delivery needs! They offer a reasonable flat-rate fee for delivery and set up to the ground floor of your home. They deliver to the vast majority of the lower 48 states. They offer a flat rate for most of our items with exclusions for the largest or most complex items such as breakfronts or crystal chandeliers or other items of greater complexity. For those items please ask for a shipping quote prior to purchase as these rates are different from our stated pricing. For those items please ask for a shipping quote prior to purchase. Most deliveries to the East Coast will be 295.00, to the mid-west and Southern mid-west 395.00. To the areas west of Kansas 495.00 and the farthest points to the West coast will be 595.00. Again, some areas we can't cover, however we can deliver to most of the lower 48 states so please inquire to be sure! Delivery times range from as fast as 1-4 weeks for the east coast to 5-9 weeks to the farthest areas of the west coast, sometimes longer and sometimes even shorter. If it is a time sensitive purchase, we may be able to accommodate you for a higher price. It is our goal to please each and every one of our customers with the highest standard of service possible. You must realize and accept that we are shipping antique, vintage and quality used furnishings to your home. We cannot control traffic, weather, and acts of God. There will be times when additional patience will be necessary.
This is a beautiful pair of flow blue Chinese...
Category
1960s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ceramic, Fruitwood
Famille Noir Vase as Table Lamp
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is a very decorative Famille Noir vase with colorful flowers and leaves painted overall on a black background, situated on pierced rosewood base, electrified and converted to a ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century Chinese Famille Rose Gilt Metal Mounted Vase as Table Lamp
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is a lovely Chinese Famille Rose vase decorated with a centralized scene depicting Classic Chinese figures and floral motif, electrified as a lamp and ensconced in ornate gilt m...
Category
1860s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal
Pair of 20th Century Canton Enamel Mandarin & Bird Motif Vases, Now as Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of 20th Century Canton Enamel Mandarin & Bird Motif Vases, Now as Lamps
An exquisite Pair of 20th Century Canton Enamel Mandarin & Bird Motif Vases, now transformed into lamp...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Copper
Wood Chinese Table Lamp, with Hand Carved Butterfly Decoration Pa, China 1880
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This is a table lamps in wood, handcarved. With butterfly decor pattern. It has been made in china circa 1880. Brown color. Rond Shape.
USA PLUG A...
Category
1880s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Wood
Lamp Table Celadon Vase with Lid Chinese Custom Shade
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Large, vintage, Chinese, Celadon vase with cover, upcycled into table lamp with custom made linen shade, 32” high
Celadon ware has been prized for centuries for its beauty because...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Celadon, 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...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
19th C, Chinese, Champleve Cloisonne Vase Mounted as a Table Lamp
Located in New York, NY
Charming champleve cloisonné bronze base, enameled table lamp, in very good, original, clean and working condition. The lamp has a vase form body, with unusual and intriguing Chinese...
Category
19th Century American Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Enamel
A Good Pair of Chinese Export-style Floral Decorated Vases Mounted as Lamps
Located in San Francisco, CA
each of shapely baluster form with flaring neck above a bulbous body with a flared foot; hand-painted overall with iron-red floral and foliate vines and clusters with flying birds on...
Category
1960s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ceramic
Pair of Vintage Chinese Yellow and Green Tole Palm Tree Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Vintage Chinese tole table lamps in the shape of palm trees, painted yellow and green, resting on octagonal bases and mounted with brass hardware. (PRICED AS Pair)
Ships wit...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Antique Chinese Lantern, Hexagonal, Oriental, Cedar Late 19th Century circa 1880
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a large antique Chinese lantern. A hexagonal, Oriental lamp crafted from cedar in the late 19th century, circa 1880.
Cedar with supe...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Cedar
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
Pair of Chinese Red & White Peking Glass Vases, Now as Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Chinese Red and White Peking Glass Vases, Now as Lamps
China 20th Century
This elegant pair of Chinese red and white Peking glass vases, now converted into lamps, beautifu...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Glass, Wood
Chinese Ginger Jar Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese style (20th Cent) ginger jar shaped table lamp with a black, green & blue background with figures on a wood base.
Ships without a shade
Category
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
Pair of Antique Chinese Porcelain Lamps
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Pair of Chinese porcelain vases mounted as lamps. Square tapering vases with alternating panels with floral decorations on a white background. Mounted on mahogany colored bases. Wire...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Antique Chinese Blue & White Table Lamp
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Classically elegant timeless vintage Chinese blue and white table lamp having lovely floral decoration. Custom shade is 10" h x 15 diamete...
Category
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair Famille rose Ginger jars / lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
Pair late 19th Century Famille Rose Ginger jar / lamps, each depicting mothers and children playing. Mounted on turned ebonized bases.
Batch 82...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Export Black Ceramic Table Lamp with Floral and Bird Design
Located in Savannah, GA
Chinese Export table lamp made from a graceful vase decorated with colorful birds, dogwood branches and fruit on an orange peel surface. The hardware is brass and the vase is perched...
Category
1930s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Chinese 18th Century style Ormolu mounted lamp.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
An impressive Chinese 18th Century style, Celadon porcelain vase / lamp, having classical oriental motif hand painted decoration to the whole, and scrolling handles to each side. Mou...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
Chinese Sang Du Boeuf vase / lamp, 1860
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative early 19th Century Chinese Export, Sang Du Boeuf porcelain vase with wonderful French gilded ormolu Rococo style collar and base.
Batch 83 63435 DNKZZ
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
19th Century Chinese Famille Rose Crackleware Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very impressive and decorative 19th Century Chinese Famille Rose crackelware vase / lamp. Having classical motif bronzed decoration, leaf and berry handles. Hand painted scenes dep...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Antique Chinese Blue And White Porcelain Vase As Lamp
Located in Norwood, NJ
Chinese 19th century porcelain blue and white vase converted as a lamp. Hand painted with Chinese figures in a courtyard setting with a light celadon ground and decorated with applie...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain, Wood
Vintage Chinese White Porcelain Jar Table Lamp
Located in North Hollywood, 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 19c Chinese Blue & White Prunus Blossom Vase Table Lamps Early 20c
Located in Richmond, CA
A matching pair of antique 19c Chinese blue and white vase of elongated barrel form, hand painted with sprays of prunus blossoms in reserve on cobalt blue ground, drilled four charac...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of 18/19th Century Chinese Powder Blue Lamps
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
This pair of 18th/19th Century Chinese Blue lamps is a beautiful and elegant example of Chinese porcelain craftsmanship. Powder blue became popular on porcelains in the Kangxi reign....
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Vintage Chinese Red and Gold Hand-Painted Tole Ginger Jar Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Vintage Chinese tole table lamps made from lidded ginger jars mounted with brass hardware, hand painted with an outdoor garden / genre scene in gold, white, and black, agains...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Pair of Chinese Canton / Rose Medallion Vases / Lamps, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality pair of 19th century Chinese rose medallion vases, each with wonderful bold pinks, blues and green coloring, exotic bird handles on either side, lizards circling ...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Pink Floral and Bird Design Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese pink ceramic table lamp made from a baluster-shaped vase decorated with colorful birds, florals and koi on a wooden base with brass hardware.
Vase is cracked near the socke...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Antique Chinese Porcelain Blue And White Ginger Jar As Lamp
Located in Norwood, NJ
Antique blue and white on celadon Chinese porcelain ginger jar converted as a lamp. Hand painted double happiness motif with floral decoration. Mounted on shaped rosewood base.
16" t...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain, Wood
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.