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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
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

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 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

19th Century Samson Famille Rose Style Ormolu Mounted Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th century Samson porcelain, Famille Rose style porcelain lidded vase / lamp. Having wonderful colorful classical oriental motif, floral and foliate decora...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain

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 of Chinese Modern Brass Lamps
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of Chinese Modern Brass Lamps. A great pair of well detailed Chinese modern or Asian modern brass table lamps This versatile pair of Hollywood ...
Category

1940s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Brass

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

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

Late 19thC Chinese Import Hardwood Lantern Stand
Located in Altrincham, GB
Late 19thC Chinese Import Hardwood Lantern/Gong Stand - formed as a dragon's head on a circular base with a painted paper and bamboo shade - 16"w x 9"d x 28.5"h - converted to electr...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Hardwood

Midcentury Chinese Export Style Porcelain Tobacco Leaf Pattern Table Lamp
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a Chinese Export style porcelain table lamp in the vibrant tobacco leaf pattern. The wiring is new, and it is mounted to a brass base. It is unmarked.
Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain

Pair Reddish Orange Asian Style Ceramic Table Lamps
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Pair of Asian style vibrant reddish orange baluster form ceramic table lamps on giltwood bases. Newly wired with new brass 3 way sockets and cords. Shades not included.  
Category

1960s American Vintage Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Brass

Large Carved Jadeite 'flourite' Lamp
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 family, a softer sone more easily car...
Category

1930s Southeast Asian Vintage Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Quartz

Antique Chinese Ching Dynasty Seated Famille Rose Figurines Designer Table Lamps
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Antique Chinese Ching Dynasty seated famille rose figurines now designer table lamps. These lovely figures set freely on the lamp stands and have not bee...
Category

18th Century Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Pottery

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

Circa 1890 Chinese Export Porcelain Famille Rose Vase Mounted as Lamp
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Circa 1890 Chinese Export Porcelain Famille Rose Vase Mounted as a Lamp. Large vase with shoulder dragons & foo lion handles; familial scenes. Vase: 15" h. Integral harp for lamp. 26...
Category

1890s Chinese Antique 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

Chinese Gilt Bronze Mounted Rose Quartz Lamp, circa 1890
Located in Norwood, NJ
19th century antique Chinese hand-carved and polished translucent rose quartz carving of a standing Guanyin with phoenix bird, mounted on a open work bronze plinth. Mounted as a lamp...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Bronze

19thc Painted Porcelain Vases Converted into Lamps w/ Teak Bases & Custom Shades
Located in Savannah, GA
These colorful 19thc hand-painted porcelain vases have been converted into lamps with decorative scrolled teak bases and custom shades. Each vase features a different delicately pain...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Metal

Porcelain Ormolu Mounted Chinese Lamp
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A porcelain ormolu-mounted Chinese export style vase Now mounted as a lamp Early 20th century, probably Samson The vase is in the form of a meiping In the Chinese export famil...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain

Pair Antique 19c Chinese Gilt Cloisonne Covered Prunus Ginger Jar Table Lamps
Located in Richmond, CA
A matching pair of antique Chinese 19c azure blue ground cloisonne covered ginger jars, on gilt bronze body finely decorated with prunus blossoms in a rocky garden scene, with ruyi h...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Copper, Enamel, Bronze

Oriental Porcelain Famille Vert Cylinder Vase Mounted as a Lamp, 20th Century
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
An oriental porcelain Famille vert cylindrical Vase mounted as a lamp 20th century. Decorated with cartouches on both sides, with flowering branches, all on a yellow ground ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain

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 Chinese Famille Rose Export Porcelain Vases Mounted as Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Pair of antique (19th century) Chinese export porcelain vases in the Famille Rose style, later mounted as table lamps.
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain

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

Chinese Carved Green Quartz Censor, Now as a Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Chinese Carved Green Quartz Censor, Now as a Lamp A captivating Chinese-carved green quartz censor was skillfully transformed into a lamp, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and art...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Quartz, Metal

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

Mid-19th Century Chinese Export Porcelain Rose Medallion Vase Mounted as a Lamp
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Mid-19th century Chinese export porcelain Rose Medallion Vase Mounted as a Lamp. Very good quality with foo lion handles; panel molded body with linen fold top. Perfection for this f...
Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain

Oriental Porcelain Celadon Glazed Painted Vase Mounted as a Lamp 20th Century
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
An oriental porcelain Celadon-Glazed painted Vase mounted as a lamp 20th century. Of meiping form painted with flowering branches of peonies and poem inscription, on turned wood stand...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Celadon

Pair of Mid-20th Century Chinese Porcelain Jar Table Lamps
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Pair of Mid-20th century porcelain jar table lamps, Chinese. Handsome teal blue, ginger jar form. Newly remounted & electrified. Very good quality. 18.75" h. to top of socket. approx...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinese 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

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

Porcelain, Linen, Hardwood

Chinese Porcelain Vase Table Lamp
Chinese Porcelain Vase Table Lamp
$280 Sale Price
20% Off
Large Scale Chinese Export Blue & White Urn Form Lamp
Located in Huntington, NY
Chinese Export Blue & White Urn Form Lamp With shade & cut glass finials with Elephant holding rings.
Category

Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain, Wood

Whismical lamp cloisonne and bronze chinese export
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very beautiful cloisonne and bronze lamp from china export , the cloisonne is in perfect condition and the bronze of the top of the lamp is guilloche signed of high quality
Category

1890s European Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Enamel

20th Century Chinese Porcelain Ginger Jar Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese style (20th Century) porcelain ginger jar cylindrical form lamp in red, green & yellow on a white field. Ships without a shade
Category

20th Century Unknown Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

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 form table lamps. They are ceramic with a bright marigold cradle finish. The pair are in working order.
Category

Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Pottery, Wood

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

Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Lamp
Located in Bradenton, FL
19th century Chinese famille rose floral and bird porcelain lamp. Pink, green and teal colors on a white background. Lamp sits on a carved wooden ...
Category

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

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

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

Chinese Reticulated White Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese-style white filigree porcelain table lamp with floral design and black round base. Ships without a shade
Category

20th Century Unknown 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

Pair of Chinese Crackle Glazed Porcelain Lamps with Wooden Base and Lampshades
Located in Prato, Tuscany
We kindly invite you to read the full description, as we aim to provide detailed technical and historical information to ensure the authenticity of our pieces. This exceptional pair ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Brass

Chinese Cloisonné vase/ lamp, circa 1880
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th Century Chinese Cloisonné vase / lamp. Having wonderful bold colour classical motif and floral decoratio...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Enamel

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

19th Century Qing Period Blue and White Chinese Export Hat Stand, Now as a Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th Century Qing Period Blue and White Chinese Export Hat Stand, Now as a Lamp China, 19th Century Lamped in the 20th century 19th-century Qing Period Blue and White Chinese Expor...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain, Wood

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...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain, Wood

Chinese Celadon Porcelain Table Lamp on a Teak Base
Located in Queens, NY
"Asian Chinese style (19th Century) celadon porcelain lamp with blue figural scene and mounted on a round teak base and filigree cover. Ships without a shade"
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain, Teak

Pair Of Samson Chinese Export Style Table Lamps
Located in Essex, MA
Interesting lamps with a central porcelain ginger jar with prunus decoration with cover with a carved and painted wood base to match and blend with the porcelain. An extender between...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Wood, 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

Gilt Bronze Mounted Chinese Canton Famille Rose Porcelain Lamps
Located in London, GB
These elegant lamps are crafted from Chinese Canton famille rose porcelain and mounted with French gilt bronze (ormolu). The lamps featur...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Ormolu, Bronze

19th Century Famille Verte Vase Lamp Conversion on White Ground Large, Unusual
Located in Lomita, CA
The color palette, the size and the fine artwork on the surface of this late 19th century lamp make it stunning. This lamp has everything. Of circular section and baluster form with ...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Porcelain, Hardwood

Antique Chinese Famille Rose & Bird Design 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 multi-colored fam...
Category

18th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Brass

Chinese Export Style Armorial Porcelain Lamps, Pr
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...
Category

20th Century Chinese 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

Vintage Pair of Chinese Abacus Lamps
By ABCO
Located in San Francisco, CA
Wonderful pair of mid century Chinese Abacus Lamps made in Honk Kong.
Category

1970s Hong Kong Vintage Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Wood

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

19th Century Exceptional Sang de Boeuf Ox Blood Table Lamp, Decorative Handles
Located in Lomita, CA
The intricately carved handles, or ears of this oxblood lamp cause it to stand out from the field of other lamps of this type. This piece is a 19th century sang de boeuf "Oxblood", r...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Copper

Chinese Gilt Bronze Mounted Rose Quartz Lamp, circa 1890
Located in Norwood, NJ
19th century antique Chinese hand-carved and polished translucent rose quartz carving of a standing Guanyin with phoenix bird, mounted on a carved green quartz plinth. Mounted as a l...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Quartz, Bronze

19th Century Parcel Gilt and Ebonized Weighted Tea Canister Dual Lights Lamp
Located in Germantown, MD
A 19th Century Parcel Gilt and Ebonized Weighted Tea Canister mounted as Table Lamp with Original finish. Measures 34" in height to the tip of the finial. Canister is 18" tall. New...
Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting

Materials

Metal

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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