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
Chinese White and Blue Gaming Scene Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese white and blue porcelain table lamp made from an urn-shaped vase depicting a group of figures around a game table under a tree,...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Chinese Ceramic Cream, Orange, and Green Fish Motif Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) table lamp made from a porcelain vase intricately painted with orange fish swimming amidst green plant life framed by colorful geometric bands a...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Pair of Chinese Off-White Floral and Bamboo Design Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese porcelain table lamps made from off-white, urn-shaped vases decorated with a winding natural scene of flowers and bamboo growing from behind a decorative gate mounted...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Pair Samson Style Armorial Lamps
By Edmé Samson
Located in Lambertville, NJ
An elegant pair of French porcelain Samson style Armorial decorated table lamps. These are marked "Made in France" on the underside attributing ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
$1,250 / set
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...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Pair of Chinese Off-White Floral Porcelain Urn Table Lamps Mounted on Wood Base
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of Chinese porcelain table lamps made from off-white, urn-shaped vases decorated with a winding natural scene of flowers and...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Yellow Barrel Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese porcelain table lamp in a pale yellow hue and barrel shape on a wooden base with brass hardware. (Available in gray: NWL2002)
Ships without a shade."
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Chinese White and Floral Column Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese white porcelain table lamp made from a column-shaped vase painted with a crane alongside a blooming pink peony, a wooden base, and brass hardware.
Ships without a shade."
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Pair of Chinese Cream Balance Beam Design Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
"Pair of Chinese table lamps made from cream, gourd-shaped vases hand-painted with figures on a balance beam and wooden bases with brass hardware. (PRICED...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
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...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Chinese Off-White Foliage Motif Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese off-white porcelain table lamp made from a baluster-shaped vase decorated with a motif of beige foliage punctuated by red florals and two colorful geometric bands, a wooden b...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ceramic
lamp table abacus suanpan chinese calculator 13 rods 2 heaven 5 earth beads
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
CHINESE, HARDWOOD, ABACUS OR SUANPAN WITH 13 RODS, TWO HEAVEN BEADS & FIVE EARTH BEADS UPCYCLED INTO A TABLE LAMP, 16½“ HIGH
Fun and engaging, interactive table lamp that can also be used as calculating tool
As well as providing light, this table lamp can be used as a calculation tool by sliding the counters along the rods. In addition to the basic functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, the abacus can calculate square and cubic roots.
Each bead in the upper deck...
Category
1880s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Hardwood, Beads
Chinese Export Porcelain Lamp Base
Located in Dallas, TX
A Chinese export porcelain lamp base with French, Louis XVI style bronze doré mountings.
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Antique Chinese Sang De Boeuf Vase or Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative 19th century Chinese sang de boeuf baluster vase, converted to a lamp. Mounted on a carved hardwood stand.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair Chinese Cloisonné Vases / Lamps, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative pair of late 19th century Chinese cloisonné enamel vases / lamps. Each having wonderful turquoise ground and exotic flowers, with gilded ormolu mounts.
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Enamel, Ormolu
Bayeux Porcelain Pair of Lamps, Canton Style, 19th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of Bayeux porcelain lamps on a white background with a polychromatic decoration in the Chinese Canton style porcelain. On one side, a scene with Chinese dignitaries on a cartouc...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Chinese Export Meiping Vase Mounted as a Lamp
Located in Astoria, NY
Chinese Export Elongated Meiping Porcelain Vase Mounted as a Table Lamp, with blue and white underglaze and famille rose overglaze floral decoration, atop a stepped clear acrylic bas...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain, Acrylic
Pair of Porcelain Polychrome and Gilt Rouleau Vase Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Each decorated in the 18th century spirit with floral blossoms, butterflies and bees, and gilt banding, on a giltwood turned base. Fitted with brass ...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
A 19th Century French Samson Famille Rose Porcelain Lamp
By Samson & Cie
Located in New York, NY
Conceived in the Chinese export style; the base of urn form on a sole base and with lions' masks applied to the side; profusely decorated with polychrome sprays and bearing an apocryphal armorial; fitted with a brass light socket...
Category
19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Chinese Sang De Boeuf Vase Mounted as a Table Lamp, 20th Century
Located in London, by appointment only
Chinese Sang de Boeuf Vase mounted as a table lamp.
An attractive Chinese sang de boeuf vase with a flared rim, the neck gradually transfo...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
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 ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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...
Category
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Fabric, Wood, Elm
Large Pair of Canton / Rose Medallion Vases or Lamps, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very impressive pair of 19th century Chinese Cantonese or rose medallion vases or lamps. Each with wonderful bold colors, with classical oriental scenes of courtiers walking around...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
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...
Category
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Fabric, Elm
Pair of 19th Century Rose Medallion Vases / Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th century Chinese Rose medallion vases, each with gilded mythical serpent handles on either side, hand painted inset hand painted panels of exotic birds a...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Bronze Asian Lamps Style of James Mont Pair
Located in New York, NY
Exquisite pair of bronze Asian lamps. These lamps are well designed, heavy and would look extra special in an Asian inspired room. James Mont styl...
Category
1940s Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze
$14,000 / set
Asian Chinese wall sconce, painted birds, China, circa 1900
Located in VÉZELAY, FR
Lantern-shaped wall sconce.
Wooden structure carved with dragons.
Glasses painted with birds and floral bouquets.
China, circa 1900
In very good condition.
Dimensions:
height 43 c...
Category
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Glass, Wood
$718 Sale Price
20% Off
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
19th Century Pair of Imari Porcelaine Lamp Mounted Gilt Bronze
Located in Marseille, FR
19th century pair of porcelain lamp from Imari. Frame gilt bronze decorations of metal polychrome flowers.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Large Pair of Antique Rose Medallion / Cantonese Vases / Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality pair of bulbous shaped 19th century Chinese rose medallion/ vases / lamps.
Having wonderful bold colours, the scenes depicting classical interior scenes, gilded ...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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
Chinese Blue and White Prunus blossom vase/lamp, circa 1890.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
An impressive late 19th Century Chinese Blue and White Prunus blossom vase/lamp, circa 1890
Batch 74 N/H
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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...
Category
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Fabric, Elm
Chinese Famille Noare style vase lamp. C19th
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality Samson porcelain Famille Verte style lidded vase / lamp. Having classical oriental scenes, hand-painted. Gilded scrolling highlighted decoration to the black grou...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair Chinese 18th Century style Cinnabar lacquer vases / lamps.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative and good quality pair of 18th Century style Chinese Cinnabar lacquer vases / lamps. Each with scrolling foliate and cla...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Lacquer
Pair Fine 19th Century Chinese Cloisonné Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality pair of 19th century Chinese Cloisonne enamel vases, each with wonderful myithical Dragon flying among clouds. mounted with French gilded ormolu rims and plinths.
...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Enamel, Ormolu
Early 20th Century Blue & White Ginger Jar Converted to Lamp
Located in Dublin 8, IE
Early 20th Century blue and white ginger jar converted to lamp in the style of the Chinese period of the 18th Century. Ornamented with a floral landscape of leaves, and geometric mot...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Lamp Table Oriental White Red Flowers 1920s, China
Located in New York, NY
Lamp table oriental white red flowers 1920s, China. A table lamp in white porcelain with red floral pattern. Measures: H with shade 29”, H without shade 20”, diameter of foot 6”.
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
19th Century Chinese Blue and White Vase or Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative 19th century Chinese blue and white vase or lamp, having a white ground with blue hand painted scenes of exo...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century Chinese Famille Noure Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative 19th Century Chinese Famille Noure lidded vase with classical gilded floral and motif decoration to the whole. Mounted with gilded ormolu base and light fitting.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Chinese Pink & Blue 'Famille Rose' Lamps with Birds and Flowers
Located in London, GB
Pair of baluster form lamps in the floral Famille Rose palette, hand decorated in polychromes with foliates and birds.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Two Antique Cloisonné Enamel and Gilt Bronze Lamps
Located in London, GB
These antique lamps feature beautiful Chinese cloisonné enamel bodies and fine French gilt bronze (ormolu) mounts.
Each item is comprised of two light sockets, which are attached ...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze, Enamel
$13,057 / set
Pair of Chinese Celadon Porcelain Vases / Lamps, circa 1920
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative pair of 18th century style Chinese Celadon porcelain two handled vases / lamps, raised on carved pierced hardwood stands, circa 1920.
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese 19th Century Powder Blue Vase/Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very stylish 19th century Chinese powder blue vase / lamp, having the light blue ground with gilded leaf decoration, inset painted panels one depict...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Kerosene Lamps with Birds in Chinese Style
Located in Paris, FR
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...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Chinese Blue Ground Vase or Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
An unusual 19th century Chinese blue ground porcelain vase or lamp. Having wonderful mythical dragons amongst flowers and classical motifs.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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
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. ...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese 19th Century Famille Noire Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th century Chinese famille noire vase / lamp. Having wonderful prunus blossom and chrysanthemums with birds among them, raised on a pierced ormolu base.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Enamel
Pair of 19th Century Rose Medallion Vases / Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A pair of 19th century Chinese Cantonese / rose medallion vases / lamps. Each with wonderful green ground decoration with inset hand painted panels depicting classical scenes with Geisha girls, courtiers and children, gilded ormolu mounts...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
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...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Blue & Orange Colour Chinese Lamps Hand Decorated with Court Scenes
Located in London, GB
Pair of baluster form lamps, hand decorated with court scenes in polychrome on wood bases.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Lovely Chinese Export circa 1920 Antique Chinoiserie Black Lacquer Table Lamp
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this very rare hand painted and lacquered Chinese Export circa 1920s Chinoiserie table lamp with hand painted finish of a chap playing a flute
T...
Category
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Wood
Pair Chinese 19th Century Crackleware Vases / Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
An impressive good quality pair of late 19th century Chinese crackleware vases, each with a white ground and bronzed boarder, motif and foliate decoration, circa 1890.
Batch 7...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Fine pair Antique Chinese Export Orange Ground & 24K Gilt Vases Turned to Lamps
Located in New York, NY
A Pair of Antique 19th Century Chinese Export Orange Ground and 24K Gilt Decorated Vases later turned to Lamps. This is a truly beautiful pair of...
Category
1860s 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
Pair Century Chinese Vases / Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very decorative pair of 20th Century Chinese porcelain vases / lamps.
Each with blue coloured classical motif decoration boarders and Deer head handles, inset hand painted panels ...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
$6,185 / set
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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