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 Chinese Famille Verte Vase / Lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 18th century style Chinese Famille verte vase / lamp. Having bold classical Chinese scenes of courtiers under pagoda buildings and in gardens playing games and on...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century Chinese Bronze Urn as Lamp
Located in Norwood, NJ
19th century Chinese bronze urn as lamp. Decorated with florals and dragon in high relief. Surmounted by two handles depicting phoenix...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze
Antique Chinese Orange and Gold Crane Design Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) table lamp made from a round, orange, luster porcelain, lidded vase decorated with a gold crane design on one side an...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, 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
Chinese Style Black Iron Filigree Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
Asian Chinese style (19/20th Century) tall black iron filigree design tiered table lamp on a round base.
Ships without a shade
Category
19th Century Unknown Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Iron, Wrought Iron
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
Pair of Mid-Century Style Turquoise Table Lamps
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Striking pair of table lamps crafted in porcelain in a classic asian form with an alluring blue glaze and presented on lucite bases.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain, Lucite
2 Exclusive Table Lamps Chinese Woman and Man on a Pillow Brass
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
Very exclusive table lamps made of brass, and they are hand painted.
A woman and a man sitting in the lotus position holding their "umbrella".
High qu...
Category
Late 20th Century Unknown Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
Chinese White Floral Patterned Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese white ceramic table lamp made from a bulbous vase decorated with colorful florals, mounted on a wooden base and fitted with brass hardwa...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
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
Antique Chinese Orange and White Cartouche Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) table lamp made from a round, luster ceramic vase with an orange and gold hexagonal patterned ground against two white cartouches depicting natu...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Chinese Pale Yellow and Colorful Floral Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese porcelain table lamp made from a pale yellow, rounded vase decorated with a brightly colored floral design mounted on a wooden base with wooden top and brass hardware.
Ship...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
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
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 Gray Barrel Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese porcelain table lamp in a light gray hue and barrel shape on a wooden base with brass hardware. (Available in yellow: NWL2003)
Ships without a shade."
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass, Metal
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
Chinese Dark Blue and Red Cherry Blossom Tree Motif Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Chinese porcelain table lamp made from a richly colored dark blue vase with a red, pink and white budding cherry blossom tree climbing up its form, a w...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Chinese White Figurative Scene Porcelain Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
"Antique Chinese (Early 20th Century) table lamp made from a white porcelain urn painted with a scene of children playing in orange, pink, and red, mounted on a brown wooden base and...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
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
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
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
Early 19th Century Chinese Celadon vase/lamp
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality early 19th Century Chinese Celedon porcelain vase / lamp. Having a wonderful bellied form with classical embossed motif decoration around, shell like handles to e...
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ormolu
Early 20th Century Republic Period Foo Dog Vase Lamp
Located in London, GB
An early twentieth century Republic Period porcelain vase, decorated with a foo-dog in red glazes upon a white ground, with Chinese character...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Table Lamp Oriental Colors 19th Century, China
Located in New York, NY
Table lamp oriental colors 19th century, China. A table lamp made during the 19th century in China. Multicolored with gilded details.
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Pair of Late 19th Century Chinese Crackle-Ware Vases / Lamps
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A pair of late 19th century Chinese crackle-ware vases/lamps. Each with various battle scenes with warriors on horseback, mounted with wonderful gilded ormolu lids and bases.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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
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
19th Century Square Porcelain Vase Lamp
Located in London, GB
A mid-19th century polychrome vase of square tapering form, the black glazed neck with dragon motifs, the sides intricately worked with figurative scenes upon a pierced scrolling gro...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Ceramic, Porcelain
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
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
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
Porcelain Crackle Glaze Table Lamps Chinese Inspired Pair with Custom Shades
Located in Manhasset, NY
Porcelain crackle glaze table lamps. Chinese inspired pair of mint green table lamps each with a custom shade. The pair sitting on teak bases wit...
Category
1960s Vintage Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
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
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
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
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
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
Pair Chinese 19th Century Powder blue porcelain vases / lamps.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
Pair Chinese 19th Century Powder Blue vases / lamps. Each with Blue and gilded ground, inset hand painted panels depicting classical battle scenes of warriors on horse back.
We can ...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique 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
Pair of Porcelain Blue and White Ginger Jars Mounted as Table Lamps
Located in London, by appointment only
A pair of Chinese blue and white porcelain ginger jars and covers, now mounted as table lamps, decorated in underglaze cobalt blue over white with flowers and foliage in the details....
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Porcelain
Archaistic Chinese Carved Agate and Gilt Metal Lamp
Located in New York, US
Our beautiful carved agate in archaistic urn-form features the figures of a wise man and female dancer and was mounted as a lamp in the early 20th century. It is mounted on a carved ...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Agate, Metal
Brass Asian Style Table Lamp with Birds, Dragons and Bamboo Detail
Located in Toledo, OH
A beautiful brass table lamp. This lovely Asian inspired lamp features birds, bamboo and floral detail with dragon form handles. The shade is not included. The dimensions are 32.5" H...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Brass
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
Chinese blue and white vase / lamp, 19th century.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality Chinese 19th Century Blue and White vase / lamp. Having classical oriental motif decoration to the base and top, scrolling foliate and flower head design to the centre...
Category
Late 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Pair of Chinese Yellow Balancing Scene Table Lamps
Located in Queens, NY
"Pair of Chinese ceramic table lamps made from yellow, urn-shaped vases decorated with hand-painted figurative scenes of men on balance beams, and wooden ...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Metal, Brass
Large Chinese Carved and Painted Wooden Buddha Head Table Lamp
Located in Queens, NY
Chinese carved bleached wood table lamp with Buddha head on a square giltwood base with a giltwood head piece under a three light top with central...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Glass, Wood
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
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
Late 19th Century Famille Noire Porcelain Vase
Located in London, GB
A late 19th century bronze vase, with finely cast decoration and enamelled inlay, mounted as a lamp with hand-turned water gilded base.
Dimensions refer to bronze vase and base on...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Lighting
Materials
Bronze, Enamel
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 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
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.