Qing Historical Memorabilia
QING STYLE
The last imperial dynasty from 1644 to 1912 was a time of change in China, beginning with the invasion by Manchurian forces that ended the Ming dynasty and established the Shunzhi Emperor. The expansion of exportation and trade that had bolstered the arts during the Ming era continued, as Qing dynasty furniture involved the same attention to craftsmanship with expert construction techniques in hardwood pieces that were assembled with mortise and tenon joints rather than nails or glue. Together, these eras comprise a golden age of Chinese furniture design.
Ming-style furniture is simple and elegant with clean lines. Chairs of the period and other Ming furniture made an impression on Scandinavian modernist Hans Wegner and his streamlined seating, for example. Whereas Qing-style furniture is elaborate, with an increasing influence from the West leading to lavish carving inspired by the European Baroque and Rococo styles. And while many of the forms that define examples of the latter are common within classical Chinese furniture, such as curving and folding chairs as well as large screens, Qing designs are laden with ornamentation. Frequently, the carved motifs and inlaid designs in mother-of-pearl were auspicious, such as peonies for wealth or dragons for luck. Bats were symbols of happiness in the design of Qing furniture, with one of the characters in the word for bat, bianfu, being a homophone for fu, or “fortune.”
While several types of wood were used in the construction of Qing beds, tables, storage pieces and seating, today’s collectors know that the most prized were the rare rosewoods zitan and huanghuali. They were both sourced from Hainan, China’s largest island, and are marked by a rich luster that occurs naturally, without the application of lacquer or other decorative materials. Many of the most popular woods were imported from southeast Asia, adding to their value. Red sandalwood was also sought after for its durability and connection with Chinese medicine, with some chairs being made for health benefits.
Find a collection of antique Qing tea tables, stools, benches, decorative objects and more furniture on 1stDibs.
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Style: Qing
Petite Chinese Opium Lamp Scissors
Located in Chicago, IL
An elegant pair of scissors once used to trim the wick of an opium lamp. Formed of steel and copper, these petite scissors feature gracefully curved handles and short blades engraved...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Copper, Steel
Handheld Chinese Mooncake Mold with Lotus Pods, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 19th century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes ar...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Chinese Handheld Ink Block, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Chinese innovations in ink, block printing and movable type fed the technological push toward expanding the written word's range of influence throughout the world. This printing push...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Elm
Chinese White Brass Opium Lamp Tweezers, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
A pair of white brass tweezers once used to advance the wick of an opium lamp. The antique tweezers are simply shaped and feature a bell-shaped scrape...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Brass
Chinese Travel Opium Lamp, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
By the 18th century, opium use had become as central to Chinese social life as taking tea or smoking tobacco, fostering a subculture rich with its own customs, traditions, and exquis...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Brass
Chinese Calligraphy Brush, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Along with paper, ink, and inkstone, the brush was part of the four treasures found in a scholar’s studio. Arguably the most important tool, the brush served as a direct link to the ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Fine Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Spoon, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A delicate example of the time-honored practice of blue-and-white ceramics, this 19th century porcelain soup spoon was likely used as an everyday ...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Lotus Mooncake Mold, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes are a d...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Chinese Woven Bamboo Foot Soldier's Helmet, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This conical woven hat originates from 19th century China and is expertly crafted entirely of bamboo. The outside consists of slivers of bamboo woven together with rattan strips, sec...
Category
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Bamboo
Chinese Silk Skull Cap with Gilt Lacquered Box, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
No self-respecting man in Qing-dynasty China would leave the house without some kind of hat. In fact, headgear was so central to social status that a boy’s passage into manhood was m...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Silk, Cane, Wood, Lacquer
Provincial Chinese Kite Reel, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This unusually-shaped object is a 19th century Chinese kite reel, cleverly carved to contain small wooden beads that rattle back and forth as the reel is used. A popular past time, kite flying...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Pair of Chinese Twisted Iron Coal Chopsticks, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
A pair of iron chopsticks for moving burning coals in a hibachi or hand-warmer. Such chopsticks were also used to safely touch pipe bowls or tools that had been heated by an oil lamp...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Iron
Pair of Chinese White Brass Coal Chopsticks, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
A pair of white brass chopsticks for moving burning coals in a hibachi or hand-warmer. Such chopsticks were also used to safely touch opium pipe bowls or tools that had been heated b...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Brass
Handheld Chinese Mooncake Mold, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 19th century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes ar...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Chinese Floral Incised Brass Brazier, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th century handcrafted bronze hand warmer would have been owned by a woman of means and filled with coals so she could warm her hands on cold...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Brass
Antique Chinese Mooncake Press, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Dated to the mid-19th century, this rustic wood press is carved with twenty round molds used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Handheld Chinese Mooncake Mold, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 19th century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes ar...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Handheld Chinese Mooncake Mold with Lotus Pods, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 19th century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes ar...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Pair of Chinese Brass Brazier Tongs, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
In 20 years of collecting, we have never run across a pair of brazier tongs, making this object truly a rare find. Once used by a scholar or wealthy homeowner to place hot coals in a...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Brass
Set of Six Chinese Bound-Foot Lotus Slippers, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Each of these pointed slippers, crafted of beautifully embroidered silk, were shaped to resemble a lotus bud and enhanced the diminutive shape of bound feet. A practice that began in the Tang dynasty and reached the height of its popularity during the Qing dynasty, foot binding was a painful process intended to make a woman's feet as small as possible by restricting bone growth from an early age. The smaller the feet the more attractive and erotic they were, giving elite women a mark of elegance and a distinctive - albeit tortured - gait of small, light steps. These beautifully preserved lotus slippers...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Cotton, Silk
Pair of Chinese Silk Lotus Slippers, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
These dainty, pointed slippers, made of cotton and silk embroidered with pink flowers, were shaped to resemble a lotus bud and enhanced the diminutive shape of bound feet. A practice that began in the Tang dynasty and reached the height of its popularity in the Qing dynasty, foot binding was a painful process intended to make a woman's feet as small as possible by restricting bone growth from an early age. The smaller the feet the more attractive and erotic they were, giving elite women a mark of elegance and a distinctive - albeit tortured - gait of small, light steps. These silk lotus slippers...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Cotton, Silk
Chinese Black Silk Lotus Slippers with Plum Blossoms, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
These pointed slippers, beautifully embroidered with light blue plum blossoms on black silk, were shaped to resemble a lotus bud and enhanced the diminutive shape of bound feet. A practice that began in the Tang dynasty and reached the height of its popularity during the Qing dynasty, foot binding was a painful process intended to make a woman's feet as small as possible by restricting bone growth from an early age. The smaller the feet the more attractive and erotic they were, giving elite women a mark of elegance and a distinctive - albeit tortured - gait of small, light steps. These beautifully preserved lotus slippers...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Silk
Chinese Lilac Lotus Slippers with Plum Blossoms, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
These pointed silk slippers, beautifully embroidered with pink plum blossoms, were shaped to resemble a lotus bud and enhanced the diminutive shape of b...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Cotton, Silk
Pair Chinese Double Luck Lotus Slippers, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
These pointed silk slippers are beautifully embroidered with colorful bats and golden coins, symbols of happiness and good luck, and were shaped to resemble a lotus bud to enhance one's bound feet. A practice that began in the Tang dynasty and reached the height of its popularity during the Qing dynasty, foot binding was a painful process intended to make a woman's feet as small as possible by restricting bone growth from an early age. The smaller the feet the more attractive and erotic they were, giving elite women a mark of elegance and a distinctive, albeit tortured, gait of small, light steps. These beautifully preserved lotus slippers...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Fabric, Silk
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Previously Available Items
Chinese Interlocking Coin Opium Lamp, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
By the 18th century, opium use had become as central to Chinese social life as taking tea or smoking tobacco, fostering a subculture rich with its own customs, traditions, and exquis...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Brass
Chinese Brass Opium Lamp Scissors, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
An elegant pair of scissors once used to trim the wick of an opium lamp. The petite scissors are made of brass with polished handles that curve gracefully back towards the blades.
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Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
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Brass
Chinese Opium Lamp Snuffer, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
An antique candle snuffer once used to put out the flame of an opium lamp. Formed of brass with elegant, curved handles, this lamp snuffer woul...
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Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
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Brass
Vintage Chinese School House Slate Board
Located in Chicago, IL
This slate board would have been used by school children in the late Qing-dynasty as part of the independent studies promoted in provincial academies. Whil...
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Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
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Slate
Handheld Chinese Mooncake Mold, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes are a d...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Handheld Chinese Mooncake Mold, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 19th century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes ar...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wood
Handheld Chinese Mooncake Mold, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 19th century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes ar...
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Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
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Wood
Chinese Lotus Mooncake Press, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
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Chinese Official's Summer Hat and Hat Box, c. 1900
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Chinese Calligraphy Brush, c. 1900
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Chinese Knotted Walking Stick, c. 1900
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Chinese Organic Root Walking Stick, c. 1870
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Qing historical memorabilia for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Qing historical memorabilia for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage historical memorabilia created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, asian art and furniture, folk art and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Qing historical memorabilia made in a specific country, there are Asia, China, and East Asia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. 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 historical memorabilia differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $48 and tops out at $2,480 while the average work can sell for $228.