Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
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
Antique Mahjong Case, Oriental, Teak Gaming Tile Box, Late Victorian, Circa 1900
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a superb antique Mahjong case. An Oriental, teak gaming tile box, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1900. Showcasing fine craftsmanship a...
Category
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bamboo, Teak
Chinese Chess Set with Immortals & Hardwood Campaign Lacquered Board
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Chinese Chess Set with Immortals & Campaign Lacquered Board
Circa 1960s
This exquisite Chinese chess set with immortals and a campaign lacquered board is a striking combination of...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Composition, Brass
Antique Chinese Export Silver Cheroot Case
By Khe Cheong
Located in New York, NY
Chinese export silver cheroot case, ca 1860. Oval with hinged push-button cover. Allover repousse. On front are scenes of daily life with indigenous spear...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
Antique Chinese Export Silver Belt Buckle with Samurais, Woshing Shanghai
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Two-piece belt buckle in sterling silver. Made in Woshing Shanghai circa 1910. It depicts samurais riding on Foo Dogs/Lions on a matte textured background. Very fine details and clea...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
Indochina Walking stick , Baston, Silver Wood and Antler
By Gold China
Located in Valladolid, ES
Beautiful and Exotic wooden cane with old -aged silver handle with horn horn auction, from indochina and dated around at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th cen...
Category
1890s French Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
Chinese Silver & Leather Theatre Opera / Wedding Tiered Phoenix Headdress, 1920s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Chinese Silver & Leather Theatre Opera / Wedding Tiered Phoenix Headdress, 1920s
Silvered Metal & leather and embroidered Mandarin hat
This Chinese silv...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Antique Brass Chinese Brazier
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique brass Chinese brazier.
Filled with burning coals, this exquisitely crafted brass brazier used to warmed the hands of a wealthy Chinese on a cold...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Chinese Lacquer Double Sided Qing Dynasty Drum with Wooden Stand and Drum Sticks
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wonderful piece! two sided with leather hand painted snare on two sides trimmed in nail heads. The collapsable wooden stand, while making the piece complete, can be put aside and t...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Pair of Chinese Pagoda Towers
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Striking pair of four tiered pagoda towers crafted in composition with a black lacquer finish decorated with gold painted floral designs, brass balconies, and bells.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Composition
Vintage Bronze Handmade Singing Bowl or Standing Bowl with Mallet on Pillow
Located in Topeka, KS
Beautiful singing bowl or standing bowl with a mallet and its playing pillow. Handmade of bronze or bell metal and showing the makers hand. It is in wonderful vintage condition with ...
Category
20th Century Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze
Vintage Asian Low Chess Table
Located in Denton, TX
Mid century Asian style Chess board with carved wood chess pieces and drawer for storage. This would be great on the floor with two big pillows.
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Beech, Mahogany, Walnut
19th Century China Trade Seascape with a Junk, Signed, circa 1870
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th Century China Trade Seascape with a Junk, by Lee Heng, circa 1870, an oil on board seascape with large Chinese Junk under full sail in the fo...
Category
1870s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Other
Chinese Jadeite Longevity Pendant
Located in Chicago, IL
Valued for its rarity and lustrous appearance, jade (yù) has long been a symbol of excellence, longevity and purity of virtue. Worn as jewelry or as a protective charm, the stone was...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Jade
Sterling Silver Chinese Cigarette 420 Business Card Holder with Repoussé Dragon
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautiful hand crafted Sterling Silver Cigarette Box, that can also double as a 420 or business card holder. The silver is in great condition and is so brilliant it's difficult to...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
Chinese Moss-in-Snow Jadeite Pendant of Peaches
Located in Chicago, IL
Valued for its rarity and lustrous appearance, jade (yù) has long been a symbol of excellence, longevity and purity of virtue. Worn as jewelry or as a protective charm, the stone was...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Jade
Chinese Moss-in-Snow Jadeite Pendant of Bat & Citrons
Located in Chicago, IL
Valued for its rarity and lustrous appearance, jade (yù) has long been a symbol of excellence, longevity and purity of virtue. Worn as jewelry or as a protective charm, the stone was...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Jade
Oriental Art by A & J Speelman
Located in North Hollywood, CA
A & J Speelman: Oriental Art.
by A & J Speelman.
Published by London: A. & J. Speelman,, 1990
First edition, 62 color plates & text sheets.
Early C...
Category
Late 20th Century English Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Late 19th Century Chinese Silver Kiddush Goblet
Located in New York, NY
Chinese export silver covered Kiddush goblet, 19th century.
Round cup on a stem mounted to a flat circular foot. Stepped domed cover with bird finial. ...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
Chinese Antique Textiles and Embroidery Edition in Chinese
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Chinese antique textiles and embroidery.
Chinese language,
Great textile art table book.
Distributed by Eliane j Giraud Dupont Editeur, Paris....
Category
1950s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Rare Chinese Export Porcelain Voc Dish
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A Chinese export porcelain VOC (Dutch East India Company) dish
Canton, Yongzheng period, circa 1730
Diam. 23 cm
Executed in rose-pink, ...
Category
18th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Gilt Bronze Buddha Figure
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Chinese Gilt Bronze Buddha Figure
7 7/8 H X 3 3/8 D
Category
19th Century Asian Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze
Antique circa 1920 Chinese Export Floor Standing Bell with Wrought Iron Stand
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this exquisite circa 1920 Chinese Export floor standing bell on wrought iron stand
A very well made and decorative...
Category
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass, Wrought Iron
Chinese Export Sterling Silver Walking Stick Handle, circa 1900
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Chinese Export sterling silver walking stick handle, circa 1900. Monogram of the famous ichthyologist Dr. Hugh McCormick Smith, "H...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
Antique Chinese Carved Jade Necklace, Ring & Earring Set in 14 Karat Yellow Gold
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This necklace, ring and earring set is signed by an unknown maker, and presumed to have originated from China and date to approximately 1920 and done in a period Chinese Export style...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Jade, Gold
Antique Chinese 14 Karat Yellow Gold & Apple Green Jade Woman's Necklace
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique necklace is signed by an unknown maker and originates from China, dating to approximately 1920 and done in the period Chinese Export style. The necklace is composed of 1...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Jade, Gold
Chinese Doll, 19th century, handmade, from a famous collection in the U.K.
Located in Central England, GB
This superb large decorative doll like figure is a rare and well provenanced piece. it was once part of the collection of curiosities from the famous Jamaica Inn, Cornwall.
This sup...
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silk, Wood
Large Vintage Mongolian Wooden Math Abacus with Painted Wooden Balls
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Large Vintage Mongolian Wooden Math Abacus with Painted Wooden Balls. Item features Painted wooden balls in red, pink, gray, orange, blue, yellow, green and brown. Circa Mid 20th Cen...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
"Jiang - Father of the Yunnan School" Catalogue Raisonne Book Tiefeng's Signed
Located in San Diego, CA
"Jiang - Father of the Yunnan School" A catalogue raisonne book of Jiang Tiefeng's original works signed by the Chinese artist, circa 1998. The book is in excellent, like new condition with no torn or missing pages and the original dust jacket. The book covers both Jiang's paintings and sculptures from 1982 to 1998. Gorgeous photography and lay-out. 126 pages. #3961
Jiang is the founder of the Yunnan School of Painting, one of the most important contemporary movements of abstract art in China. His works are richly colored and his imagery contains figurative elements with contrasting patterns. Considered to be at the forefront of contemporary Chinese art, Jiang paints as if creating stained glass windows, concentrating on women, horses, birds, and flowers through brightly colored ink and calligraphic lines.
Jiang attended the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. He studied with the renowned Chinese artist, Huang Yong-Yu. During the 1960s and early 1970s, Jiang was assigned to produce propaganda posters during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. At night Jiang secretly worked on his own style.
He works primarily in watercolor and serigraphy and his works have been actively collected worldwide since the early 1980s. From 1976 to 1983, Jiang served on the board of directors for the Yunnan branch of the Chinese National Art Association. He was also a member of the Chinese Woodblock...
Category
Late 20th Century American Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
SUITE OF RARE COLLECTABLE ANTiQUE CHINESE MOTHER OF PEARL GAMES COUNTERS CHIPS
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques
Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely suite of antique Chinese circa 1900 mother of pearl games counters
A truly lovely early suite, ...
Category
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl
Collecting Chinese Art Book by Sam Bernstein
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Collecting Chinese Art Book by Sam Bernstein. Much of what we know about early Chinese art is undergoing change in light of recent archaeological dis...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Finely Carved Old Tibetan Buddhist Conch Shell
Located in Pomona, CA
Discover the heavenly resonance of our Conch Shell, a beautifully crafted union of spirituality and art. It embodies respect and tradition thanks to the meticulously carved deity on ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Shell
Luen Wo Signed Antique Ladies Sterling Silver Chinese Export Belt
By Luen Wo
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique sterling silver ladies belt was made by Luen Wo of Shanghai China in circa 1900 in the period Chinese Export style. The belt is done with indi...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
Vintage Papier Mâché Parcel-Gilt Buddha
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Large, decorative and unusual papier mâché gilded Buddha.
Category
19th Century Asian Antique Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Pair of cloissone ashtrays, China, Early 20th Century.
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Pair of cloissone ashtrays, China, Early 20th Century.
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze, Enamel
Chinese Export collectibles and curiosities for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Chinese Export collectibles and curiosities 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 collectibles and curiosities created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, asian art and furniture, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinese Export collectibles and curiosities 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 collectibles and curiosities, popular names associated with this style include Luen Wo, and Woshing. 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 collectibles and curiosities differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $49 and tops out at $53,111 while the average work can sell for $2,183.