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.
Antique Peking Handmade Chinese Wool Rug In Navy Blue with Pictorial Design
Located in Norwalk, CT
A stunning and rare hand-knotted wool rug inspired by Chinese folklore, featuring Taoist immortals. The rug showcases a deep navy blue field accented with lovely peach tones, all bea...
Wool
Early 20th Century Chinese Bee and Geometric Rug
Located in Los Angeles, US
An unusual antique Chinese Peking-style rug dating to the early 1900s, distinguished by its decorative bee and insect imagery. The composition centers on an angular medallion contain...
Wool
Vintage Chinese Peking Handmade Dragon Designed Dark Blue Wool Rug
Located in Norwalk, CT
A beautiful antique Dragon Peking Chinese hand-knotted wool rug with a dark blue field and multi-color accents all-over traditional Chinese dragon design. This rug measures 9'10"...
Wool
Indian Hand Knotted Wool Rug with Chinese Tiger Motif
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a fun area rug! It is an Indian hand knotted wool rug with a Chinese tiger motif. It is in very good condition.
Wool
New Mystic Sunset Enchantment Modern Chinese Art Deco Rug
Located in Dallas, TX
31097 New Modern Orange Chinese Art Deco Rug, 07'11 x 10'02. A vision of opulence and mythic allure, this hand-knotted wool Chinese Art De...
Wool
Antique Designed Art Deco Chinese Wool Rug Handmade In Goldenrod Color
Located in Norwalk, CT
This elegant antique Art Deco Chinese wool rug features a goldenrod-colored field with a burgundy-colored decorative border and vibrant accents, showcasing a stunning classic Chinese...
Other
Antique Chinese Embroidery Textile 8" x 8"
Located in New York, NY
Antique Chinese Embroidery, Origin: China, Circa: Late 19th Century
Silk
Antique Peking Hand-Knotted Wool Rug, Burgundy Floral, 1920s
Located in Norwalk, CT
A beautiful antique Peking Chinese hand-knotted wool rug with a burgundy field. This rug has a frame of red and multi-color accents in a gorgeous all-over Chinese floral design. ...
Other
Zabihi Collection Pictorial Deer Bird Tibetan Rug
Located in New York, NY
Stunning circa 1930's Chinese pictorial rug with a large deer and bird on a deep blue ground Measures: 2'5" x 4'6".
Wool
Colorful Vintage Tibetan Rug
Located in New York, NY
Colorful late 20th century Tibetan rug Measures: 3'1" x 5'7".
Wool
Antique Chinese Peking Carpet with Traditional Chinoiserie Style
Located in Dallas, TX
79078 Antique Chinese Peking Rug, 06'03 x 09'01. This exquisite one-of-a-kind, hand-knotted wool antique Chinese Peking rug is a stunning representation of Chinese artistry and cultu...
Wool
Navy Blue Antique Art Deco Chinese Wool Rug With a Classic Design
Located in Norwalk, CT
This elegant antique Art Deco Chinese wool rug features a navy blue color field with a decorative border in red and vibrant accents, showcasing a stunning classic Chinese motif. Thi...
Other
Zabihi Collection Blue Chinese Pictorial Animal Rug
Located in New York, NY
1930s Chiense Animal Pictorial small Rug Details rug no. j3525 size 2' 7" x 4' 11" (79 x 150 cm)
Wool
1920s Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug, Hand-Knotted Wool, Red Floral
Located in Norwalk, CT
Beautiful Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug, hand-knotted wool with a red field, green frame in an allover Classic Chinese floral design. This rug measures are: 10' x 13'.4
Wool
Zabihi Collection Tibetan Antique Rooster Pictorial Rug
Located in New York, NY
A fine quality antique Tibetan accent size rug depicting a large rooster on a navy blue ground from the early 20th century Measures: 3'9" x 6'2''
Wool
Vintage Hand Made Chinese Sculpted Wool Area Rug
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful hand made vintage Chinese sculpted wool area rug China, Mid-20th Century Nice floral design, with predominant colors in light green, peach,...
Wool
Antique Peking Blue and Brown Chinese Handmade Medallion Wool Rug
Located in Norwalk, CT
Beautiful antique Peking Chinese hand-knotted wool rug with a brown field. This Chinese rug has a blue frame, multi-color accents in a gorgeous all-over Chinese medallion...
Other
Antique Chinese Peking Rug with Chinoiserie Chic Style
Located in Dallas, TX
77591 Antique Chinese Peking rug with Chinoiserie Chic Style 03'00 x 05'01. This hand-knotted wool antique Chinese Peking rug features a rounded open ...
Wool
Antique Art Deco Tan and Purple Wool Rug with Classic Chinese Motif 4 X 7
Located in Norwalk, CT
This antique art deco Chinese wool rug showcases a tan field with a decorative purple frame and multi-colored accents in an all-over Chinese classic motif. This rug measures 4'1" x ...
Other
Antique Chinese Nichols Hand-Knotted Wool Rug, 11'8" x 17'4", 1920s
Located in Norwalk, CT
A beautiful oversize Chinese Nichols hand knotted wool rug with a tan field red and green frame, and multi-color accents in all-over Chinese botanical de...
Wool
$135Sale Price|20% Off
Zabihi Collection Navy border Chinese Rug Pillow
Located in New York, NY
Pillow made from a 20th-century Chinese rug with zipper closure and poly-fill. Measures: 15'' x 15''.
Wool
Enchanting Pictorial Tibetan Rug
Located in New York, NY
Floral motif Pictorial mid 20th century Tibetan rug Measures: 3'1" x 5'1".
Wool
Antique Chinese Baotou Indigo Rug, circa 1900
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
Antique Chinese Baotou indigo rug, circa 1900. The central field with an intricate lattice work of Traditional Gau (Amulet) design in two shades of blue...
Wool
Zabihi Collection Tibetan Pictorial Throw Rug
Located in New York, NY
A fine-quality antique Tibetan throw-size pictorial rug. Would make for a great wall hanging too Measures: 2'5" x 5'
Wool
Zabihi Collection Blue Chinese Deer Bird Pictorial Landscape Rug
Located in New York, NY
early 20th century blue chinese peking rug with a deer and flying bird rug no. j3395 size 4' 10" x 6' 2" (147 x 188 cm)
Wool
$2,500 / set
Matching Pair of Antique Khotan Rugs
Located in New York, NY
Very rare matching pair of antique khotans with one measuring 2'8" x 3'8" and the other measuring 2'8" x 3'9".
Wool
The Whispered Harmony: A Chinese Art Deco Masterpiece of Subtle Elegance
By Helen Fette
Located in Dallas, TX
78989 Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug, 09'00 x 11'09. This exquisite hand-knotted wool antique Chinese Art Deco rug embodies the elegance and restrained beauty characteristic of early 2...
Wool
1900s Antique Chinese Rug - 11'8'' X 9'2''
Located in Los Angeles, US
Antique Chinese Rugs, as opposed to most of the antique rug productions, were woven almost exclusively for internal consumption. Since they were mostly sheltered from European and We...
Wool
Chinese Ninghsia Style “Hundred Antiques” Carpet, circa 1960
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
Chinese Ninghsia style “Hundred Antiques” carpet circa 1960. Measures 9.ft.6in. x 6ft. (290cm. x 183cm.) A central medallion surrounded by cult...
Wool
The Scholar’s Garden: A Vintage Chinese Kilim Masterpiece of Poetic Elegance
Located in Dallas, TX
78026 Vintage Chinese Floral Kilim Rug, 04'01 x 06'03. Cleverly composed and effortlessly poised, this hand-woven wool vintage Chinese floral kilim presents a cultivated vision of ga...
Wool
Large Antique Blue Chinese Art Deco Wool Rug
Located in Norwalk, CT
A beautiful oversize antique Chinese Art Deco hand knotted wool rug with a navy- blue field. This rug has a frame of beige and multi-color accents all over Chinese floral design. ...
Wool
Zabihi Collection Navy Chinese Rug Pillow
Located in New York, NY
Pillow made from a 20th-century Chinese rug with a zipper closure and polyfill. Measures: 16'' x 17''.
Wool
Beautiful and Fine Antique Chinese Textile 3'2" x 3'7"
Located in New York, NY
Finely Woven Antique Chinese Textile, Country of Origin: China, Circa Date: Late 19th Century
Silk
Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Rug
Located in Chicago, IL
An early 20th century Chinese Peking rug with a large round central floral medallion flanked by two blossoming peonies on a beau...
Wool
Doris Leslie Blau Vintage Chinese Floral Navy Blue Hand-Knotted Wool Rug
Located in New York, NY
This captivating 1920s Chinese rug embodies the refined artistry and subtle modernity characteristic of early 20th-century Chinese weaving. The design features a serene field of vari...
Wool
Large Navy Chinese Rug Pillow
Located in New York, NY
Pillow made from a 20th-century Chinese rug with zipper closure and poly-fill. Measures: 14'' x 24''.
Wool
Doris Leslie Blau Chinese Vintage Floral Warm Tan Hand-Knotted Wool Carpet
Located in New York, NY
This striking antique Chinese Art Deco rug from the early 1900s is a beautiful example of traditional Peking craftsmanship enhanced by early 20th-century design sensibilities. Hand-k...
Wool
Blue Beige Chinese Silk Scatter Rug
Located in New York, NY
A late 20th-century Chinese Silk rug in beige, light blue and navy Measures: 3' x 4'11''.
Wool, Silk
19th Century Antique Chinese High Pile Carpet with Yellow and Blue
Located in Queens, NY
Antique Chinese (late 19th century) high pile carpet with a yellow field and blue and ochre details. (11 3/4' x 17 1/3') Rug is in antique condition...
Tapestry
Monochromatic Antique Chinese Oval Rug with Striation, circa 1920s
Located in New York, NY
This essentially monochrome, borderless, undecorated elliptical rug has a speckled grey/black pattern constantly varying throughout. The abrash/striation goes end to end and side to ...
Wool
Vintage 1980s Orange Coral Blue Chinese Peking Carpet 12'4" x 18'2" Wool Rug
Located in New York, NY
Vintage 1980s Chinese Peking Carpet 12'4" x 18'2" Vintage Large Peking Chinese Floral Medallion Hand Knotted Pile Rug, Country of Origin: China, Circa Date: 1980s. This exquisite piece represents the later evolution of the traditional peking rug...
Wool
Antique Distressed Peking Chinese Wool Rug, Hand-Knotted, 1920s, Blue
Located in Norwalk, CT
A beautiful antique Destressed Peking Chinese hand knotted wool rug with a blue field and multi-color accents all-over traditional Chinese design. This rug measures: 7'4" x 9'10".
Wool
RugsOnNet Red Antique Medallion Chinese Peking Long and Narrow Galley Rug Carpet
Located in New York, NY
Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Galley Carpet ( 5' x 11'8'' - 152 x 356 ) Antique Peking Hallway Runner Wool Red Rug, Circa Date: 1920s. This exceptional Chinese runner captures t...
Wool
$3,776Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Chinese Carpet, Tan and Blue Carpet, Handmade Wool Rug
Located in Port Washington, NY
This elegant vintage Chinese rug is a classic example of the Peking style, woven in the late 20th century during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic era (circa 1980–1990). Desi...
Wool
Late 19th Century Ningxsia Chinese Carpet of The Eight Horses of Emperor Mu Wang
Located in Closter, NJ
The Ningxia region in northern China is generally accepted as being one of the first regions to actively weave carpets in that country. This has been attributed to shared cultural li...
Wool, Cotton
Doris Leslie Blau Vintage Chinese Abstract Pale Sand Hand-Knotted Wool Rug
Located in New York, NY
This captivating vintage Chinese Art Deco rug, dating back to the 1940s, is a remarkable example of East-meets-West modernism, blending traditional Chinese motifs with the streamline...
Wool
Antique Chinese Art Deco Wool Rug, Hand-Knotted, Floral Design, 1920
Located in Norwalk, CT
Beautiful antique Chinese Art Deco rug, hand-knotted wool with a brown field. This rug has a navy blue frame and multi-color accents in an all-over, Classic Chinese floral design. T...
Wool
Rare Sinkiang Chinese Carpet, Hand-Knotted Wool, Vase Motif, 1910-1919
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Big vase unusual motif for this Sinkiang, China carpet of the beginning of 20th century. From Private Collection . If You put it in the entrance of Your house it welcomes whoever en...
Wool
Vintage Tibetan Floral Rug
Located in New York, NY
Colorful late 20th century Tibetan rug with a lovely floral design Measures: 2'11'' x 5'9".
Wool
$2,000
Vintage Tibetan Vase Rug
Located in New York, NY
Colorful late 20th century Tibetan rug. Measures: 3' x 5'6".
Wool
1920s Antique Peking Designed Chinese Wool Rug Handmade In Golderod Color
Located in Norwalk, CT
This elegant antique Peking Chinese wool rug features a goldenrod field with a decorative border and navy blue accents, showcasing a stunning classic Chinese motif. This rug measure...
Other
1910s Antique Worn Chinese Rug - 8'6'' X 5'9''
Located in Los Angeles, US
Antique Chinese Rugs, as opposed to most of the antique rug productions, were woven almost exclusively for internal consumption. Since they were mostly sheltered from European and We...
Wool, Cotton
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
Ivory Light Blue Brown 20th Century Hand Knotted Wool Tibetan Scatter Throw Rug
Located in New York, NY
A full pile Tibetan throw rug in clear white and blue hues, circa 1930, measures: 2'11" x 4'10".
Wool
$10,140Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Peking 5Paw 9x12 Dragon Chinese Rug 275cmx356cm Fine Art Deco Rug c.1870
Located in New York, NY
This exquisite circa 1870 Chinese Peking rug features a soft brown field framed by deep blue borders and delicate floral corner motifs, centered by a detailed blossom medallion. Hand...
Wool
Handmade Square Blue Antique Wool Rug Designed Art Deco Fl
Located in Norwalk, CT
This beautiful hand-knotted wool rug showcases a navy blue center framed by a multicolored border in a stunning Chinese floral pattern. This rug measures 7' x 7'2".
Wool
Peking Rug, Wool, China, Mid 20th Century
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
Peking Rug, China Mid 20th Century The sandy-beige field and various shades of indigo with central shou symbol roundel surrounded by “Three friends of winter” and repeated in centr...
Wool
Chinese Dragon Peking Rug
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Chinese animal dragon rug in excellent medium even pile condition on creamy yellow colored ground. Measures: 5' x 8'.
Wool
Antique Chinese Pictorial Rug, First Quarter of the 20th Century
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
An exceptional antique Chinese Pictorial rug, first quarter of the 20th century, woven horizontally in subtle colors on a cream ground ce...
Wool
Medallion Handmade Antique Chinese Peking Square Wool Rug in Blue
Located in Norwalk, CT
This luxurious Peking Chinese antique wool rug boasts a blue field decorated with a designed frame and golden, peach, and black accents in a beautiful all-over Chinese floral pattern...
Other
$10,000
Antique Chinese Square Rug
Located in New York, NY
Rare square size Chinese Peking room size rug from the 1930s Measures: 8'2'' x 8'9''.
Wool