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Chinese Export Benches

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
Low Vintage Bay Window Bench, Oriental Elm, Hallway Pew, Side Table, Art Deco
Low Vintage Bay Window Bench, Oriental Elm, Hallway Pew, Side Table, Art Deco

Low Vintage Bay Window Bench, Oriental Elm, Hallway Pew, Side Table, Art Deco

$2,316Sale Price|20% Off

Low Vintage Bay Window Bench, Oriental Elm, Hallway Pew, Side Table, Art Deco

Located in Hele, Devon, GB

This is a low vintage bay window bench. An Oriental, Asian Elm hallway pew, dating to the Art Deco period, circa 1930. A charming and versatile seating solution, perfectly proportioned for use beneath a window or in a grand reception hall. Delightful vintage window bench with distinctive Art Deco appeal Crafted from Asian Elm, showcasing warm caramel hues and striking grain pattern Features a trio of useful drawers across the lower fascia, ideal for storage Each drawer dressed with original brass drop handles, adding tactile charm Flared ends create a strong silhouette, with shaped bracket supports beneath Equally suited to use as a hallway pew, window seat or low side bench Presents in superb vintage order, lightly timeworn with desirable aged patina A tasteful fusion of Eastern craftsmanship and Art Deco sensibility, this vintage Asian Elm bench...

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1930s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Benches

Materials

Elm

Early 20th Century Chinese Style Elm Wood Skinny Bench
Early 20th Century Chinese Style Elm Wood Skinny Bench

Early 20th Century Chinese Style Elm Wood Skinny Bench

$1,396Sale Price|30% Off

Early 20th Century Chinese Style Elm Wood Skinny Bench

Located in Germantown, MD

Early 20th Century Chinese Style Elm Wood Skinny Bench Measures 54" in width, 12.5" in depth, 21.5" in height.  

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Early 20th Century Unknown Chinese Export Benches

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Antique Chinese Red and Brown Wooden Storage Bench
Antique Chinese Red and Brown Wooden Storage Bench

Antique Chinese Red and Brown Wooden Storage Bench

$1,850

Antique Chinese Red and Brown Wooden Storage Bench

Located in Queens, NY

Antique Chinese (Early Republic) wooden bench with removeable, red-sided, black two-piece top painted in a gold and red central figurative scene and moths in each corner, supported b...

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20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Benches

Materials

Wood

Antique Shanxi Province Carved Elm Bench
Antique Shanxi Province Carved Elm Bench

Antique Shanxi Province Carved Elm Bench

$2,995

Antique Shanxi Province Carved Elm Bench

Located in Chicago, IL

This Antique Shanxi Province Elm Bench showcases the timeless beauty of traditional Chinese craftsmanship. Crafted from solid elm wood, the bench features elegantly carved curved leg...

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Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Benches

Materials

Wood, Elm

Chinese Carved Wood Bench, Late 19th Early 20th Century
Chinese Carved Wood Bench, Late 19th Early 20th Century

Chinese Carved Wood Bench, Late 19th Early 20th Century

$5,318

Chinese Carved Wood Bench, Late 19th Early 20th Century

Located in MARSEILLE, FR

Very beautiful Chinese bench in carved exotic wood: the backrest comes forward to form the armrests and ends in snails, the backrest is also composed of 2 vertical wooden panels carv...

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Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Benches

Materials

Wood

Antique Shanxi Province Rare Top Hat Court Official Elm Bench
Antique Shanxi Province Rare Top Hat Court Official Elm Bench

Antique Shanxi Province Rare Top Hat Court Official Elm Bench

$7,995

Antique Shanxi Province Rare Top Hat Court Official Elm Bench

Located in Chicago, IL

Antique Shanxi Province Rare Top Hat Court Official Elm Bench The Antique Shanxi Province Rare Top Hat Court Official Elm Bench is a stunning piece of furnit...

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Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Benches

Materials

Wood, Elm, Lacquer

Pair of Chinese Teak and Velvet Benches
Pair of Chinese Teak and Velvet Benches

Pair of Chinese Teak and Velvet Benches

$3,000 / set

Pair of Chinese Teak and Velvet Benches

Located in Queens, NY

Pair of Asian Chinese style (20th Cent) square teak benches with filigree apron and mustard velvet seat Please NOTE one has a cushion as pictured and one does not have a cushion.

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20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Benches

Antique Shanxi Province Carved Ornate Bench
Antique Shanxi Province Carved Ornate Bench

Antique Shanxi Province Carved Ornate Bench

$2,995

Antique Shanxi Province Carved Ornate Bench

Located in Chicago, IL

Antique Shanxi Province Carved Ornate Bench Antique Shanxi Province bench handcrafted from solid elm wood, featuring ornate hand-carved details and a rich, aged patina. Its clean s...

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Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Benches

Materials

Wood

Antique Shanxi Province Elm Bench
Antique Shanxi Province Elm Bench

Antique Shanxi Province Elm Bench

$3,500

Antique Shanxi Province Elm Bench

Located in Chicago, IL

Antique Shanxi Province Elm Bench This Antique Shanxi Province Elm Bench embodies the quiet beauty and authenticity of wabi-sabi design, celebrating age, simplicity, and natural imp...

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Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Benches

Materials

Elm, Lacquer

Mid 19th Century Chinese Ebonized Bench
Mid 19th Century Chinese Ebonized Bench

Mid 19th Century Chinese Ebonized Bench

$5,280

Mid 19th Century Chinese Ebonized Bench

Located in Brooklyn, NY

19th century Chinese bench with woven seat. Ebonized Jumu or southern elm wood. Hand carved details

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Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Benches

Materials

Cane, Elm

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This is a late 20th century handcrafted teak decorator bench. This bench has a hand carved X design to the back with a soft curved arm. This long bench has a highly polished Amber to...

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Located in Old Town Orange, CA

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H 16.5 in W 56 in D 17 in

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Early 20th Century Unknown Chinese Export Benches

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Previously Available Items
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Located in Stockholm, SE

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Located in Los Angeles, CA

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Antique Shanxi Province Elmwood and Rattan Low Coffee Alter Table This Chinese antique altar table features a single board flush floating ...

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Located in Hele, Devon, GB

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Located in West Hartford, CT

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H 19.69 in W 35.44 in D 14.18 in

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Located in Hele, Devon, GB

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Chinese Export benches for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Chinese Export benches for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage benches created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, asian art and furniture, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, elm and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinese Export benches 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 benches differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $900 and tops out at $9,000 while the average work can sell for $1,895.

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