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.
$6,850 / set
Large Pair of Antique Chinese Porcelain Foo Dogs
Located in Houston, TX
Large pair of antique Chinese porcelain foo dogs. Stunning pair of antique Chinese hand decorated porcelain foo dogs or foo lions. T...
Porcelain
Large Pair of Chinese Blue‑and‑White Lidded Jars, Late 20th Century
Located in Grythyttan, SE
Large Pair of Chinese Blue‑and‑White Lidded Jars, Late 20th Century A striking pair of large Chinese lidded porcelain jars crafted in the late 20th century, decorated in classic blu...
Porcelain
Large Antique Chinese Export Blue & White Canton Porcelain Serving Platter/Tray
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique Chinese Export porcelain footed serving platter or tray. In the Canton pattern. Decorated in underglaze blue with a mountainous Chinese village with houses, mountain...
Porcelain
Mid Century Chinese Black Lacquer Mother of Pearl Decorative Wall Fan
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful decorative Wall Hanging Fan , circa 1950's, Black Lacquer Mother of Pearl
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Antique Chinese Export Blue & White Canton Porcelain Reticulated Tray
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique Chinese Export reticulated porcelain tray or platter. In the Canton pattern. Decorated in underglaze blue with a mountainous Chinese village with houses, mountains, ...
Porcelain
Midcentury Chinese Export Style Porcelain Tobacco Leaf Pattern Table Lamp
By Mottahedeh
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a Chinese Export style porcelain table lamp in the vibrant tobacco leaf pattern. The wiring is new, and it is mounted to a brass base. It is unmarked.
Porcelain
Chinese Export Six Panel Coromandel Screen Gilt Courtyard
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Stunning 20th century Chinese export lacquered six-panel coromandel screen depicting a lush courtyard over a dramatic gold leaf ground. The lacquered panels are incised and painted w...
Brass
Early 19th Century Chinese earthenware jars containers or Planters
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An old glazed stoneware pair of Chinese 'egg post' or planters from Southern China. The pots have a traditional continuous coiling dragon wrapped around the body chasing the eternal ...
Earthenware
$1,400 / set
Chinese Carved Stone Foo Dogs, a Pair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of Chinese carved stone foo dogs. Very nice substantial size. Each with moveable ball in mouth. 6.5" x 4" wide 9" tall. Add some Asian style to your design project.
Stone
Pair 20th Century Chinese Export Famille Verte Porcelain Parrots, Kangxi Style
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Chinese Export Famille Verte Porcelain Parrots, Kangxi Style, Mid-20th Century A striking pair of Chinese export porcelain parrots, modeled in the Kangxi famille verte tradi...
Porcelain
Mid-Century Chinese Export Blue And White Ceramic Pottery Ginger Jars - Pair
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This a pair of mid-century Chinese Export style blue and white ginger jars. They date approximately to the 60s. They are in very good condition.
Pottery
Pair of Chinese Patriarch Matriarch Ancestral Portraits
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Stately pair of Chinese export ancestor portraits depicting a patriarch and matriarch of high ranking official status. Both depicted sitting and wearing decorated robes and hats. Mou...
Silk, Plexiglass, Wood, Paper
Vintage Chinese Realgar Peking Glass Baluster Vase
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine Chinese Peking glass vase. Crafted to imitate realgar (雄黃), a mineral widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. With a polished p...
Glass
Pair Mottahedeh Old English Lowestoft Lidded Orange Urns
By Mottahedeh
Located in Norwalk, CT
Elegant, hand painted orange and gilt decoration enhances the classical urn form of this pair. Details include removable lids with foo dog finials. Mottahedeh is the recognized lead...
Ceramic
Chinese Kuancai Ten Panel Coromandel Screen Mythical Landscape
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Amazing Chinese export Kuancai ten-panel coromandel screen featuring a mythical flora and fauna landscape. Made in the 17th century style that was so loved and collected by Coco Chan...
Brass
Chinese Export Reticulated Rose Medallion Porcelain Pottery Nut Serving Bowl
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is an early Chinese Export rose medallion reticulated serving bowl. I believe it to be an antique but have added thorough photos for the buyer’s perusal. The piece is unmarked....
Ceramic, Pottery
$971Sale Price|25% Off
Chinoiserie Horseshoe Yoke Back Black Lacquer Chair Ming Style Legs Made China
Located in Topeka, KS
Stunning vintage Chinoiserie style horseshoe Yoke back black chair with Ming style legs and champaign colored Damask fabric with floral pattern on the seat cushion. Beautiful conditi...
Stone
Antique Set 3 Chinese Export Gilded Lacquer Dragon Feet Nest of Tables 1890
Located in Portland, OR
A fine set of three japanned & gilt Chinese export tables, circa 1890. The table are japanned in black lacquer and hand-decorated with gilt designs. The lead table is painted with a ...
Bronze
A 19th Century Chinese Export Chinoiserie Black Lacquer Dressing Mirror
Located in London, GB
China, circa 1860 A mid-nineteenth century Chinese export black lacquered dressing table mirror, the oval mirror supported by two pierced bamboo leaf struts over a serpentine base f...
Lacquer
19th Century Chinese Elm Rustic Farmhouse Primitive Brutalist Stool
Located in Germantown, MD
Dated to mid 19th century, this rustic, farmhouse, primitive and brutalist stool has simple splayed-leg design and well-worn finish. Crafted of northern elm wood with mortise-and-ten...
Elm
$1,085Sale Price|30% Off
Late Qing Dynasty antique Chinese silk embroidered panel
Located in Pomona, CA
The item shown in the image is an antique Chinese silk embroidered robe sleeve panel, dating from the late Qing Dynasty (19th century to...
Silk
Chinese Carved Hardwood Plant Stand / Pedestal with Marble Top Insert
Located in San Diego, CA
A very nice Chinese carved hardwood plant stand / pedestal with white marble top insert, circa 1980s. There are two stands available, but they are priced separately. The stands are i...
Marble
Antique Brass and Hardwood Chinese Jewelry Box 1940s
Located in Den Haag, NL
This vintage Chinese jewelry box, crafted from rosewood, reflects the quiet elegance of a bygone era. Intricate brass fittings highlight traditional Chinese motifs, once symbols of l...
Hardwood
Chinese Export Four Panel Gilt Lacquered Coromandel Screen
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Extraordinary Chinese export four-panel coromandel screen featuring a pagoda pavilion landscape with a dramatic gold leaf background. The black lacquered panels are incised with vibr...
Brass, Gold Leaf
Chinese Painting on Scroll Paper, China 19th Century, Birds and Nature Decor
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Chinese painting on paper, which is unrolled once hung on the wall. It is a painting that depicts birds in nature, in the style of the 18th c...
Paper
$640Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Asian Center Table With Decorative Pearl Inlay and Stone Top
Located in Trenton, NJ
This decorative round center table combines timeless beauty with functional versatility. The polished grey marble inset top is framed by dark hardwood, offering an elegant contrast o...
Stone
$1,995Sale Price / set|30% Off
Huge set of 3 Vintage Chinese Fu Lu Shou Feng Shui Trio Gods Figurines Statues
Located in Pomona, CA
This image displays a Huge set of vintage Chinese porcelain statues known as the Sanxing, or the Three Star Gods, representing Fu, Lu, and Shou. These figures are central to Chinese ...
Porcelain
Republic Period Rosewood and Pewter Chinese Dragon / Bat Motif Serving Tray
Located in San Diego, CA
A very nice Republic period rosewood hand-carved serving tray with pewter dragon and bat appliques, circa 1930s. The tray is in good vintage condition and measures 10"Wx18"Lx1.5"D. ...
Pewter
Late 18th-Early 19th Century Blue Canton Chinese Export Covered Posset Pot
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Late 18th-early 19th century covered posset pot Chinese export. Blue Canton porcelain. Double entwined handled (roughness inside one handle). Good condition & decoration, well formed...
Porcelain
Vintage Black Lacquer Chinoiserie Painted Cabinet with Greek Key Accents
Located in Pasadena, TX
This cabinet is made in the chinoiserie style. It's been lacquered in black and is hand painted. It has 2 doors that open up to open space for lots of hidden storage. The cabinets h...
Lacquer, Paint
Verre Eglomise Chinese Export Portrait Painting
Located in Savannah, GA
A verre eglomise Chinese export portrait painting, circa 1900. 15 inches wide by 19 inches tall; 1 ½ inches deep
Glass, Wood, Paint
Antique Chinese Chinese Export Canton Scalloped Bowl, 19th C.
Located in Bridgeport, CT
An antique blue and white Chinese Export Canton scalloped bowl with circular foot with foliate form central Canton River landscape scene. The exterior with floral motifs. Circa 1840...
Ceramic
Pair of Large Palace Style Vintage Blue and White Chinese Urns
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
A very important vintage pair of oriental porcelain vases, each of urn form and decorated with floral and architectural designs in hues of blue on a white ground. The neck with oppo...
Porcelain
Chinese Cloisonne Vase on Stand with Floral Motif
Located in San Diego, CA
A nice Chinese cloisonne vase on stand with floral motif, circa 1970s. The vase is in very good condition with no dings or dents and measure 5.75"D x 11.75"H on a beautiful dark blue...
Brass, Enamel
Vintage Chinese Cloisonné Lapis Blue Round Lidded Box or Bowl
Located in Doylestown, PA
A striking Chinese lapis blue cloisonné round lidded box or bowl, early 1980s. Vibrantly decorated with a green border, ombre cherry blossoms, a single butterfly, gilded accents and ...
Metal, Enamel
$1,800Sale Price|20% Off
Chinese Carved Gilt Wood Panels or Screen, 19th Century
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a charming 19th century Chinese carved and gilt wood 3 panel screen. The panels are carved in high relief with multiple figures and architectural elements. The panels are pai...
Gold Leaf
Chinese Export Cloisonné Box
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Lovely Chinese export cloisonné box made of brass and enameled with a beautiful floral pattern in beautiful colors of red, green, blue and red. The box rests on ball feet. This chino...
Brass, Enamel
Chinese Export Four Panel Coromandel Screen Pastel Beauties
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Gorgeous Chinese export four-panel coromandel screen featuring a courtyard scene of beauties engaged in leisurely activities. The lacquered panels are incised and painted in soft pas...
Brass
Pair of Chinese Glazed Terracotta Foo Dogs
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of Chinese Glazed Terracotta Foo Dogs or Foo Lions. Stunning antique Chinese foo dogs or foo lions which date to the 1920's. This unusual pair of Chinese export foo dogs with ex...
Terracotta
Antique Chinese Export Blue & White Canton Porcelain Fruit Bowl / Punch Bowl
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique Chinese Export porcelain fruit bowl or punch bowl. In the Canton pattern. Decorated in underglaze blue with a mountaino...
Porcelain
Mid-Century Asian Style Wicker and Brass Blanket Chest
Located in Germantown, MD
A Mid-Century Asian Style Wicker and Brass Blanket Chest. Measures 32" in width, 16" in depth and 16" in height closed.
Brass
Stunning Large 19th Century Rose Medallion Rimed Bowl/Basin
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Stunning Large 19th Century Rose Medallion Rimmed Bowl/Basin China, Circa 1860s This stunning, large, 19th-century Rose Medallion rimmed bowl/basin, made in China circa the 1860s, ...
Porcelain
Set of Four Carved Blossoms and Birds Chinese Hardwood Veneer Panels
Located in Lomita, CA
A striking set of four vintage Asian relief wall panels depicting birds among flowering branches, carved in high relief and hand-painted in rich polychrome. Each vertical panel prese...
Wood
Vintage Carved Asian Drop Front 5 Drawer Secretary
Located in Pasadena, TX
This secretary is made of a dense rosewood. It's splendidly carved all over. It has 5 pull out drawers. and a drop front. The drop front opens up to create a secretary for an at hom...
Rosewood
Tall Antique Famille Rose Vase, Chinese, Ceramic, Qing, Centrepiece, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a tall antique Famille Rose vase. A Chinese, ceramic decorative baluster urn, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1900. A treat of visual interest and of good proport...
Ceramic
Chinese Export Porcelain Bottle-form Rose Medallion Vases
Located in Downingtown, PA
Chinese Export Porcelain Rose Medallion Bottle Vases A Pair, Guangzhou (Canton), China, Qing Dynasty, Daoguang–Xianfeng period, circa 1830–1860 This pair of bottle-form vases exemp...
Porcelain
Chinese Export Six-Panel Gilt Landscape Coromandel Screen 8 Ft
Located in Rio Vista, CA
A dramatic six-panel decorative Chinese Export Coromandel screen featuring a warm, luminous reflective gold-leaf ground and a continuous garden landscape scene of flora and fauna ext...
Metal, Gold Leaf
$626Sale Price|30% Off
Mid 20th Century Pair of Vintage Chinese Carved Rosewood Night Stand/End Table
Located in Pomona, CA
Look at this pair of Chinese carved Night Stand. It is made from Solid Rosewood and have beautiful Chinese traditional bamboo carvings all round the table. Very heavy and sturdy. It...
Rosewood
Lotus Square Folding Room Divider, Birch, Singapore, 1970s
Located in Staffanstorp, SE
A rare and highly decorative five-panel folding room divider known as The Lotus Square, produced in Singapore during the 1970s. Crafted in solid birch with beautifully carved openwor...
Birch
Large Chinese Blue-Green Celadon Glazed Stoneware Planter
Located in Yonkers, NY
Large Chinese blue-green celadon glazed stoneware planter featuring a luminous crackle glaze and a gracefully rounded silhouette. Its generous scale, timeless form, and refined finis...
Stoneware
19th Century Large Chinese Famille Rose Medallion Porcelain Punch Bowl
Located in Bradenton, FL
Chinese Famille Rose Medallion Porcelain Bowl. Large bowl is hand-painted and richly adorned with figural court scenes, floral reserves, birds, and an ornate profusion of butterflies...
Porcelain
Asian Tea Set with Hand Woven Wicker Carrying Warmer Basket, Teapot and Mugs
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Asian tea set with carrying basket. 1 porcelain teapot, 2 porcelain tea mugs and a wicker carrying basket. Perfect for a trip to the garden for tea time or pi...
Porcelain, Wicker
$1,196Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Chinese Export Lacquer Decorated Tea Caddy Box
Located in Atlanta, GA
Chinese for the English market, 19th century. A fine quality antique Chinese export tea caddy decorated with beautiful gilding surfaces, a hinged lid which opens to reveal a tooled ...
Pewter
Vintage Bronze Cloisonne Powder Box with Prunus - Unsigned - China - Mid-20th C
Located in Chatham, ON
Vintage bronze cloisonne lacquer powder box featuring Prunus blossoms - removeable lid - unsigned - China - mid 20th century. Excellent vintage condition - no loss - no damage - n...
Bronze, Enamel
Chinese Export Porcelain Famille Rose Plates Painted with Flower Baskets
Located in Downingtown, PA
Exquisite Prosperity: Chinese Export Porcelain Famille Rose Plates with Flower Baskets Set of Six. This beautiful pair of Chinese Export porcelain plates, dating from the Yongzheng ...
Ceramic, Porcelain
Original Japanese Woodblock Print by Japanese Artist 19th Century
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Rare, original 19th century woodblock print. Beautiful Edo period print from the original publisher. Quality framed with conservation glass in an black painted frame. Red Blue Gree...
Paper
$3,040Sale Price|20% Off
Chinese Export Four Panel Coromandel Screen Pearlescent Landscape
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Captivating Chinese export four-panel coromandel screen featuring an idyllic seascape with beauties. The background is comprised of pearlescent crystal sand that shines like glitter ...
Brass
Chinese Export 'Blue Fitzhugh' Platters from the Cabot-Perkins Service, c. 1812
Located in Kinderhook, NY
An extremely rare and wonderful set of two blue-and-white Chinese export porcelain graduated platters of large size from the famous "Cabot-Perkins" service commissioned in 1812. The ...
Porcelain
Mid-Century Chinese Rose Medallion Famille Rose Porcelain Vase
Located in Pearland, TX
A stunning large Mid-Century Chinese Export Rose Medallion porcelain vase, circa 1950. Maker's mark on reverse. This lovely vase has gorgeous colors in the traditional Rose Medallion...
Porcelain
Chinese Rose Medallion Umbrella Stand
Located in Bradenton, FL
Antique 19th Century Chinese rose medallion umbrella stand. Vibrant floral and figures in colors of pink, red, green, etc. on a white bac...
Porcelain