In what’s considered a golden age of Chinese furniture, Ming dynasty artisans produced expertly made designs that married elegance and function. Ming furniture was versatile, such as tables that doubled as writing desks and dining spaces. But it was also beautiful, enhancing a room with clean lines, soft curves and sophisticated decoration.
Dating from 1368 to 1644, the Ming dynasty was a vibrant time for international trade and culture. Especially for scholars and the wealthy, there was an emphasis on a home’s design to promote a good life. From large wardrobes to angular sofas, Ming-style furniture was defined by its joinery, which, instead of nails, involved meticulously designed interlocking elements of wood. This material was carefully selected and positioned to make the grain part of the design. The slow-growing huanghuali, a yellowish rosewood, was particularly valued for its bright color.
Although ornamentation was minimal, Ming dynasty furniture often featured carved or painted details of flowers, insects, dragons, fruits and other motifs. Chairs crafted for scholars could include calligraphic brush writing. As overseas trade expanded, techniques from the West, like cloisonné enamel painting, adorned table screens and other pieces.
Ming furniture influenced styles abroad such as Queen Anne in England and Hollywood Regency in the United States. The curved shape of Ming armchairs had a profound impact on legendary Scandinavian modernist furniture designer Hans Wegner. The Danish cabinetmaker shared the Ming artisans’ interest in creating streamlined, functional furnishings, and his China chair, Round chair and Wishbone chair are inspired by Ming dynasty seating. Today, the Ming-style horseshoe chair is a graceful and sought-after type of seat, and contemporary Chinese designers such as Jerry Chen and Gan Erke are also drawing on this heritage for a new era of style.
Find a collection of Ming cabinets, decorative objects, lounge chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Pair of Chinese Yellow and Turquoise Genre Vignette Porcelain Vases
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of Chinese vases with turquoise interiors, and yellow and turquoise grounds decorated in purple and blue floral designs, framing central, richly depicted genre vignettes wrappin...
Porcelain
Ugo Zaccagnini Ming Style Cocoa Banded Off White Glazed Pottery Lamp, C. 1960
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Ugo Zaccagnini Handled Pottery Table Lamp with Far Eastern influence. Featuring a textured squat urn form with matte Dark Brown ring handle, dragons and Greek Key designs in relief, ...
Brass
$4,737Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Ming Period Cizhou Statue of a Guanyin China Chinese Porcelain
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Chinese statue representing Kwan Yin/ Guanyin seated in rajalilasana on a throne, holding a child on her knees, two servants on either side. Cizhou porcelain with cream and brown gla...
Porcelain
Antique Chinese Cloisonne Arrow Vase Early Possibly Ming 16th Century
Located in Wilton, CT
Antique Chinese cloisonne on copper arrow vase, possibly Ming Dynasty 16th century. Bottle form with pair of "arrow" tubes on either side of ...
Copper
Chinese Ming Celadon Bottle Vase, c. 1500
Located in Chicago, IL
This petite ceramic bottle is a Ming-dynasty (1368-1644) vessel originally used for serving rice wine or spirits. The small round bottle is beautiful in its imperfection, shaped with...
Earthenware
$2,010Sale Price|73% Off
Kosometsuke 17C Chinese Porcelain Ming Period Kaiseki Dish Tianqi / Chongzhen
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Sharing with you this lovely and unusual Chinese porcelain Kaiseki dish from the late Ming period, Tianqi/Chongzhen period most. Jingdezhen made for the Japanese market. Origin: C...
Porcelain
Chinese Ming Cobalt Brushed Wine Vessel, c. 1500
Located in Chicago, IL
This petite ceramic bottle is a Ming-dynasty (1368-1644) vessel originally used for serving rice wine or spirits. The gracefully curved form is known as a yuhuchunping, or pear-shape...
Earthenware
Chinese Ming Style Mahogany Stool with Cushion
Located in Germantown, MD
Chinese Mahogany Stool with thick Safari Theme Cushion Measures 21" in width, 17" in depth and 19.5" in height with Cushion and 16.5" in height without cushion.
Brass
Large Wood Sculpture of Boddhisatva Head Ming Dynasty
Located in Atlanta, GA
Large antique Chinese carved wood sculpture of a Boddhisattva head circa 16-17th century from Ming Dynasty. Likely part of a full body life-size statue, the head was finely carved, p...
Wood
$2,200 / item
Cube Stone Top Table
Located in New York, NY
Cube table with inset antique street stone tops. Solid Elm wood with an Antique street stone set into the top. Minimalist design that originated in the Ming Dynasty. Color dark bro...
Cast Stone
Pair of Chinese Famille Rose Globular Porcelain Vases
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of Antique Chinese (late 19th Century) famille rose globular porcelain vases decorated with cranes amid a tree growing from grasses surrounded by blooming pink and orange flower...
Porcelain
$1,628Sale Price|51% Off
Antique Large Nanban 19C Edo Period Japanese Plate Charger Japan ca 1800-1830
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A very nice shaped polychrome dish. Unusual shape and painting. With overglaze blue. Absolute top quality. Marked with Ju character (felicitation or longevity) at base. late Edo per...
Porcelain
Kosometsuke Antique Chinese Ming Dynasty Shonzui Porcelain Cup, 17th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Beautiful bowl in blue and white. Shonzui marked and style, but 19th c japanese. With matching storage box Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: C...
Porcelain
$3,756 / set
Set of Six Chinese Dining Chairs in Ming Style
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage set of Chinese in Ming style dining chairs in solid wood. Glossy redwood frames - two with arms, and four without. Includes teal color...
Wood
Vintage Low Kang Coffee Table with Carved Scrolls and Chow Legs
Located in Yonkers, NY
A vintage Chinese Ming style low Kang coffee table from Java, with carved apron, chow legs and custom lacquer. Created in Java during the Mid-20th Century, this low Kang coffee table...
Wood
Pair, Ming Style Ginger Jar Glazed Blue Porcelain & Brass Table Lamps 1950s USA
Located in Miami, FL
A pair of vintage Ming Style Chinoiserie light blue Ginger Jar Porcelain & Brass Table Lamps, Palm Beach Regency attributed. Features a Porcelain Body with a brass base and fittings....
Brass
$2,700Sale Price|22% Off
Jumu Wood Low Table
Located in Greenwich, CT
Simple Jumu wood low table with framed cane top, beautiful wood grain and texture.
Wood
A large wood Buddha/Guanyin with traces of pigments Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
By Master
Located in Vienna, AT
A LARGE WOOD FIGURE OF GUANYIN WITH TRACES OF PIGMENTS MING DYNASTY (1368-1644) The bodhisattva is shown seated in padmasana, wearing long flowing ro...
Hardwood
Ming Dynasty 15th-16th Century Glazed Terracotta Funeral Table with Food Mingqi
Located in Yonkers, NY
A Ming dynasty period glazed terracotta funeral table mingqi from 15th-16th century with food and drinks. Created during the Ming Dynasty, this glazed terracotta funeral table, known...
Terracotta
Ming Dynasty Style Pear Wood Buddhist Niche, 20th Century
Located in San Francisco, CA
Ming Dynasty Style Pear Wood Buddhist Niche A finely made wooden Buddhist niche crafted from yellow pear wood, produced in the 20th century in the style of Ming Dynasty devotional f...
Wood
Pair Southeast Asian All-Sides Carved Fruitwood Two-Part Side Table Cabinets
Located in Germantown, MD
A Pair Southeast Asian all sides Carved Fruitwood Two-Part Side Table Cabinets with glass top. Measures measure 20" in width x 20" in depth x 23" in height. Cabinets inside measureme...
Fruitwood
Mid 20th Century Ming Style Rosewood Coffe Table with Protective Glass Top
Located in Germantown, MD
An exquisite Mid 20th Century Ming Style Rosewood cocktail Table with protective Glass Top. Pristine vintage condition with very light signs of use. Measures 40" in width, 20" in d...
Brass
$5,040Sale Price|20% Off
18th C Style Ming Chinese Bamboo Center Table by Burton-Ching
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
18th C Style Ming Chinese Bamboo Center Table by Burton-Ching.
Bamboo
$2,690Sale Price|20% Off
Large late Ming dynasty Wanli period blue and white kraak ware export porcelain
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A very nicely potted and painted blue and white Kosometsuke plate of a desirable cobalt blue! Stunning piece with design of Turkish style Arabesque pattern and central a Lingzhi Fung...
Porcelain
Pair of Antique Chinese Shiwan Ware Pottery Statue Lamps
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Pair of Antique Chinese Shiwan Ware Pottery Statue Lamps
Pottery
Chinese Ming Kneeling Man Oil Lamp, c. 1500
Located in Chicago, IL
This curious ceramic form is a sculptural Chinese candle stand or oil lamp from the late Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Rustic and highly textured, the sculptural ceramic form is thick wi...
Ceramic
Pair of Chinese Ming Style Bamboo Horseshoe Armchairs
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Dramatic pair of 20th century Chinese export bamboo chairs featuring a gracefully curved horseshoe back ending with out swept hooks. Constructed in the Ming dynasty style with a deco...
Bamboo, Wood
$2,200Sale Price|21% Off
Fine Leather Trunk on Stand
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine leather trunk on detachable stand with brass fitting, beautiful color and texture, elegant form and lines.
Wood, Leather
Ming Style Ceramic Table Lamp
Located in Bradenton, FL
A Ming style ceramic table lamp in white. Decorated with hand painted iris and lily flowers with foliage in a golden brown color palette. Stands on a brown wooden base with four Ming...
Ceramic
$450Sale Price / item|40% Off
Asian Solid Wood Ming Style Coffee Table Bench, Hand-Carved, China
Located in Somis, CA
Beautiful solid wood table finished all around. Top is of mitered, tenon and mortise, solid single board floating panel construction. Cinched waist and 4 hoof feet legs. A pair of ve...
Wood
$8,377Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Ming Period Ko Akae Chinese Porcelain Dish Kosometsuke Flowers Poem
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
One of the coolest pieces I have gotten in the last months. Great decoration with added green and red. This piece has the thing that intrigues me a lot. Green color added to baking f...
Porcelain
Intricately Carved Sandalwood Frame in Custom Display Frame
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A highly decorative Carved and Tassled Sandalwood Fan mounted on a Green Velvet background and fitted in a Gilt edged custom display frame. The Fan with...
Velvet, Wood, Sandalwood
1960s Chinese Decorative Mahogany Hand Carved Wood Table Lamp
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1960s Hand Carved Mahogany Wood Chinese Table Lamp No shade. Double socket with matching wood finial 30.25 h x 9 w x 5.5 d Unmarked Original vintage unrestored condition. Refer to im...
Brass
$956Sale Price|46% Off
Antique Chinese Carved Wood Buddha Sculpture Lamp
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Antique Chinese carved wood Buddha sculpture lamp. Later electrified with Lucite base and custom made shade. Additional information: Materia...
Lucite
Rare and Unusual Antique Kashgar Rug with Mughal Pattern
Located in Milan, IT
A very rare small format, very finely knotted antique rug from the oasis of Kashgar, located in eastern Turkestan. Distinguished by a unique soft red background and by an all-over pattern consisting of a trellis containing a directional floral blossom motif characteristic of the Indian Mughal Dynasty...
Wool
$3,500 / set
Pair of Elm Wood Children Armchairs
Located in Greenwich, CT
Pair of elmwood children armchairs with relief carving, simple and beautiful form. We carry fine quality furniture with elegant finished and has be...
Wood
$1,222Sale Price|59% Off
Top Quality Wanli / Tianqi Antique Ming Period Chinese Porcelain Crane Waves
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Description A very nicely potted and painted early 17th century dish of a desirable cobalt blue! Stunning piece with unusal reverse decorated design. Visible are cranes, different k...
Porcelain
Child's Size Chinese Horseshoe Chair
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A child's size Chinese horseshoe chair with exposed mortise and tenon joints, carved center medallion and a square perimeter stretcher. Dimensions: 18 1/2" W, 14" D, 12" seat height...
Wood
Antique Ming Literati Tianqi Period 17th c Chinese Porcelain China Dish Landscap
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Description Sharing with you this fantastic Chinese porcelain dish. Period Tianqi, Ming dynasty. This piece belongs to the Kosometsuke (Ko-sometsuke) group, produced in Jingdezhen s...
Porcelain
Antique Ming Literati Tianqi Period 17th c Chinese Porcelain China Dish Landscap
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Description Sharing with you this fantastic Chinese porcelain dish. Period Tianqi, Ming dynasty. This piece belongs to the Kosometsuke (Ko-sometsuke) group, produced in Jingdezhen s...
Porcelain
Chinese Provincial Onion Shape Porcelain Bottle Vase
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stylish antique Chinese Provincial Ming pattern porcelain onion shape bottle vase dating from the late Ming or early Qing period. The vase stands on a narrow round unglazed foot ri...
Porcelain
Antique Chinese Food Presentation Covered Box
Located in Forney, TX
A remarkable antique food box from the Shanxi province, North China, late Ming (1368-1644) to early Qing (1644-1912) Dynasty. An extraordinary e...
Wood, Paint
Huge Zaccagnini Pottery Mid Century Italian Ming Lamp Vintage 1950's Turquoise
Located in Wilton, CT
Huge Zaccagnini pottery square lamp with bands of Ming themed decor, flanges at the corners, and fabulous turquoise glaze, circa 1950's. Approx. 39" high overall, 24" to top of pottery, 11" square. 3 way switch. Glass bulb cover/shade holder. Heavy lamp...
Pottery
Chinese Ming Lotus Petal Vase, c. 1450
Located in Chicago, IL
With its balanced silhouette and subdued color palette, this lotus offering vase from the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644) resonates calm and sophistication. Sculpted centuries ago in ...
Earthenware
Set of Six Guanmaoyi Yokeback Dining Chairs, circa 1960s
Located in Peabody, MA
A set of six Classic Chinese Guanmaoyi yokeback chairs in lacquered elmwood consisting of two armchairs and four sides. These elegant high back chairs are named for their resemblance...
Wood
$30,334Sale Price / set|20% Off
Large Set of Chinese 17th Century Porcelain Ming Dynasty Plates Chenghua Marked
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
The exact selection can vary from the picture due to stock changes. A set of 30 plates from the early 17th century. Variation on a theme. Late Ming dynasty blue and white...
Porcelain
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
Century Furniture Sabota Collection Buffet
Located in Pasadena, TX
This is a rare piece of Century Furniture. It's designed by Raymond Sabota for their Sabota line of furniture. It's hand-painted in a distressed fashion...
Wood, Paint
Large Chinese Wooden Lacquered Box Decorated with Birds and Vegetal Motif
Located in Brea, CA
Chinese Art. A large wooden lacquered box decorated with birds and vegetal motif China, Ming dynasty, 17th century. 36cm x 6.5cm. Condition see more...
Lacquer
Southeast Asian All-Sides Carved Fruitwood Octogonal Side Table Cabinet
Located in Germantown, MD
A Southeast Asian All-Sides Carved Fruitwood Octogonal Side Table Cabinet with glass top. Removable shelf Measures 22" in width x 22" in depth x 21.25" in height.
Fruitwood
Chinese Ming Blue & White Rice Bowl, c. 1600
Located in Chicago, IL
This Ming-dynasty (1368-1644) bowl is attributed to the kilns of Yunnan province, brushed with dark cobalt underglaze in a pattern of loops and spirals reminiscent of ancient bronze ...
Earthenware
Chinese Ming Horse Eye Wine Jar, c. 1550
Located in Chicago, IL
Elegant yet unrefined, this ceramic wine bottle from Yunnan province is a testament to the wabi-sabi beauty of provincial Chinese pottery. Dated to the 15th/16th century, the jar was...
Earthenware
$2,398Sale Price|48% Off
Rare Kosometsuke Antique Chinese Ming Dynasty Plate China Porcelain, 17th C
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Beautiful dish in blue and white. This is a Jingdezhen made dish made for the Japanese market. Kosometsuke. With a floral and bird decoration. Base with a chenghua mark The base is...
Porcelain
$7,562Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Ming Period Chinese Porcelain Literatus & Attendant Charger Flies Whisk
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Sharing this new arrival. An amazing Blue and white porcelain dish, Kraak porcelain. China, Ming dynasty Wanli period (1572-1620), Decorated in the centre with a literatus and...
Porcelain
$2,182Sale Price / set|40% Off
Pair of Japanese Kyokuroku Folding Chairs
Located in Kastrup, DK
Pair of Japanese red lacquered folding meditation armchair for monks. Pair of kyokuroku chairs in original red lacquer with gilt carvings and embossed brass hardware. One chair wit...
Brass
Chinese Ming style pear shaped monochrome vase with elephants heads
Located in DELFT, NL
With moulded elephant-head handles, connected by a band of geometric shapes and applied overal with a creamy yellow glaze suffused with a fine crackle. Condition: the rim polished a...
Porcelain
Composite Cast Asian Warrior Garden Sculpture 27"
Located in Pasadena, TX
This statue is made of a casted composite. It depicts a Chinese warrior. It has a nicely aged patina.
Composition
$720Sale Price|40% Off
Chinese Elm Audience Chair, c. 1850
Located in Kenilworth, IL
Chinese audience chair in the Ming Dynasty taste. The chair is made from Northern Chinese Elm with traces of original black lacquer throughout. The chair has a frame and panel...
Elm
Chinese Ming Buddhist Oil Lamp, c. 1600
Located in Chicago, IL
This sculptural ceramic object is a Chinese oil lamp from the late Ming dynasty, originally used in altar displays for Buddhist ceremonies and ritual ...
Ceramic
Antique Chongzhen Shunzhi Transitional Chinese Porcelain Ewer, 17th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A very nicely decorated and Ewer in underglaze blue. The globular body rises to a flared neck decorated with tulips and supported by a high handle. The main decoration depicts a nice...
Porcelain
$3,128Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Chinese 17th Century Porcelain Ming/Transitional Plate Boys with Bird
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A very nicely decorated plate. A late Ming Ko-Sometsuke porcelain dish, Wanli or Tianqi period, 1600-1627. This Kaiseki blue and white porcelain serving dish is decorated with two ...
Porcelain