Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
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.
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo
1930s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
Mid-18th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Elm
1880s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Padouk
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
18th Century Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut
Early 20th Century Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century British Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1870s French Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Walnut
18th Century Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
20th Century Italian Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Cherry
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s French Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Cherry, Oak
Mid-18th Century English Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1960s French Vintage Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
1960s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century Singaporean Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Teak