Chinese Antique Furniture

Antique Chinese Furniture

Antique Chinese furniture lends a unique oriental character to your home. You can recreate the image of the exotic Far East by blending it with the interior furnishings of your home with the right combination of antique Chinese furniture.  It is a tasteful interior design choice and extremely easy to maintain due to its mainly wood exterior. Each piece of antique Chinese furniture is the result of some degree of craftsmanship demonstrated in its carvings, inlays, lacquer and shape.  Due to its unique and valuable properties, you will be unlikely to find another piece of genuine antique piece of the same kind in the world.

What is Antique Chinese Furniture

Furniture in ancient China is mainly made of wood, be it mahogany, oak, pine, elm, walnut, rosewood; the most common wood used in antique country furniture is elm or elm combination.  Antique country furniture is furniture produced for common households as opposed to those produced for the palace or royalty; the latter is classified as ‘Chinese Classical furniture’.  The antique furniture you normally find in Chinese antique shops today is mainly country furniture.  Chinese classical furniture pieces, normally displayed at museums all over the world are precious cultural artifacts and highly controlled items.

Wood is used due to its hardiness, its ample supply and also because it is a flexible material to carve patterns and insert decorative inlays on. Inlay is created by intricately carving patterns on wood in order to fit in precious metals or stones as decorative elements. 

Among types of antique Chinese furniture you can find at antique stores today include beds, cabinets, chairs, bureaus, chests, stands, stools and storage trunks.

Heritage

Embedded in each piece of antique Chinese furniture is the tradition and heritage of a particular era in history; each piece tells a story of the culture and its people.

Acquiring some understanding of China history can certainly deepen your appreciation of antique Chinese furniture.  Written records of China history date back 1,700 BC, spanning the country’s heritage to almost 3,700 years. Periods or eras are distinctly marked by political change of power, with each dynasty or rule influencing the economical, cultural, artistic and literary development of the country.

The carvings, shape, decoration and wood used in each piece represent the artistic philosophy and craftsmanship of an era in China history. For example, furniture produced during the Ming dynasty (1366 – 1644) has simple, sparse lines with minimal decorative elements and its aesthetic quality is usually in its unique shape and wooden texture.  On the other hand, furniture of the Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911) is more elaborate with more extravagant details and fine lacquer due mainly to the economic prosperity of that era.

Investment 

As with all antique pieces, antique Chinese furniture is timeless and does not go out of fashion. It is a good investment, one you can enjoy today knowing that its value will not depreciate with time.  To ensure that a piece of furniture is truly antique, you should obtain a certificate of authenticity from a specialist antique store.  Antique specialist stores can provide professional advice on the origin of the furniture as well as the restoration work that have been done.

You can also purchase antique Chinese furniture online from reputed antique stores from China and Hong Kong that have in-house skilled artisans and craftsmen that have experiences in restorative works on antique furniture. These stores should also offer the option of whether you require restoration work to be done or just to purchase the original piece of antique without the restoration.   

Passion for antique Chinese furniture

Collectors of antique Chinese furniture are passionate about their hobbies; most would spend their vacation at antique stores or even travel thousands of miles to source authentic antique pieces.  They belong to a niche group with in-depth knowledge about the kind of furniture they like. Some are collectors of a particular era while some would go for combination of furniture pieces from a certain province.  Nevertheless, antique Chinese furniture does more than just beautify your home; every piece is a precious relic from the past  representing its artisitc heritage and cherished tradition.