Like chinoiserie, which had emerged in Europe in the 17th century, antique Chinese Chippendale furniture was an appropriation of Asian design that often distilled it to stereotypes.
Thomas Chippendale published The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director in 1754, and the widespread popularity of the book of furniture designs influenced a new style of furniture named for the English cabinetmaker. Artisans in England, the United States and Europe adapted the work illustrated in its pages. The publication of the pattern book included designs reflecting “Gothic, Chinese and Modern Taste,” with illustrations of “Chinese” chairs and cabinets featuring elaborate hand-carved latticework.
Pagoda-shaped flourishes and wood painted in the “japanned” finish that mimicked lacquer were common on these pieces, as were fretwork patterns on chair backs. The back of a chair is the easiest way to distinguish between Gothic, Rococo and Chinese Chippendale chairs, all of which typically feature broad seats and luxurious upholstery. Chippendale’s designs for “Chinese” chairs tend to favor more clean lines and less ornamentation than the other styles, with cutouts in the rails and the fretwork on the back evoking a European ideal of East Asian design.
Dark woods such as walnut and solid mahogany were commonly used, as were bamboo turnings. Cabinets for imported Chinese ceramics frequently were adorned with glazing bars, while small tea tables were detailed with angular fretwork. The style remained popular through the 18th century and into the decades that followed, even inspiring an entire room at Buckingham Palace.
Find antique Chinese Chippendale dining room chairs, side tables, case pieces and other furniture and decor on 1stDibs.
Vintage Asian Black Lacquered Cabinet or Chest with Hand-Painted Floral Motif
Located in Plainview, NY
Vintage Asian Chinese Black Lacquered Cabinet or Chest with Hand-Painted Floral Motif: Vintage Asian black lacquered cabinet or scholar’s chest, beautifully adorned with hand-painte...
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
Exceptional 19th Century English Chinoiserie Pagoda Display Cabinet
Located in Houston, TX
Large-scale 19th century English display cabinet executed in the Chinoiserie tradition. Constructed in carved mahogany and conceived as a tripartite architectural façade, each glazed...
Glass, Mahogany
Chinese Qing Chinoiserie Lacquer Cabinet
Located in Bradenton, FL
Chinese Qing hand-painted lacquered wedding cabinets were popular in the1800s as wedding gifts and used to store linens, among other items The cabinet fea...
Wood
Vintage Chinese Chippendale Style Pagoda Glass Front Cabinet on Stand
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Standout vintage black and gold Chinese Chippendale style cabinet, handcrafted in hardwood with a dramatic pagoda top. The two door glazed cabinet features interior lighting and rest...
Metal
$2,701Sale Price|20% Off
Superb Quality Early 20th Century Cabinet by Edwards & Roberts
Located in Martlesham, GB
A superb quality early 20th century mahogany cabinet in the Chinese Chippendale manor by Edwards & Roberts, the top of the cabinet has a broken arch pediment with dentil mouldings an...
Mahogany
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Chinese Chippendale Style Chinoiserie Faux Bamboo Cabinet By Century Furniture
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a Chinese chippendale style chinoiserie cabinet by Century Furniture. It most likely dated to the 1970s. It has a carved faux bamboo and fretwork frame. The cabinet opens to...
Wood
$6,747 / item
Chinese Chippendale Painted Cabinet
Located in Westwood, NJ
A hand-painted Chinese Chippendale style side cabinet with two blind fret carved frieze drawers with brass pull handles above two cabinet doors enclosing an adjustable shelf and rais...
Wood
$1,036Sale Price|20% Off
Late 19thc Gilt and Paint Decorated Tansu Cabinet 8 Drawers 2 Doors
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous late 19thc Tansu cabinet with 8 drawers of various sizes behind two doors that have the lock & key. Gilt and Paint Decorated on all sides except back and bottom. Fronts of a...
Brass
$32,000 / set
Pair of Chinese Chippendale Mahogany Curio Cabinets
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of English Chinese Chippendale-style (19/20th Century) mahogany curio display cabinets with glass door and pagoda top. (PRICED AS Pair)
Mahogany, Glass
Rare & Exquisite Antique 19th Century Chinese Red Lacquer Cabinet on Stand
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this exquisite and exceptionally rare 19th century Chinese red lacquer cabinet on stand A good looking and decorative piece, this is circa 1860-18...
Wood
Chippendale Fretted Open Cabinet
Located in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
An exceptional George II design Chinese Chippendale mahogany open fret cabinet, suitable as a bedside or drawing room dwarf book cabinet. The Chippendale Fretted Open Cabinet is hand...
Mahogany
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
Late Qing Dynasty Split Bamboo & Lattice Top Chippendale Cabinet w/ 3 Drawers
Located in Van Nuys, CA
This elegant two-stepped cabinet showcases a distinctive half-bamboo motif, with split bamboo forming the tops of the shelves and cabinet in a lattice-lik...
Bamboo
$725
H 28 in W 24 in D 14 in
Vintage Chinese Black Lacquer Dimunitive Small Side Table Cabinet Chinoiserie
Located in Dayton, OH
Late 20th Century Chinese Cabinet. Features black trimmed in gold with a geisha scene along the front. The cabinet opens to one shelf for accessory storage. Dimensions: 24" x 14" ...
Hardwood, Lacquer
Late 19th Century Chinoiserie Display Cabinet
Located in Pomona, CA
Late 19th century English chinoiserie decorated display cabinet. The hinged top opens to reveal a remote document storage.
Glass, Wood
$2,411
H 24.22 in W 23.82 in D 16.15 in
STUNNING VINTAGE CHINESE CHINOISERIE GEISHA GIRLS LACQUER SiDE CABINET SOAPSTONE
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely vintage Chinese side cabinet with native scenes of Geisha girls carved out of soapstone and deco...
Wood
$4,125
H 85 in W 46.5 in D 13 in
1980s Georgian Style Chinese Chippendale Red & Gilt Chinoiserie Display Cabinet
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a Georgian Chinese Chippendale style red and gilt painted display cabinet or vitrine. It is two pieces with two adjustable interior glass shelves. The pieces has elaborate fr...
Brass
$4,400
H 66.93 in W 38.59 in D 19.3 in
Antique Danish Painted Cabinet with Floral Motifs, Folk Art, 19th Century
Located in Odense, DK
A charming and rare antique Dansih "Almue" cabinet, beautifully decorated in the tradition of Scandinavian folk art. The piece features a soft green painted surface with hand-painted...
Wood
$2,450 / set
H 32.25 in W 38.5 in D 19.25 in
Vintage Pair of John Stuart Mahogany Chippendale Style Cabinets
By John Stuart
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Pair of John Stuart mahogany chippendale style cabinets with cantered corners, heavily carved corner panels and frieze, four graduated drawers, ornate brass hardware with rosettes an...
Brass
Spanish Baroque Style Walnut Vargueño Cabinet on Stand
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Distinctive walnut varqueño cabinet or chest on stand made in the Spanish baroque taste by Flint and Horner Co. New York, New York. When R.J. Horner retired his company merged with G...
Brass
$6,325
H 72.25 in W 46.25 in D 22 in
Chinese Qing Dynasty 19th Century Red Lacquer Cabinet with Gold Chinoiseries
Located in Yonkers, NY
A Chinese Qing Dynasty period original red lacquer cabinet from the 19th century, with gilt Chinoiserie décor. Created in China during the...
Brass
$6,325
H 72 in W 47 in D 22 in
Qing Dynasty Two-Door Cabinet with Hand-Painted Décor and Original Black Lacquer
Located in Yonkers, NY
A Qing dynasty two-door elmwood cabinet from the 19th century, with original black lacquer and hand-painted decor. Created during the Qing Dynasty in the 19th century, this exquisite...
Wood, Elm
Chinese Qing Dynasty Cabinet with Original Décor
Located in Kastrup, DK
Rare Qing dynasty cabinet with original well preserved decorations. Red base lacquer with polychrome decorations, black lacquer on the sides. Top...
Elm
Chinoiserie Faux Bamboo and Parquetry Cabinet Cupboard C.1970
By Dixie
Located in London, GB
Chinoiserie faux bamboo and parquetry campaign style cabinet cupboard, Circa 1970. In very good vintage condition commensurate of age. Patination to the brass detailing and small pi...
Brass
$1,290
H 30 in W 23 in D 11 in
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
Sold
H 69.5 in W 30 in D 14.75 in
Antique Chippendale Mahogany Carved Display Case Cabinet Vitrine on Stand 1895
Located in Portland, OR
A fine antique Edwardian mahogany Chippendale Revival carved cabinet on stand, circa 1895. This fine antique two section mahogany display cabinet, with the top section having an arc...
Mahogany
Sold
H 85.25 in W 79 in D 18.25 in
Chinese Chippendale Henredon Mahogany Finished Breakfront Lighted Cabinet
By Henredon
Located in Topeka, KS
Gorgeous vintage Chinese Chippendale Henredon 2 piece mahogany finished hardwood Breakfront lighted display cabinet with glass door fronts with decorative mullions, glass shelves wit...
Brass
Chinese Chippendale Mahogany Pagoda Cabinet
Located in Bradenton, FL
Stunning early 20th Century one of a kind Chinese Chippendale Style Mahogany Pagoda Cabinet is a meticulously crafted piece of furniture. This hand-carved cabinet features a pagoda g...
Wood
Sold
H 35.25 in W 45 in D 21.25 in
1930s Hand Painted Chinese Chippendale Style Chinoiserie Demilune Cabinet
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a lovely early twentieth century Chinese Chippendale chinoiserie cabinet. The green and black paint combined with the gilt fretwork are a striking combination. The cabinet op...
Wood
Edwardian chippendale revival carved mahogany cabinet
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Edwardian Chinese chippendale carved mahogany cabinet, circa 1905. 2 part edwardian mirrored cabinet in the chippendale taste. Top section comprising of 6 mirrors surmounted by carv...
Mirror, Mahogany
Sold
H 0.4 in W 0.4 in D 0.4 in
A Rare and Fine George III 18th Century Chinoiserie Lacquer Cabinet on Stand
Located in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
A beautifully ornate George III chinoiserie cabinet. The cabinet features a black lacquer finish with detailed artwork that contrasts beautifully against the dark background. This is...
Oak, Pine, Lacquer
Chinese Lattice Kitchen Cabinet, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This provincial lattice cabinet from the early 20th century was once used in a rural Chinese kitchen to store dishware, baskets and other kitchen supplies. Crafted of cypress with tr...
Pine, Cypress
Sold
H 77 in W 41.75 in D 22.25 in
Coastal Distressed Woven Rattan Pagoda Fretwork Chippendale Style Cabinet
Located in North Fort Myers, FL
Presenting a stunning woven rattan fretwork Chippendale-style armoire cabinet, featuring an elegant off-white distressed finish and a distinctive ...
Rattan, Hardwood, Plywood
Sold
H 45 in W 47.13 in D 13.25 in
19th c Chinese Chippendale Style Mahogany Cabinet Étagère, Probably New Zealand
Located in Milford, NH
A heavily carved Chinese Chippendale style cabinet étagère with pierce carved scrollwork crest surmounting a conforming case with two glass doors, opening to a single shelf interior,...
Iron
Sold
H 85.25 in W 79 in D 18.25 in
Chinese Chippendale Henredon Mahogany Finished Breakfront Lighted Cabinet
By Henredon
Located in Topeka, KS
Gorgeous vintage Chinese Chippendale Henredon 2 piece mahogany finished hardwood Breakfront lighted display cabinet with glass door fronts with deco...
Brass
Sold
H 69.3 in W 27.56 in D 14.18 in
A Rare Chinese Chippendale George III cabinet on stand, circa 1760. England
Located in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
A Fine and Rare George III Chinoiserie Cabinet on Stand, Circa 1760. A rare George III cabinet on stand in the Chinese Chippendale manner,...
Oak, Pine
Chinese Ebonized Wood Diminutive Chest
Located in Astoria, NY
Chinese ebonized wood diminutive cabinet with two doors opening to revealing two shelves. 13.75" H x 8" W x 4.5" D. Provenance: Property from the estate of a prominent Chinese musician.
Wood