What material are most of these carved from?

Wood is the largest group, roughly a third of listings: hardwood, boxwood, giltwood and lacquered figures. Stone and hardstone follow at around a quarter, taking in soapstone, jade, jadeite and agate. Bronze and metal make up about one in ten, from gilt bronze Guanyin to cloisonné enamel. Pottery appears as a minority tail of tomb figures, roof tiles and plaques.

How old are Chinese sculptures on the market?

The dated field runs from 1750 to 1930. The earliest dated entry is a wooden medicine figure of about 1750. Most carry a century band rather than a year. "19th Century" is the commonest single entry, then "1900s", with a smaller group of decade-level dates. Twelve listings sit before 1700, where dealers have attributed pieces to the Ming, Han and Tang.

Why are foo dogs sold in pairs?

They were made as guardians and set out flanking an entrance, so pairs are how they were produced and how they still come to market. Pairs account for one title in seven across the category, and the pairing is nearly always guardian animals: foo dogs, temple lions, water buffalo, horses, elephants and phoenix birds.

Does size make much difference?

It is the most advertised attribute after the carving itself. "Large" qualifies a good sixth of titles, and "monumental" appears on several of the top-of-range samples. Weight is quoted only occasionally, and then on the heavy end: a pair of temple lions at 35kg, a gilt bronze Guanyin at 5.4kg.

Are any Chinese sculptures signed by a maker?

No carver, workshop or foundry name comes through this archive. These pieces are described by material, subject, period and scale instead. What you get in place of a name is the dynastic label. "Dynasty" appears in thirty titles, with Qing and Ming the two used most.

Which unusual pieces turn up?

One-offs recur at the edges: a red coral fishman holding a fish, a pair of immortals in buffalo horn, a bamboo head-rest pair, a sancai roof ridge tile. Exotic stones surface by name once or twice each, among them chicken-blood stone, Laos Tianhuang, shoushan, bowenite serpentine and hetian jade.

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Antique Chinese Sculptures

98 items · page 6 of 7

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Free-standing Chinese figures carved in wood and stone or cast in bronze: deities, immortals, sages and guardian animals made for temples, household shrines, the scholar's desk and, from the 18th century on, the export trade.

A Late 19th Century Chinese Carved Hardwood Figure with Mythical Creature.

1900 - 1920

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A Late 19th Century Chinese Carved Hardwood Figure with Mythical Creature.

From Robert Belcher Antiques

£475

FOR SALE

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18th century

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Late 18th Century Chinese Carved Wood Foo Dog

From Kendall House Antiques Ltd.

£1,000

FOR SALE

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A Rare and Glorious Piece of Gnarled Wood Cleverly Carved as a Man with a Boy on His Shoulders

19th century

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A Rare and Glorious Piece of Gnarled Wood Cleverly Carved as a Man with a Boy on His Shoulders

From Gerard Robinson Fine Art and Antiques

£575

FOR SALE

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Early 20th Century Large Chinese Cloisonne Enamel Elephant

1900 - 1920

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Early 20th Century Large Chinese Cloisonne Enamel Elephant

From Debenham Antiques Ltd

£37,500

FOR SALE

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Ming Dynasty Attendant Figure (1368-1644)

17th century

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Ming Dynasty Attendant Figure (1368-1644)

From Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art

£685

FOR SALE

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1900 - 1920

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Carved Model of a Mongolian Pack Horse

From Elmgarden

£1,300

FOR SALE

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A Finely Carved Chunky Bamboo Oriental Deity Figure Good Patina Circa 1880 to 1900

19th century

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A Finely Carved Chunky Bamboo Oriental Deity Figure Good Patina Circa 1880 to 1900

From Gerard Robinson Fine Art and Antiques

£385

FOR SALE

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Large Antique Chinese Carved Hardwood Buddha

19th century

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Large Antique Chinese Carved Hardwood Buddha

From Rams Head Antiques

£495

FOR SALE

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Pre 16th century

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Chinese,tang Dynasty Stone Carving

From Christine Kavanagh Antiques

£850

FOR SALE

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A Chinese Pale Celadon and Russet Jade Brush Washer

18th century

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A Chinese Pale Celadon and Russet Jade Brush Washer

From Sandbanks Antiques

£5,950

FOR SALE

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The top sale of the last year on Sellingantiques was a Chinese bronze and gold-inlaid 'Bixie' paperweight of the Qianlong period, sold in February 2026.

Large Antique Chinese Quality Carved Hardwood Figure

1900 - 1920

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Large Antique Chinese Quality Carved Hardwood Figure

From London City Antiques

£885

FOR SALE

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Huge (35kg) Pair Tibetan Bronze Temple Lions/foo Dogs,c1880

19th century

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Huge (35kg) Pair Tibetan Bronze Temple Lions/foo Dogs,c1880

From Curious Antiques

£5,995

FOR SALE

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Superb Chinese Antique (Early 20thc) Bronze of a Scholar

1900 - 1920

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Superb Chinese Antique (Early 20thc) Bronze of a Scholar

From Antik Dragon Japanese & Other Fine Art

£195

FOR SALE

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Antique Carved Hardwood Chinese Fisherman Figure

1900 - 1920

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Antique Carved Hardwood Chinese Fisherman Figure

From John Howkins Antiques

£345

FOR SALE

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19th century

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19thc Chinese Root Wood Carving

From Church Street Antiques & Interiors

£1,350

FOR SALE

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Chinese Bronze of Water Buffalo with Scholar

19th century

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Chinese Bronze of Water Buffalo with Scholar

From Jane Short Antiques

£395

FOR SALE

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Antique Chinese Sculptures

A Late 19th Century Chinese Carved Hardwood Figure with Mythical Creature.

Late 18th Century Chinese Carved Wood Foo Dog

A Rare and Glorious Piece of Gnarled Wood Cleverly Carved as a Man with a Boy on His Shoulders

Early 20th Century Large Chinese Cloisonne Enamel Elephant

Ming Dynasty Attendant Figure (1368-1644)

Carved Model of a Mongolian Pack Horse

A Finely Carved Chunky Bamboo Oriental Deity Figure Good Patina Circa 1880 to 1900

Large Antique Chinese Carved Hardwood Buddha

Chinese,tang Dynasty Stone Carving

A Chinese Pale Celadon and Russet Jade Brush Washer

Large Antique Chinese Quality Carved Hardwood Figure

Huge (35kg) Pair Tibetan Bronze Temple Lions/foo Dogs,c1880

Superb Chinese Antique (Early 20thc) Bronze of a Scholar

Antique Carved Hardwood Chinese Fisherman Figure

19thc Chinese Root Wood Carving

Chinese Bronze of Water Buffalo with Scholar

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