What is a chinese export tea table?

A chinese export tea table is a piece of furniture made in China for Western export markets, encompassing various forms like occasional tables, nests, and tilt-tops. These items combine traditional Chinese materials and motifs with European furniture shapes popular during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

How do I date a chinese export tea table?

Dating relies on examining the construction style, timber types, and decorative motifs relative to known periods like the Qing Dynasty or the Victorian era. Changes in hardware, such as brass mounts, and the specific style of Chinoiserie decoration also help place a piece within the eighteenth, nineteenth, or early twentieth century.

Where were these tables used?

These tables served primarily in British and European reception rooms, drawing rooms, and parlours for serving tea or displaying ornaments. Nests of tables offered flexible surface space that could be stowed away, while centre tables stood as focal points in larger rooms.

How do I care for lacquer and hardwood?

Lacquer surfaces require protection from direct sunlight and excessive moisture to prevent cracking or fading of the delicate finishes and gold leaf. Hardwood and rosewood structures benefit from regular dusting with a soft cloth and occasional treatment with appropriate natural waxes to maintain the timber.