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Ming Benches

MING STYLE

In what’s considered a golden age of Chinese furniture, Ming dynasty artisans produced expertly made designs that married elegance and function. Ming furniture was versatile, such as tables that doubled as writing desks and dining spaces. But it was also beautiful, enhancing a room with clean lines, soft curves and sophisticated decoration.

Dating from 1368 to 1644, the Ming dynasty was a vibrant time for international trade and culture. Especially for scholars and the wealthy, there was an emphasis on a home’s design to promote a good life. From large wardrobes to angular sofas, Ming-style furniture was defined by its joinery, which, instead of nails, involved meticulously designed interlocking elements of wood. This material was carefully selected and positioned to make the grain part of the design. The slow-growing huanghuali, a yellowish rosewood, was particularly valued for its bright color.

Although ornamentation was minimal, Ming dynasty furniture often featured carved or painted details of flowers, insects, dragons, fruits and other motifs. Chairs crafted for scholars could include calligraphic brush writing. As overseas trade expanded, techniques from the West, like cloisonné enamel painting, adorned table screens and other pieces.

Ming furniture influenced styles abroad such as Queen Anne in England and Hollywood Regency in the United States. The curved shape of Ming armchairs had a profound impact on legendary Scandinavian modernist furniture designer Hans Wegner. The Danish cabinetmaker shared the Ming artisans’ interest in creating streamlined, functional furnishings, and his China chair, Round chair and Wishbone chair are inspired by Ming dynasty seating. Today, the Ming-style horseshoe chair is a graceful and sought-after type of seat, and contemporary Chinese designers such as Jerry Chen and Gan Erke are also drawing on this heritage for a new era of style.

Find a collection of Ming cabinets, decorative objects, lounge chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Ming
Chinese Contemporary White Painted Wooden Ming Style Bench with A-Form Base
Located in Yonkers, NY
A Chinese contemporary Ming Dynasty style white painted wooden bench with A-form base and carved spandrels. Our eye is immediately drawn to the soft white finish of this Ming style bench...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

19th Century Chinese Ming Style Walnut & Bamboo Bench
Located in Kastrup, DK
A 19th century Chinese Ming style bench with a walnut frame and a top composed of bamboo slats. Square legs joined with stretchers. In original good ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Ming Benches

Materials

Bamboo, Walnut

Vintage Century Chair Company Ming Foot Wood Bench With Mokum La Palma Seat
Located in west palm beach, FL
Striking mix of old and new! This incredible tagged vintage Century Chair Company wood Ming foot bench has been completely restored with a new bench frame an...
Category

Late 20th Century American Ming Benches

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Red Lacquered Vintage Bench with A-Form Base
Located in Yonkers, NY
A Chinese vintage Ming Dynasty style red lacquer wooden bench from the mid 20th century with A-form base, carved spandrels and distressed finish. Embrace the timeless allure of this ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinese Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

Asian Ming Style Rosewood Upholstered Bench
Located in Germantown, MD
An Asian influenced bench by top-quality furniture maker Century Furniture, from their "Chin Hua" line designed by Raymond K Sobota. Clear lacquered hardwood in a classic Ming design...
Category

Late 20th Century American Ming Benches

Materials

Upholstery, Rosewood

Distressed Red Lacquered Chinese Vintage Ming Style Bench with A-Form Base
Located in Yonkers, NY
A Chinese vintage Ming Dynasty style red lacquer wooden bench from the mid 20th century with A-form base, carved spandrels and distressed finish. Exuding...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinese Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

Chinese Carved Wood Long Bench
Located in Bridgeport, CT
An elaborate and finely carved bench in a pleasing Chestnut tone wood. Scrolled crest rail ends and arm ends. With four carved panels on the back with floral and fruit vines. A reeded skirt rail and with a shaped and carved running band of leafy vines. Innner sides carved with complimentary leafy motifs. The reeded back frame with square supports. The Bench is quite sturdy and surprisingly comfortable. L. 75", Depth 21", H. 33 1/2" Condition: Please see all detail photos. Signs of age include scrapes on the left arm end, repair to right arm end, stable age crack to left-side facing seat...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinese Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

19th c, Ming Style Hardwood Long Benches With Cloud Spandrels - A Pair
Located in Morristown, NJ
19th c., China,. A beautifully constructed pair of carved wood benches. The rectangular top is over inset legs topped with carved cloud spandrels and join...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

Jumu Wood Bench with Tapered Legs
Located in Greenwich, CT
Jumu wood bench with tapered legs, solid plank wood top with cloud motif apron. Top seating surface dimension is 43" wide, 6 1/2" deep With Tapered legs ...
Category

1920s Chinese Vintage Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

Related Items
Teak Wood Framed Bench, with Woven Synthetic Rattan Seat
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A hand-crafted teak framed & woven synthetic rattan bench. These benches are crafted by local artisans using a wood joinery technique without the use of nails. They feature a subtle ...
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21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian Ming Benches

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Teak Wood Framed Bench, with Woven Leather Seat
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A hand-crafted teak framed & woven leather strap bench. These benches are crafted by local artisans using a wood joinery technique without the use ...
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21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian Ming Benches

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Teak Wood Framed Bench, with Woven Leather Seat
Teak Wood Framed Bench, with Woven Leather Seat
H 18.12 in W 15.75 in D 59.06 in
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Leather, Teak

Teak Wood Framed Bench, with Woven Leather Seat
Teak Wood Framed Bench, with Woven Leather Seat
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Teak Wood Framed Bench, with Woven Leather Seat
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21st Century Contemporary Minimal White Velvet Bench With Black Lacquered Base
Located in Porto, PT
Fifih Bench is a luxury bench upholstered in velvet and wood base. A contemporary design bench is perfect for minimalist and modern interior architecture ...
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21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Ming Benches

Materials

Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood

19th Spanish Century Renaissance Revival Style Carved Walnut Wood Bench
Located in Miami, FL
This rich and sculptural Renaissance style bench has magnificent hand carved motifs of scrolling rinceau, shields, grape clusters, rampant swans. One pair of demi-figures upholds a stepped out frieze topped by a central ceramic panel. The other pair of demi figures upholds the trunk seat...
Category

Early 19th Century Spanish Antique Ming Benches

Materials

Bronze

Coralia Bench Seat Collection in Wood with Upholstered Leather
Located in Paris, FR
Bench Coralia with legs in wood covered with leather category B. Seat and back upholstered with leather category B. Dimensions: L130 x P58 x H77cm. Ref: 150-5032/130GL. Available in:...
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Ming Benches

Materials

Leather, Wood

21st Century Contemporary Minimal Orange Velvet Bench Black Lacquered Base
Located in Porto, PT
Fifih Bench is a luxury bench upholstered in velvet and wood base. A contemporary design bench is perfect for minimalist and modern interior architecture ...
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Vintage Elm Wood Bench with Apron
Located in Brea, CA
Vintage antique elm wood bench. These are the real vintage antique elm wood benches! Beautiful antique patina, with weathering and age, these are solid and sturdy ready for daily use...
Category

20th Century Ming Benches

Materials

Elm

Vintage Elm Wood Bench with Apron
Vintage Elm Wood Bench with Apron
H 20 in W 52 in D 13 in
19th Century Bench
Located in New York, NY
Early 19th century Chinese bench. A special black lacquered antique Elm wood bench circa 1800. A waisted (refers to specific Chinese furniture construction & joinery) raised top set on frame with hump back stretchers and struts. A most sensational patina of black lacquer worn through to the wood showcases the benches elegant presence and raw beauty. This is an original piece with a 200 plus year history. The raw top is worn silk like smooth from age and use. The reaming black lacquer is thick having an alligatored rustic patina. The construction is solid and strong. Feet having scroll key detail carved to faces with wear prevalent to the bottom of the feet. The humpback struts show ware from one side being more evident then on the other side, more lacquer remains covering one strut. A very significant Antique Chinese Bench...
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Early 1800s Chinese Antique Ming Benches

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Elm

19th Century Bench
19th Century Bench
H 19.5 in W 62.5 in D 12 in
Curvilinear Wood Benches with Upholstered Seats
Located in Bridgehampton, NY
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Mid-20th Century Italian Ming Benches

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Wood, Upholstery

Wedge, Black Cedar Wood Bench with Red Iron Base, Made in Italy
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Scroll down and click "view all from Seller" to see more than 500 other unique products. (1.8) Bench made of a single block of scented cedar with a simple and linear geometrical sha...
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Ming Benches

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Previously Available Items
Antique 19th Century Chinese Elm Asian Ming Bench
Located in Charlotte, NC
An antique Asian Ming style bench, unbranded. Solid Chinese elm, banded seat, carved stretchers, slightly tapered square legs, and turned inward spade...
Category

19th Century Chinese Antique Ming Benches

Materials

Elm

White Painted Vintage Wooden Ming Style Bench with A-Form Base
Located in Yonkers, NY
A Chinese vintage Ming Dynasty style white painted wooden bench from the mid 20th century with A-form base, carved spandrels and distressed finish. Created in China during the Midcen...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinese Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

CENTURY Chin Hua by Raymond Sobota Asian Chinoiserie Ming Bench
Located in Charlotte, NC
An Asian influenced bench by top-quality furniture maker Century Furniture, from their "Chin Hua" line designed by Raymond K Sobota. Black lacquered hardwood in a classic Ming design...
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Late 20th Century American Ming Benches

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Fabric, Hardwood, Lacquer

19th Century Red Lacquer Bench From China's Zhejiang Province
Located in Kastrup, DK
Red lacquer Ming style bench from China's Zhejiang province. Dated to the late 19th century this bench has a beautiful natural age patina, highlighte...
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Late 19th Century Asian Antique Ming Benches

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Wood

Chinese Antique Bench Solid Wood Ming Style Spring Bench
Located in Somis, CA
A beautiful, solid wood, 19th century antique bench from the region south of China's YangZi River. Solid single board inset in floating panel structure. Cinched waist. Geometric acce...
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Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

Antique Ming Temple Bench with Carved Details 17'th Ctr.
Located in Kastrup, DK
Rare 16th-17th century bench in elm with hand carved details. Original condition with a great patina. Shanxi Province, China, 1500-1600. Ming Dynasty. Benches like this were seen in...
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17th Century Chinese Antique Ming Benches

Materials

Elm

Chinese Ming Dynasty Style Elmwood Low Altar Table with Carved Spandrels
Located in Yonkers, NY
A Chinese Ming Dynasty style elmwood low altar table with carved spandrels and humpbacked side stretchers. Featuring a rectangular top, this Chinese lo...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Ming Benches

Materials

Elm

Antique Chinese Black Lacquered Bench with Hidden Storage, Rattan and Gilt Décor
Located in Yonkers, NY
An antique Chinese Ming Dynasty style black lacquered low console table with hidden storage and rattan inset from the 20th century with everted flanges, perfect to be used as a bench...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

Antique Chinese Black Lacquered Bench with Hidden Storage and Gilt Décor
Located in Yonkers, NY
An antique Chinese low console table from the early 20th century with black lacquer finish gilded accents, hidden storage and everted flanges, perfect to be used as a bench. We curre...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

Chinese Antique Bench Coffee Table Solid Wood
Located in Somis, CA
Superb value! A beautiful solid wood bench from the 19th century south of China's YangZi River. Solid single board inset in "floating panel" structure. Cinched waist. Geometric accen...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

Chinese Antique Solid Wood Bench, Ming Style Spring Bench
Located in Somis, CA
Superb value! A beautiful solid wood bench from the 19th century south of China's YangZi River. Solid single board inset in "floating panel" structure...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Ming Benches

Materials

Wood

Chinese Hardwood Bench Coffee Table with Raffia Seat
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Impressive and large Chinese hand-carved bench with a woven raffia seat. Could also be used as a coffee table or low table. Features a thick carved frame with a floating top panel and humpback stretchers on all sides. The raffia top is flexible and supports weight with a rope net...
Category

20th Century Chinese Ming Benches

Materials

Raffia, Rope, Hardwood

Ming benches for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Ming benches for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage benches created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, asian art and furniture and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Ming benches made in a specific country, there are Asia, China, and East Asia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original benches, popular names associated with this style include and Century Furniture. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for benches differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $590 and tops out at $2,650 while the average work can sell for $1,495.

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