Tansu Credenza
Antique 19th Century Japanese Meiji Credenzas
Iron
Early 20th Century Unknown Japonisme Credenzas
Brass
People Also Browsed
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Buffets
Oak
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Showa Cabinets
Wood, Cedar, Plywood, Chestnut
Vintage 1970s Belgian Brutalist Credenzas
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass, Stainless Steel
Early 20th Century Japanese Showa Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Tray Tables
Paint, Beech
2010s American Organic Modern Side Tables
Cedar
Mid-20th Century Japanese Furniture
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Korean Furniture
Brass
2010s American American Craftsman Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Bronze
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Beech, Sheepskin
20th Century Indonesian Wardrobes and Armoires
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century American Anglo-Japanese Credenzas
Brass
Vintage 1940s Japanese Credenzas
Early 20th Century Asian Chinese Export Credenzas
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Chinoiserie Credenzas
Brass
Late 20th Century American Campaign Dressers
Brass
20th Century Korean Meiji Cabinets
Brass
Vintage 1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Wrought Iron
Finding the Right credenzas for You
Antique and vintage credenzas can add an understated touch of grace to your home. These long and sophisticated cabinet-style pieces of furniture can serve a variety of purposes, and they look great too.
In Italy, the credenza was originally a small side table used in religious services. Appropriately, credere in Italian means “to believe.” Credenzas were a place to not only set the food ready for meals, they were also a place to test and taste prepared food for poison before a dish was served to a member of the ruling class. Later, credenza was used to describe a type of versatile narrow side table, typically used for serving food in the home. In form, a credenza has much in common with a sideboard — in fact, the terms credenza and sideboard are used almost interchangeably today.
Credenzas usually have short legs or no legs at all, and can feature drawers and cabinets. And all kinds of iterations of the credenza have seen the light of day over the years, from ornately carved walnut credenzas originating in 16th-century Tuscany to the wealth of Art Deco credenzas — with their polished surfaces and geometric patterns — to the array of innovative modernist interpretations that American furniture maker Milo Baughman created for Directional and Thayer Coggin.
The credenza’s blend of style and functionality led to its widespread use in the 20th century. Mid-century modern credenzas are particularly popular — take a look at Danish furniture designer Arne Vodder’s classic Model 29, for instance, with its reversible sliding doors and elegant drawer pulls. Hans Wegner, another Danish modernist, produced strikingly minimalist credenzas in the 1950s and ’60s, as did influential designer Florence Knoll. Designers continue to explore new and exciting ways to update this long-loved furnishing.
Owing to its versatility and familiar low-profile form, the credenza remains popular in contemporary homes. Unlike many larger case pieces, credenzas can be placed under windows and in irregularly shaped rooms, such as foyers and entryways. This renders it a useful storage solution. In living rooms, for example, a credenza can be a sleek media console topped with plants and the rare art monographs you’ve been planning to show off. In homes with open floor plans, a credenza can help define multiple living spaces, making it ideal for loft apartments.
Browse a variety of antique, new and vintage credenzas on 1stDibs to find the perfect fit for your home today.
Read More
The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home
Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.
What Exactly Is a Secretary Desk, and What Is It Used For?
The furniture equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, it's the multifunctional piece you didn't know you needed.
This Shelving System with Oxidized Brass Tubes Is Retro and Futuristic at Once
Italian studio DimoreMilano mustered great ingenuity when crafting these sculptural shelves, which are built without any screws.
28 Cheerful Home Bars, Where Everybody (Literally) Knows Your Name
Simple or sophisticated, equipped with console, cart or custom cabinetry, these stylish bar areas deserve a toast.
Ask an Interior Designer: Work-from-Home Edition
Leaping into a design project, whether it's refreshing the bedroom or redoing the whole house, can be overwhelming. Luckily, we know more than a few interior designers. You asked questions on Instagram, and now they're answering.
Collected and Eclectic, ‘Wunderkammern’ Are Back in a Big Way
Introduced nearly 500 years ago, curiosity cabinets are finding new fans among today's collectors and designers.
Meet the Incredible Woman Transforming Fallen Trees into Sleek Furniture
In the hands of New York Heartwoods cofounder Megan Offner, unwanted local trees become works of design art.
These New York Architects Love a Complicated Project
From Brooklyn townhouses to Maine campgrounds, Trattie Davies and Jonathan Toews relish a challenge, like transforming a former warehouse space into the new 1stdibs Gallery.