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How do I identify an antique chest of drawers?
1 Answer

To identify an antique chest of drawers, look inside and beneath drawers and on the back and bottom for any type of maker's marking. Researching these marks using trusted online resources may allow you to determine who produced your chest and roughly date your piece. If your chest is at least 100 years old, it is an antique. Should you be unable to locate the maker's marks, look at the hardware. Rose head nails, one-piece cast brass pommels on the drawer handles and circular rather than hexagonal bolts may all indicate that a piece is an antique. Keep in mind that hardware may have been replaced at some point and that there are many reproductions of antique furnishings. As a result, you may wish to have a certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer complete the identification process if you're unable to identify your chest via the maker's markings. Find a range of antique chests of drawers on 1stDibs.
1stDibs ExpertNovember 4, 2024
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Shop for Commodes and Chests of Drawers on 1stDibs
Swedish Designer, Chest of Drawers, Oak, Birch, Sweden, 1930s
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Minor scuffing to feet.
Minor tabletop surface cracking from normal wear.
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Category
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Located in Chōsei District Nagara, JP
This is an old black chest of drawers made in Japan during the Meiji period (1860s–1900s), a time when craftsmanship and material refinement reached an extraordinary level.
Expertly ...
Category
Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
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