Skip to main content
Questions & Answers
Our trusted network of 1stDibs sellers answer common questions

How do I identify an antique chest of drawers?

1 Answer
How do I identify an antique chest of drawers?
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
Shop for Commodes and Chests of Drawers on 1stDibs
Exquisite Half Circle Art Deco Commode With Bakelite Hardware C. 1930
Located in Bernville, PA
This magnificent rare example of a half circle chest of drawers is from the Redlion Furniture Company Circa American 1930’s. It has spectacular book match Burl veneer with incredible...
Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Swedish Grace Dresser in Elm
Located in Portland, OR
A Swedish grace or Danish art deco commode in solid elm trimmed with flamed birch. Intarsia decorates the lowest of the three drawers. Patinated brass pulls. Drawers are deep and sli...
Category

Vintage 1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Birch, Elm

French 19th Century Empire Walnut Commode with Fossil Marble Top
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A handsome French Empire walnut and fossil-marble commode from the 19th century. The dark stone top reveals tiny inclusions of fossilized marine life, like constellations in the nigh...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Period Burl Walnut Commode or Chest
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This quintessential Louis Philippe period commode or chest of drawers displays the exemplary craftsmanship of the nineteenth century with a facade of book matched walnut and solid wa...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Commodes and Chests of Dr...

Materials

Marble, Brass

Pair Large Italian Neoclassical Style Marquetry Commodes
Located in Houston, TX
A pair of stately 20th Century Italian two drawer chests featuring beautiful exotic wood marquetry.
Category

Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

Bunny Williams Home Friedrich Hand-Painted Chest
Located in New York, NY
A true work of art, this painted chest of drawers draws inspiration from an 18th-century Austrian antique, showcasing an exquisite array of decorative and faux painting techniques. B...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Shop All