Swedish Marquetry Chest
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Antique 18th Century Swedish Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
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Antique 1850s Swedish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch
Vintage 1950s Swedish Cabinets
Wood, Birch
Vintage 1930s Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ash
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20th Century Swedish Federal Commodes and Chests of Drawers
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Birch
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Ash
20th Century Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch, Rosewood
20th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers
20th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers
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Stone
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Vintage 1910s Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch, Kingwood, Rosewood, Walnut
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Kingwood
Vintage 1910s Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique Mid-18th Century Swedish Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1930s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood, Walnut
Vintage 1950s Swedish Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood, Walnut
Antique 1890s Swedish Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Ormolu
Vintage 1930s Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
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Mahogany
Antique Mid-18th Century Swedish Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Fruitwood
Antique Early 18th Century Swedish Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Fruitwood
Antique 1820s Swedish Biedermeier Secretaires
Ash, Ebony
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Rosewood
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Aluminum, Steel
Vintage 1930s Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ebony, Macassar
Vintage 1930s Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood
Vintage 1910s Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique 18th Century Swedish Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 1870s British Victorian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood, Walnut
Vintage 1930s Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany, Zebra Wood, Satinwood
Vintage 1920s Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch, Macassar
Vintage 1920s Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Macassar
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch, Macassar
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1930s Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch, Zebra Wood
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Swedish Marquetry Chest For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Swedish Marquetry Chest?
Finding the Right Commodes-chests-of-drawers for You
Shopping for a commode or a chest of drawers?
Commode is the French term for a low chest of drawers, but it is also sometimes used to denote any case piece with a particularly intricate design. The commode dates to circa 1700 France, where it was used as an alternative to a taller cabinet piece so as to not obscure paneled, mirrored or tapestried walls. Coffers, or chests, which were large wooden boxes with hinged lids and sometimes stood on ball feet, preceded chests of drawers, a fashionable cabinet furnishing that garnered acclaim for its obvious storage potential and versatility. The term commode was also used to refer to a piece of bedroom furniture — a washstand or nightstand that contained a chamber pot.
As time passed, French and British furniture makers led the way in the production of chests of drawers, and features like the integration of bronze and ornamental pulls became commonplace. Antique French commodes in the Louis XV style were sometimes crafted in mahogany or walnut, while an Italian marble top added a sophisticated decorative flourish. This specific type of case piece grew in popularity in the years that followed.
So, what makes a chest of drawers different from a common dresser? Dressers are short, and chests of drawers are overall taller pieces of furniture that typically do not have room on the top for a mirror as most dressers do. Tallboys and highboys are variations of the dresser form. Some chests of drawers have one column of four to six long drawers or three long drawers in their bottom section that are topped by a cluster of small side-by-side drawers on the top. To further complicate things, we sometimes refer to particularly short chests of drawers as nightstands.
Even though chests of drawers are commonly thought of as bedroom furniture to store clothing, these are adaptable pieces. A chest of drawers can house important documents — think of your walnut Art Deco commode as an upgrade to your filing cabinet. Nestle your chest near your home’s front door to store coats and other outerwear, while the top can be a place to drop your handbag. Add some flair to your kitchen, where this lovable case piece can hold pots, pans and even cookbooks.
When shopping for the right chest of drawers for your home, there are a few key things to consider: What will you be storing in it? How big a chest will you need?
Speaking of size, don’t dream too big. If your space is on the smaller side, a more streamlined vintage mid-century modern chest of drawers, perhaps one designed by Paul McCobb or T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, may best suit your needs.
At 1stDibs, we make it easy to add style and storage to your home. Browse our collection of antique and vintage commodes and chests of drawers today.
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