Antique Biedermeier Dresser
Antique Mid-19th Century Biedermeier Dressers
Cherry
20th Century European Biedermeier Dressers
Walnut
Antique Early 1900s American Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Antique 1820s Swedish Biedermeier Secretaires
Ash, Ebony
Antique 1820s Swedish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch, Burl
Antique Early 19th Century Baltic Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Brass
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Birdseye Maple, Spruce
Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Brass
Vintage 1940s American Neoclassical Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze, Gold
People Also Browsed
Antique 1820s Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Walnut
Antique 1880s Scandinavian Biedermeier Armchairs
Velvet, Walnut
Antique 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Fruitwood
Antique 1890s German Folk Art Toys and Dolls
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Secretaires
Birch
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Birch
Antique Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Secretaires
Mahogany
Antique 1830s Swedish Biedermeier Secretaires
Pine, Wood
2010s American Wall Mirrors
Mirror, Fabric, Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Secretaires
Birch
Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Secretaires
Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Secretaires
Ebony
Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Secretaires
Elm, Walnut
Antique Early 1900s American American Empire Vanities
Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Floor Mirrors and Full-Leng...
Metal, Nickel
Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Secretaires
Softwood
Recent Sales
Antique Early 1800s Swedish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1910s Swedish Biedermeier Dressers
Mahogany
Antique 1860s Danish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Dressers
Birch
Antique Early 1900s American Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Vintage 1920s Swedish Biedermeier Dressers
Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Dressers
Antique 1850s Austrian Dressers
Birch
Antique 1850s Danish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Antique Early 1900s Dutch Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Antique Early 1900s Dutch Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Antique Early 1900s Dutch Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Elm
Antique 1810s German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry
Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of D...
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century Danish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Cabinets
Metal, Bronze
Antique Mid-18th Century German Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 19th Century German Biedermeier Dressers
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century Danish Biedermeier Dressers
Wood
Antique 19th Century Scandinavian Empire Dressers
Mahogany
Vintage 1920s Swedish Biedermeier Dressers
Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century Danish Biedermeier Dressers
Wood, Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Walnut
Antique 1880s Danish Biedermeier Dressers
Mahogany
Antique 1880s Danish Biedermeier Dressers
Mahogany
Antique 1830s Czech Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique Biedermeier Dresser For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Antique Biedermeier Dresser?
A Close Look at biedermeier Furniture
The authentic Biedermeier furniture on 1stDibs is representative of the first modern European decorative style not dictated by the tastes of the aristocracy. Following the Napoleonic wars, a growing, wealthy urban middle class in the German-speaking states of Central Europe began to demand rights and privileges once granted only to nobles. To avoid trouble, the upwardly striving confined their political discussions to one another’s homes. And so the salon was born.
Cabinetmakers in cities such as Vienna, Berlin and Mainz began to offer goods that reflected the tastes and needs of the new class. The makers of Biedermeier chairs, tables and other furniture used little or no gilding, silver hardware or other lavish ornament. Ebonized trims are common on Biedermeier cabinetry, and neoclassical elements — lyre-shaped chair splats, carved scrollwork, table supports shaped like Greek columns. But the strongest aesthetic statement came from the wood — richly-grained, honey-colored, often book-matched veneers of walnut and fruitwood.
There are two iconic Biedermeier furniture forms, both made to outfit rooms designed for conversation. One is the sofa, deeply upholstered with a strong, architectural wooden frame. The second is the circular pedestal table, which stood at the center of the room, offering a surface on which to place coffee and cake services; or to roll out a map, or sketch out ideas on paper.
“Biedermeier” was originally a derogatory term — it derives from the pen names of two German magazine writers who mocked bourgeois manners. Looking at the elegant and refined antique, new and vintage Biedermeier furniture offered on 1stDibs, that is now an amusing irony.
Finding the Right Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets for You
Of all the antique and vintage case pieces and storage cabinets that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items.
In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior.
Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time.
Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of storage case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room.
In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.
A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard made of colored glass and metals, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.