Biedermeier Period 19th Century Walnut Butler's Chest with Drop Front Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Biedermeier period walnut butler's chest from the 19th century with drop front desk, ebonized accents and inlaid escutcheons.
Wood, Walnut
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
American Empire Classical Mahogany Butlers Chest With Drop-Front Desk c1840
Located in Big Flats, NY
An exceptional American Empire Classical butler's chest, crafted from mahogany and dating to circa 1840.
Mahogany
Swedish Mid-19th C. Wooden Butler's Chest w/Convex Drop Front & Paw Front Feet
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish wooden Butler's chest, with original finish, from the mid 19th century.
Metal
Rhode Island Empire Butler's Chest of Drawers with Desk in Mahogany, circa 1825
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A beautiful example of an early American Empire chest with full-column front and stand-up butlers desk.
Brass
18th Century Italian Carved-Wood Chest w/ Hidden Secretary
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Italian wooden Butler's chest from the 18th century. This unique antique chest from Italy gives the appearance of being a four drawer chest at first glance.
Metal
Early 18th C. Chest w/Hidden Butler's Secretary, Italy
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Italian chest with discretely hidden upper butler's desk from the early 18th century.
Wood
Early 19th Century American Mahogany Butler's Desk/Secretary Chest
Located in Louisville, KY
The wealthy would have had this piece in their butler's quarters to assist in supporting the family.
Brass
$1,050Sale Price|30% Off
18th-Century English Georgian Secretary
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare 18th-century English Georgian-style secretary or butler chest, never restored with original patina, three drawers with secretary in top drop drawer, original hardware, dove tail...
Wood
French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Butler’s Cabinet-Chiffoniere
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
French, late 19th century small chest of drawers concealed behind tambour doors–like a chiffonier or butler’s cabinet–to elegantly organize small items for easy retrieval.
Brass
Continental 19th Century Biedermeier St. Butler’s Desk/Commode
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exceptional and unique Continental 19th century Biedermeier st. flamed Mahogany, ebonized Fruitwood, and ormolu butler's desk/commode. The eight drawer chest is raised by square f...
Ormolu
Neoclassic Period French Commode W/Hidden Butler's Secretary & Writing Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Neoclassical commode, with hidden secretary and original hardware, from the turn of the 18th and 19th century. This antique commode from France gives the appearance of being...
Wood
$7,960Sale Price|20% Off
Huge Gilded Ebonized Period French Louis XV Marble Top Butlers Desk Commode
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This monumental French Louis XV period butler’s desk commode is a masterpiece of 18th-century-inspired design, blending elegance, opulence, and utility in one commanding piece. Craft...
Oak
Antique 1800s Butler Chest with Desk Drawer
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Cherry drop front butler chest with desk drawer.
Wood
Butlers Desk / Linen Press
Located in Cloverdale, IN
This Butlers desk features a flame mahogany veneer exterior with solid marble top. The interior opens to a desk with a stunning birdseye maple veneer finish and leather inlay writing...
Mahogany
Early 19th c. Chippendale English Butlers Desk
Located in Savannah, GA
Rare mahogany butlers desk with drawers and pullout writing desk.
Mahogany
19th Century English Inlaid Butlers Chest
Located in Richmond, VA
19th Century English Inlaid Butlers Chest. Finely made with drop down tooled leather secretary desk.
Mahogany
Sold
H 38.75 in W 46.25 in D 21.5 in
19th C. European Butler's Chest w/its Original Fabulously Hand-Painted Finish
Located in Atlanta, GA
A European wooden secretary chest, with original hand-painted finish, from the 19th century.
Wood
Butlers Linen Chest by Wylie and Lochhead
Located in Paddock Wood Tonbridge, GB
A lovely little 1920’s chest of three drawers with large opening fall, exceptional quality as to be expected from Scottish cabinet makers Wylie and Lochhead, the chest has been resto...
Walnut
Italian Fruitwood Neoclassical Three-Drawer Chest/ Butlers Desk.
Located in Buchanan, MI
An Italian fruitwood neoclassical three-drawer chest. Top drawer drops down as a desk. Measure: Height 30 1/2 x width 25 1/2 x depth 15 1/2 inches.
Ebony, Fruitwood
Antique Scottish or English Campaign Butler's Desk Chest of Drawers
Located in Centennial, CO
An elegant and functional antique Scottish or English campaign style butler's desk chest of drawer. Crafted out of teak or sycamore (exterior) and elm (interior) with original brass ...
Brass
Sold
H 31.5 in W 23.63 in D 13.78 in
Antique Burr Walnut Bachelors Chest of Drawers with Butlers Serving Tray
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning late Victorian Burr Walnut side table sized chest of drawers with full sized butlers serving tray A good looking well made and de...
Walnut
Biedermeier Butler's Desk
Located in New York, NY
Also known as a lady's desk, this chest was designed to hold jewelry, correspondence and trinkets in its hidden interior drawers. The uppermost drawer pulls out and is hinged to fall...
Fir
Biedermeier Butler's Desk
Located in New York, NY
Comprised of three locking drawers, and a "faux" drawer above which locks and falls to reveal secret drawers and compartments.
Fir
Sold
H 71 in W 46 in D 23 in
Antique George III Mahogany Chest of Drawers with Butlers Secretary c. Late 18th
Located in Westfield, MA
This stately George III mahogany chest of drawers with a butler’s secretary is a fine example of late 18th-century English craftsmanship.
Mahogany
Sold
H 37 in W 45 in D 22.5 in
Late 19th / Early 20th Century French Louis XV Butlers Desk Chest of Drawers
Located in Forney, TX
A handsome antique French Louis XV style chest of drawers butler's desk. Late 19th / early 20th century, featuring the original dramatically veined variegated marble slab top wit...
Marble, Bronze
A Biedermeier Butler's Desk
Located in New York, NY
Originally designed as a case piece for a drawing room, the upper drawer folds down to hold the various bits and pieces a butler might have needed to have at hand. Nowadays, this ty...
Fir
A Biedermeier Butler's Desk
Located in New York, NY
A fine chest of drawers crafted of mahogany and fir, adorned with hand-cut flame mahogany veneers, the chest features four locking drawers. The upper most drawer, however, has a se...
English 19th Century Butler's Cupboard
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A fabulous painted pine butler's pantry would have felt right at home in Downton Abbey. The yellow paint is original to the piece and has rich patina; the interior of the top cupboar...
19th Century Italian Walnut Carlo X Commode / Butler's Desk
Located in Carmine, TX
Carlo X butler's desk / chest of drawers made in Italy in the mid 1800s using walnut.
Walnut
French Inlaid Rosewood and Kingwood Butlers Desk Dresser Commode
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Description Inlaid. Marble top. Top drawers has open space and 3 drawers with flip down door. 2 doors in middle containing 3 drawers. 1 drawer on bottom. 37 1/8" h x 52" w x 24 1/2" ...
Marble, Brass
Sold
H 50.75 in W 47.5 in D 22 in
Antique American Federal Classical Period Mahogany Butler's Secretary Dresser NY
Located in Portland, OR
A good antique American Federal Classical period mahogany and maple butler's secretary, dresser desk, circa 1830. New York or Baltimore. The dresser is made of the finest flame maho...
Mahogany, Maple
Italian Florentine Giltwood Bureau Secretary Butlers Desk Chest
Located in Forney, TX
Dimensions: (approx) 38" High, 37.5" Wide, 17" Deep; With desk open: 24.5" Deep Clearance to desk: 28" Keywords: Butlers desk, secretary, secretaire, chest of drawers, commode, dre...
Brass
Mahogany 2 Part Campaign Secretary Chest or Butlers Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
A beautiful 2 part campaign chest with a faux 2 drawer top drawer, dropping down to reveal a secretary interior with tooled green leather inset, pigeon holes, and a single drawer. We...
Sold
H 45.5 in W 43 in L 45.5 in
Antique American Mahogany Baltimore 'Butler's' Desk/Secretary Chest, circa 1820
By John Needles
Located in Portland, OR
Antique American mahogany Baltimore 'Butler's' desk/secretary chest, circa 1820. The desk made of fine figured mahogany, the top drawer being a fall front secretary with a fitted int...
Mahogany
19th Century Swedish Period Karl Johan Butler's Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish period Karl Johan butler's desk or chest with pull-out desk over three drawers.
Wood
Sold
H 35.44 in W 44.1 in D 21.07 in
Directoire Chest of Drawers with Writing Top, "Butler's Chest", France, 1790-1800
Located in Belmont, MA
Directoire chest of drawers, so called "Butler's Chest", France 1790-1800, cherrywood veneer.
Cherry
Sold
H 47 in W 42 in D 20 in
Antique American Empire Carved Mahogany, Tiger Maple & Burl Butler's Chest
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique American Empire flame mahogany butler's chest features bookmatched flame mahogany drawers with tiger maple and burl facing, front drops to reveal writing surface and interior...
Bone, Glass, Mahogany, Burl
Sold
H 42.75 in W 41.75 in D 24.25 in
Antique Sheraton Cherry Butlers Chest with Drop-Front Desk, Circa 1830
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique Sheraton Butler's chest offers paneled cherry construction with drop front desk opening to interior with pigeon holes and drawers over three long drawers, raised on turne...
Cherry
French 19th Century Louis Philippe Butler’s Chest
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A fine and notable secretaire in trompe-l’oeil of a semainier chest, c. 1850. It is finished in beautiful, rich mahogany with canted corners. The top drawer locks and has a single ...
Rosewood
Sold
H 21.25 in W 45.5 in D 18.25 in
Swedish 19th C. Empire Style Butler's Chest w/Nice Architectural Details
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Empire style chest with secretary from the 19th century. This antique case piece from Sweden has been designed in Swedish Empire style with a wonderful architectural appear...
Wood
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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