Antique English Serpentine Chest
1820s English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
1920s English Chippendale Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Late 18th Century English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Early 20th Century English George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
19th Century English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Mid-18th Century English Rococo Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Late 19th Century English George II Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
19th Century English Victorian Antique English Serpentine Chest
Oak
19th Century English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
1760s English Chippendale Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
Late 18th Century English Hepplewhite Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Early 19th Century British Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
1860s English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Steel
Early 19th Century English Belle Époque Antique English Serpentine Chest
Walnut
1810s Sheraton Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique English Serpentine Chest
Leather
Late 18th Century French George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
1860s English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Pine, Paint
1780s English Baroque Antique English Serpentine Chest
Wood
18th Century and Earlier British Antique English Serpentine Chest
Late 18th Century Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
18th Century English Georgian Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany, Maple
Early 20th Century English Georgian Antique English Serpentine Chest
Walnut
1830s Italian Antique English Serpentine Chest
Ormolu
Early 1800s English George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany, Boxwood
1770s English Georgian Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Early 19th Century English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Late 18th Century British Antique English Serpentine Chest
Wood
Early 19th Century English George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany, Rosewood
1810s English Regency Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
Early 19th Century British Regency Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
19th Century English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Metal, Brass
1920s English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Walnut
Early 19th Century English Chippendale Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
Late 18th Century English Hepplewhite Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
Late 18th Century English George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
Early 18th Century German Baroque Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
Mid-18th Century English George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
1870s French Antique English Serpentine Chest
Ormolu
18th Century English George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
1780s Dutch Antique English Serpentine Chest
Walnut
1660s English George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Late 18th Century English Georgian Antique English Serpentine Chest
Satinwood
1890s Antique English Serpentine Chest
Walnut
1880s French Antique English Serpentine Chest
Ormolu
1740s English George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany, Rosewood, Tulipwood
18th Century English Chippendale Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
Early 18th Century English Queen Anne Antique English Serpentine Chest
Wood
18th Century English George III Antique English Serpentine Chest
Wood
1880s French Antique English Serpentine Chest
Ormolu
1730s French Rococo Antique English Serpentine Chest
Walnut
1720s French Antique English Serpentine Chest
Marble, Ormolu
Late 18th Century English Georgian Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany, Satinwood, Wood
Late 19th Century British Antique English Serpentine Chest
Satinwood
Mid-18th Century English George II Antique English Serpentine Chest
Hardwood
Mid-19th Century Irish Chippendale Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
19th Century English Antique English Serpentine Chest
Brass
Early 20th Century English George I Antique English Serpentine Chest
Walnut, Burl
Late 19th Century English Georgian Antique English Serpentine Chest
Mahogany
Early 20th Century English William and Mary Antique English Serpentine Chest
Walnut, Burl
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Antique English Serpentine Chest For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Antique English Serpentine Chest?
Finding the Right commodes-chests-of-drawers for You
Is it 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 a 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.
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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