How can you tell if a chest is antique?

To tell if a chest is antique, first examine its materials and details carefully. An antique chest is one produced 100 years ago or more. This generally predates the use of engineered wood, particleboard, plastics and other synthetic materials. As a result, an antique chest usually features solid wood construction.In addition, antique chests are likely to be handmade, so you should be able to spot subtle signs that indicate this, such as tool marks and small irregularities in any carvings. If a piece looks flawless and regular, it is unlikely to be antique. Locating a maker's mark and then researching when the manufacturer was active can also help you date your chest. Alternatively, you can use the services of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer to learn more about your chest.On 1stDibs, shop a large selection of antique chests.

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.

Antique Secretaire Chest

English Mahogany Secretaire

19th Century Mahogany Secretary

19th Century Marble Top Secretaire

Chest Of Drawers With Flap

Military Chest

French Abattant

Category

Early 19th Century Austrian Empire Antique Secretaire Chest

Materials

Materials

Brass

George II Cuban Mahogany Secretaire Chest on chest

Unavailable

H 76 in W 42 in D 22 in

George II Cuban Mahogany Secretaire Chest on chest

Located in Uppingham, Rutland

A Late George II Cuban Mahogany Secretaire chest on chest. The top with three over three drawers, canted fluted corners.

Category

18th Century and Earlier English Antique Secretaire Chest

Materials

Mahogany

Georgian Secretaire Chest on Chest

Unavailable

H 65.2 in W 44 in D 21.8 in

Georgian Secretaire Chest on Chest

Located in Newcastle Upon Tyne, GB

An 18th century George III mahogany secretaire chest on chest. The chest has a fall front secretaire drawer with two short drawers over two long in the top and the base has two lo...

Category

1760s English Antique Secretaire Chest

Materials

Mahogany

George II Mahogany Secretaire Chest-on-Chest.

Unavailable

Unavailable

Unavailable

Unavailable

H 71 in W 44 in D 24 in

Late 18th century George III Mahogany Chest on Chest

Located in Savannah, GA

English chest on chest with writing desk.

Category

18th Century and Earlier George III Antique Secretaire Chest

Louis XV Escrutioire (Lingerie Chest)

Unavailable

H 58 in W 25 in D 16 in

Louis XV Escrutioire (Lingerie Chest)

Located in Lawrenceburg, TN

Louis XV bronze-mounted marble-top escritoire with marquetry inlay and good fitted interior. All original antique brass with ormolu onlay, circa 1860.

Materials

Materials

Brass

Lovely Yew Wood Secretary Campaign Chest

$3,239

H 44.1 in W 37.41 in D 16.15 in

Lovely Yew Wood Secretary Campaign Chest

By Kennedy Furniture For Harrods London

Located in Crawley, GB

We delight to offer for sale this lovely yew wood secretary campaign chest made by Kennedy of Ipswich and retailed by Harrods London , this is a very good looking well made and decor...

Category

Mid-20th Century British Campaign Antique Secretaire Chest

Materials

Brass

19th Century Anglo Indian Padouk Campaign Chest

$3,374

H 48.04 in W 43.31 in D 16.15 in

19th Century Anglo Indian Padouk Campaign Chest

Located in Chelmsford, Essex

For sale is a good quality 19th century Anglo Indian padouk campaign chest, with gadrooned edges standing on turned and gadrooned feet. This piece remains in very good condition for ...

Category

19th Century Indian Antique Secretaire Chest

Materials

Padouk

Exceptional Victorian Teak Campaign Chest

$15,000

H 69.25 in W 39.25 in D 19.75 in

Exceptional Victorian Teak Campaign Chest

Located in Essex, MA

The ultimate military officer of rank home in one. Rectangular paneled hinged top with ability to be opened to expose a dressing mirror flanked by shelves with brass supports. Also i...

Category

1850s English Victorian Antique Secretaire Chest

Materials

Brass

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Antique Secretaire Chest For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the antique secretaire chest you’re looking for at 1stDibs. An antique secretaire chest — often made from wood, mahogany and metal — can elevate any home. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer antique secretaire chest, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. An antique secretaire chest is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Victorian, Georgian and Louis XVI styles are sought with frequency. A well-made antique secretaire chest has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Gillows of Lancaster & London, Army & Navy CSL and Biedermeier are consistently popular.

How Much is a Antique Secretaire Chest?

The average selling price for an antique secretaire chest at 1stDibs is $4,848, while they’re typically $552 on the low end and $558,927 for the highest priced.

Finding the Right Storage-case-pieces for You

Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces 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 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. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.

Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, 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.

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