Antique Biedermeier Style Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique Biedermeier birch chest of drawers with ebonized highlights, 19th century.
Birch, Lacquer
German Biedermeier Flame Birch Three-Drawer Chest, 19th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
A handsome 19th-century Biedermeier chest with three drawers, a warm golden figured birch front, and contrasting ebonized trim along the top, base, and key escutcheons.
Wood, Birch
Biedermeier Commode Chest of Drawers Satin Birch
Located in Potters Bar, GB
Gorgeous deco Biedermeier style chest of drawers or commode Elegant chest with two drawers so ample storage Blonde walnut offset by black ebonized trim Some of our items are in st...
Other
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers in Birch, Northern Germany, circa 1820
Located in Greding, DE
Three-drawer Biedermeier chest veneered in birch with burl veneer accents and ebonized escutcheons.
Birch, Burl
Swedish Biedermeier 19th century inlaid birch chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Swedish 19th century inlaid birch chest of drawers circa 1830. Fine quality swedish commode, with inlay, stringing and contrasting stained birch. Matched veneer top surface, with s...
Birch
Beautiful compact Biedermeier chest of drawers, South German around 1840, birch
Located in Berlin, DE
Beautiful compact Biedermeier chest of drawers, South German around 1840, birch Solid birch body, partly ebonized.
Birch
Refinished Biedermeier Four Drawer Satin Birch Chest, Dresser or Commode, 1850s
Located in Stamford, CT
Refinished Biedermeier Four Drawer Satin Birch Chest, Dresser or Commode, 1850s The whole of fine Satin Birch having been hand rubbed French polished to its original glory days.
Brass
Austrian 1870s Biedermeier Style Four-Drawer Chest with Bookmarked Birch Veneer
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Austrian Biedermeier style four-drawer commode from the late 19th century, with birch veneer and shield-shaped escutcheons. Born in Imperial Austria during the third quarter of th...
Birch
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Biedermeier / Empire birch chest of drawers, circa 1830.
Birch, Paint
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
Located in New York, NY
A petite chest of drawers, crafted of solid mahogany and fir, the piece is veneered with light mahogany with birch banding and marquetry. Bone escutcheons line the keyholes. The lock...
Birch
Belgian Biedermeier Commode Chest of Drawers
Located in Miami, FL
Offered is a Biedermeier (circa. 1830s) commode or 3-drawer dresser that has a Birch veneer finish and is embellished with leaf-draped marquetry. It measures 40" W, 18" D, 37" H. N...
Birch
$2,452Sale Price|20% Off
Art Deco Swedish Biedermeier Flame Golden Birch Chest of Drawers Commode A
Located in Lewes, England
Early 20th century Classic Art Deco Biedermeier style flame golden birch veneer chest of drawers commode tallboy with three drawers and carved plinth.
Wood
Chest of drawers, Biedermeier, Westphalia around 1825, Ashwood
Located in Münster, DE
Biedermeier chest of drawers Ash, Westphalia, circa 1825, stepped top, multiple mirrored veneer, three drawers, recessed key plates, hand-polished with shellac Dimensions: Height 8...
Wood, Birch
Swedish 19th century birch chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Swedish 19th century birch chest of drawers circa 1880. Simple but elegant Scandinavian chest of drawers, veneered in quarter sawn birch to allow the striking grain to show through....
Birch
Swedish 19th century carved birch chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Swedish 19th century carved birch chest of drawers circa 1870. We are pleased to offer this fine quality 5 drawer chest of drawers from Scandinavia. 3 plank top surface with rounde...
Birch
19th century Swedish birch caddy top chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th century Swedish birch caddy top chest of drawers circa 1870 Good quality Biedermeier influenced Scandinavian birch chest of drawers. 3 plank birch top surface with a shaped mo...
Birch, Pine
Beautiful 19th Century Period Biedermeier Satinwood Birch and Ebonized Commode
Located in Dallas, TX
Fine 19th century period Biedermeier commode. Ebonized trim with satinwood birch and exotic inlays. Original bronze pulls and escutcheons.
Satinwood
Early 19th century birch Biedermeier vanity chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Early 19th century birch biedermeier vanity dressing cabinet circa 1830. Stunning piece of Biedermeier period furniture made in karelian birch. Comprising of two main parts, althou...
Mirror, Birch
19th century Swedish Biedermeier secretaire chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th century Swedish Biedermeier secretaire chest of drawers circa 1860.
Birch, Pine
Biedermeier Birch Chest of Drawers, circa 1840
Located in Chicago, IL
Biedermeier birch chest of drawers, circa 1840. Birch chest of drawers from Austria Biedermeier period.
Birch
German Biedermeier Birch Chest of Drawers, circa 1840
Located in Chicago, IL
German Biedermeier birch chest of drawers, circa 1840. Elegant Biedermeier commode with decorative columns crowned with bronze capitals.
Birch
Biedermeier Birch Chest of Drawers or Commode, circa 1840
Located in Chicago, IL
Biedermeier Birch chest of drawers / commode, circa 1840 from Germany.
Birch
1830s Biedermeier Commode Made Out of Birch Wood
Located in Senden, NRW
Petite and beautiful original 1830s Biedermeier commode from Germany. Restored with a new finish in silver grey, worked with a unique color shifting technique that emphasizes the str...
Birch
19th Century Biedermeier Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th Century Biedermeier birch chest of drawers circa 1830. Swedish Biedermeier commode with plenty of character.
Birch
Biedermeier Birch Chest of
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Biedermeier birch 3 drawer chest of drawers, 19th century.
Birch, Paint
Period Biedermeier Birch Chest with Modern Appeal
Located in Stamford, CT
A quilted birch chest of drawer with interior constructed out of pine. This minimal approach to 1830s furniture pairs very well with the contemporary design vernacular.
Birch
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Biedermeier birch chest of drawers with bone escutcheons and ebonized feet, circa 1840.
Wood
Biedermeier commode
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Biedermeier birch chest of drawers with ebonized columns, moldings, escutcheons and feet, circa 1840.
Wood, Lacquer
Sold
H 39.77 in W 42.72 in D 20.87 in
Rare Antique Swedish Biedermeier Satin Birch, circa 1840-1860 Chest of Drawers
By Biedermeier
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning circa 1840-1860 Biedermeier satin birch chest of drawers A very rare and good looking piece, the condition is good for the period,...
Satin, Birch
Biedermeier Birch Ebony Chest
Located in East Aurora, NY
Biedermeier Birch five drawer chest of Swedish or Austrian origin 1820-40.
Wood
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers in Birch
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
Swedish Biedermeier or Karl Johan chest with four drawers in birch, circa 1820.
Birch
Biedermeier Style Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Biedermeier style birch chest of drawers, circa 1960's.
Bone, Birch
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers in Fire Birch
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A Biedermeier chest with four drawers in bookmatched fire birch.
Birch
Birch and Fir Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
Located in New York, NY
Crafted of birch and fir the four deep drawers are expertly veneered with hand-cut, book matched Nordic birch veneers and lock with original locks, keys and inset escutcheons. This m...
Birch, Fir
Antique Swedish Biedermeier Satin Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in London, GB
Very stylish antique Swedish Biedermeier chest of drawers in satin birch, with ebonized columns and feet.
Birch
Antique Swedish Biedermeier Satin Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in London, GB
Very stylish antique Swedish Biedermeier chest of drawers in satin birch, with ebonized columns and feet.
Birch
Antique Swedish Biedermeier Satin Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in London, GB
Very stylish antique Swedish Biedermeier chest of drawers in satin birch, with ebonized columns and feet.
Birch
19th Century Biedermeier Swedish Birch Fitted Chest of Drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Late biedermeier fine birch chest of drawers circa 1850. 3 drawer chest with 3 fitted drawers in the top drawer.
Birch
19th Century Antique Biedermeier Birch Commode Chest Of Drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
a FINE EXAMPLE OF AN AUSTRIA BEIDERMEIER BIRCH COMMODE, BEAUTIFUL COLOUR, ORIGINAL HANDLES. CIRCA 1820 HEIGHT: 32 3/4" WIDTH: 41 1/2" DEPTH: 23 1/2"
Birch
Sold
H 32.29 in W 40.56 in D 19.69 in
19th Century German Biedermeier Chest Of Drawers, Birch, circa 1820
Located in Greven, DE
Biedermeier chest of drawers with columns Northern Germany Birch Biedermeier around 1820 Dimensions: H x W x D: 82 x 103 x 50 cm Description: Three-tier Biedermeier chest of drawe...
Birch
Sold
H 33.5 in W 32.25 in D 18 in
Biedermeier Style Ebonzed Birch Four Drawer Chest Nightstand Circa 1890
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This Biedermeier style ebonized birch four-drawer chest, dating to circa 1890, is a refined example of late 19th-century European craftsmanship.
Birch
Sold
H 39 in W 36.63 in D 19.75 in
19th Century Biedermeier Antique Karelian Birch Chest of Drawers Commode
Located in Shippensburg, PA
BIEDERMEIER PARCEL-EBONIZED BIRCH ARCHITECTURAL CHEST OF DRAWERS Cica early-to-mid 19th century Item # 310EDO04Q A lovely Biedermeier commode with a powerful architectural form.
Birch, Pine
19th c Biedermeier chest birch commode
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautiful period Biedermeier commode. Satinwood Birch with ebonized columns and accents
Wood
Sold
H 37.125 in W 37.625 in D 22.25 in
Antique Swedish Biedermeier Golden Birch Ebonized Chest of Drawers Dresser, 1820
Located in Portland, OR
An elegant antique Swedish Biedermeier golden birch and burlwood chest of drawers, circa 1820.
Birch, Burl
Sold
H 36.5 in W 35 in D 20 in
Swedish Biedermeier / Empire Chest of Drawers in Quilted Birch, circa 1820
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A very handsome and small Swedish Biedermeier chest of drawers in book-matched quilted birch that is of a golden honey-color.
Birch
Sold
H 33.75 in W 37.5 in D 18 in
Antique Golden Birch Biedermeier 3 Drawer Commode Chest of Drawers Austrian 1840
Located in Portland, OR
A very good quality antique golden birch Biedermeier three drawer commode/chest of drawers, Austria, circa 1840.
Birch
Sold
H 38.5 in W 39.5 in L 38.5 in
Antique Swedish Biedermeier Secretary Bureau Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in Round Top, TX
This stunning chest of drawers is made of birch wood with shellac finish that brings the wood to life.
Wood, Birch
Swedish Biedermeier/Empire Chest of Drawers in Birch, c. 1825
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A fine Biedermeier or Empire Chest in birch with the first of three graduated drawers offering lidded compartments, Sweden, c. 1825-30.
Late 19th Century Biedermeier Influenced Birch Commode
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Stunning four-drawer chest of drawers in the Biedermeier taste, circa 1895. Top drawer enclosed in the shaped front, followed by two further drawers and the bottom drawer forming pa...
Birch
Swedish Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
Located in Long Island City, NY
Perhaps this Karl Johan-era chest of drawers, with its Art Deco personality, was ahead of its time. The details express the elegant sensibility of the maker: the row of "pearls" appl...
Birch
Sold
H 34 in W 35.5 in D 17.25 in
Empire or Biedermeier Chest with Secretary in Birch with Ebonized Details
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A very handsome Biedermeier or Empire Chest in Birch with decorative inlays of ash on the top and fascia of middle drawer, ebonized columns and carved lions' paw feet.
Birch
Biedermeier Commode Chest Nightstand Table
Located in Lake Worth, FL
Offering one of our recent Palm Beach Estate fine furniture acquisitions of a 19th century Biedermeier 4 drawer commode chest nightstand table With working key and working locks on ...
Birch, Ebony
Antique Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique Biedermeier style birch, ash and pine chest of drawers, 19th century.
Bone, Ash, Birch, Pine
Flame Birch Neoclassical or Biedermeier Commode
Located in Essex, MA
Flame Birch Biedermeier Commode in Neoclassical Form. Black Ebonized Feet. Four Drawers
Birch
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, Germany, 1820s
Located in Greding, DE
Biedermeier chest of drawers with flamed birchwood veneer in the typical style of Berlin, with half-columns, protruding head piece and typically moulded base drawer.
Birch
19th Century Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
Located in Dallas, TX
Fine birch Biedermeier commode with ebonized column detail. Beautiful patina.
Birch
19th Century Burr Birch Wellington Chest
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Swedish burr birch wellington chest of drawers, circa 1870. Unusual to find a wellington chest in birch. Quality burr root with rich golden color. Bank of seven drawers flanked...
Birch
Antique Biedermeier Style Chest of Drawers
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique Biedermeier style three-drawer birch chest of drawers with ebonized feet and escutcheons, late 19th century.
Wood, Birch, Paint
Sold
H 36.62 in W 38.19 in D 20.08 in
19th Century Biedermeier Writing Commode, small Secretary, Birch, circa 1830
Located in Greven, DE
19th century small Biedermeier writing commode Germany (Brandenburg) Burl birch Biedermeier circa 1830 Dimensions: H x W x D: 93 x 97 x 51 cm Description: Three-bay writi...
Birch
Early 19th century birch Biedermeier vanity dressing cabinet
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Early 19th century birch Biedermeier vanity dressing cabinet circa 1830. Stunning piece of Biedermeier period furniture made in karelian birch. Comprising of two main parts, althou...
Mirror, Birch
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, Scandinavia, 1825-1830
Located in Greding, DE
Chest of drawers with trapezoidal corpus standing on slightly tapering square legs. The three drawers are of different sizes; the middle one is decorated with a water nymph and dolph...
Birch
Pair of Biedermeier Style Burled Birchwood Chests
Located in Westport, CT
This stunning pair of Biedermeier-style chest of drawers showcases exquisite burled birch veneer over pine.
Birch
19th Century Swedish Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Swedish golden birch chest of drawers, circa 1870. Four graduating drawers which open on the key. Good color and patina. Restorations to veneer, small surface marks to front drawe...
Birch
Sold
H 31.5 in W 38.59 in D 19.3 in
Karelian Birch and Ebonized Biedermeier Commode, Berlin, circa 1820
Located in Berlin, DE
Biedermeier commode with a tapering breakfront corpus and overhanging rectangular top, above three long drawers. Karelian birchwood in book match pattern on pinewood. Diamond-shaped ...
Bronze
Sold
H 34.26 in W 40.56 in D 19.49 in
19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Birch Veneer Commodes, Set of 2
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
Solid birch and veneer with pine. Both chests of drawers each have 3 drawers.
Pine, Birch
Biedermeier Bow front Chest
Located in New York, NY
A fine neoclassical bow front chest of three drawers. Karelian birch with ebonized details and keyholes.
Birch, Fruitwood
19th Century Swedish Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Four-drawer chest of drawers circa 1870. Good quality chest which opens on the key, tooth frieze to the bottom edge which is echoed around the inlaid work on the sides. HEIGHT: ...
Birch
A Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
Located in North Miami, FL
Spectacular Biedermeier chest of drawers with naturally stained birch, and recessed drawers.
Birch
Fine Pair of 19th Century Biedermeier Birch and Ebonized Commodes
Located in Dallas, TX
A fine pair of 19th century German Birch commodes with ebonized columns and bronze lion pulls.
Birch
Biedermeier Tall Chest Of Drawers
Located in Doylestown, PA
A 3/4 scale Biedermeier semainier in birch, with 5 drawers over two false drawers which are hinged as a cabinet door, Continental 19th century.
Birch
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, Central Germany, circa 1820
Located in Greding, DE
Biedermeier commode with three drawers, standing on short tapered feet. The body is veneered in birch tree and shows ebonized décor such as on the top drawer and the profiles.
Birch
19th Century Inlaid Swedish Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Fine quality chest of drawers, circa 1830. Beautiful three-drawer chest, featuring canted corners and karelian birch central half moon and panels. Strung to top and front. Mea...
Birch
19th Century Inlaid Birch Chest of Drawers Commode
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Birch chest with ebony stringing circa 1890 Beautiful quality inlay with satinwood and mahogany veneers to the bottom drawer. Standing on tapered legs. HEIGHT: 32 2/3" WIDT...
Birch
Sold
H 29.93 in W 37.41 in D 17.72 in
Art Deco Swedish Biedermeier Flame Golden Birch Chest of Drawers Commode A
Located in Lewes, England
Early 20th century Classic Art Deco Biedermeier style flame golden birch veneer chest of drawers commode tallboy with three drawers and carved plinth.
Wood
Sold
H 29.93 in W 37.41 in D 17.72 in
Art Deco Swedish Biedermeier Flame Golden Birch Chest of Drawers Commode A
Located in Lewes, England
Early 20th century Classic Art Deco Biedermeier style flame golden birch veneer chest of drawers commode tallboy with three drawers and carved plinth.
Wood
Sold
H 29.93 in W 37.41 in D 17.72 in
Art Deco Swedish Biedermeier Flame Golden Birch Chest of Drawers Commode A
Located in Lewes, England
Early 20th century Classic Art Deco Biedermeier style flame golden birch veneer chest of drawers commode tallboy with three drawers and carved plinth.
Wood
$3,501Sale Price|24% Off
H 32.49 in W 34.45 in D 17.92 in
Small Biedermeier Walnut Half Cabinet with Drawer, South Germany circa 1830
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Elegant small Biedermeier half cabinet from Southern Germany, circa 1830. The charming piece is veneered in richly grained walnut on a solid spruce body, displaying the warm tones an...
Walnut, Spruce
$2,052 / item
H 40 in W 30 in D 0.03 in
"Vigne Fleurie" Signed Limited Edition Art Print by Christiane Lemieux - 30"x40"
Located in New York, NY
"Vigne Fleurie" is an exquisite limited edition fine art print that offers a modernist interpretation of a flowering vine set against a lush green colorfield. Each print is a view of...
Paper
$4,200
H 36 in W 37 in D 21 in
19th Century French Louis XVI Style Oversized Bergere Marquise Armchair
Located in Charleston, SC
19th century French Louis XVI style bergère marquise upholstered armchair in painted wood frame with neoclassical architecture embellished hand-carved foliates, rosettes and tapered ...
Fabric, Wood, Paint
20th Century Biedermeier Style Tulip Columns Commode
Located in Berlin, DE
20th century Biedermeier style tulip columns commode veneer tulip on solid pinewood. (D-Sam-44).
Wood, Pine
$34,057
H 70.87 in W 73.23 in D 88.19 in
Bed Tester Spanish Baroque Carved Dark Green & Gilded Leather Superking 6ft180cm
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Rare, Spanish Demi-Tester, Baroque Bed With Carved, Green Painted & Gilded Posts 181cm, 6ft High, Floral Painted Leather Headboard, sold with custom made box spring mattress base, ac...
Giltwood, Paint
$2,343
H 36.5 in W 20 in D 44 in
Italian Neo-Classical Or Biedermeier Style Burl Wood Bloomingdale’s Chest
By Bloomingdale's
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a handsome Italian burl wood commode crafted in Italy for Bloomingdale’s. It has Biedermeier or neo-classical styling. The drawers are paper lined and have dovetail construct...
Granite
$16,800 / set
H 34 in W 32 in D 32 in
Napoleon III Style Chairs in Emerald Sheepskin on Gilt Rope & Tassel Frames
By Napoléon III
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Unapologetically upscale and glamorous pair of gilt rope and tassel Napoleon III style chairs freshly upholstered in hand sewn emerald sheepskin. French. Chic. Such a killer combo. L...
Sheepskin, Giltwood, Upholstery
Late Biedermeier Cabinet, circa 1830
Located in Greding, DE
Cabinet with concave curved front and lateral three-quarter-columns with leaf capitals and profiled bases. One-drawer and one-door under the profiled top panel. Mahogany, solid and v...
Mahogany
French Empire Mahogany Small Chest
Located in Queens, NY
French Empire style (late 19th Century) mahogany small chest with 4 drawers and bronze trim with a black marble top There are splits in the wood at the side of the piece.
Mahogany
Biedermeier Miniature Chest of Drawers in Walnut, circa 1830
Located in Greding, DE
Small chest of drawers in walnut veneer with three drawers and a hinged lid with mirror and removable tray insert. The chest of drawers has been restored and polished by hand. Each d...
Brass
19th Century French Louis XVI Style Giltwood Marquise or Bergere
Located in Houston, TX
19th century French Louis XVI style giltwood marquise or bergere. This stunning antique French Louis XVI style gilt wood chair, marquise, loveseat or bergere chair is most comfortabl...
Giltwood
19th Century Biedermeier Style Bookcase or Vitrine
Located in Berlin, DE
Biedermeier bookcase or vitrine, circa 1815. Cherry tree on solid partly ebonized. On stepped frame base, high-rectangular corpus, partly blackened. In the front two triple-sectione...
Wood, Cherry
$16,914
H 31.89 in W 43.31 in D 23.63 in
Very Rare Early 19th Century Biedermeier Chest Of Drawers from Castle Carlsruhe
Located in Greven, DE
"Egyptian chest of drawers" from Carlsruhe Castle Silesia Wroclaw Curly maple, maple burl circa 1810 Probably Breslau around 1810, after a model from "La Mésangère" published in 18...
Maple
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, Danube Monarchy, around 1830
Located in Greding, DE
Biedermeier chest of drawers with four drawers and a top plate forming volutes and vase-shaped feet. The chest of drawers is veneered in cherry. The crosspieces are profiled and the ...
Cherry
$2,857
H 36.62 in W 37.41 in D 21.66 in
Conical Commode Chest of Drawers / shelve in the antique Biedermeier Style
Located in Berlin, DE
Mahogany on solid conifers. Conical body on profiled frame base. In the front, three casted drawers. About cantilevered profile cornice flat gypsum, stepped with oval cover plate. S...
Mahogany
19th Century German Biedermeier Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
Gorgeous 19th century German Walnut Biedermeier side cabinet. Beautiful, polished wood with ebonized details and storage inside. A handsome piece!!
Walnut
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.
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.