Biedermeier Semainier or Tallboy Chest on Chest of Flame Mahogany
Located in Austin, TX
A fine Danish semainier or tall boy (chest-on-chest) from the 19th century, featuring a Biedermeier design of flame-cut mahogany - canopy top over seven graduating, locking drawers w...
Metal, Brass
Unavailable
H 64.57 in W 40.16 in D 21.26 in
Danish Mid 19th Century Biedermeier Commode Tall Chest of drawers
Located in Santander, ES
Attractive flame mahogany Danish Biedermeier tallboy commode dating to the end of the second quarter of the 19th century.
Mahogany
Unavailable
H 61.78 in W 40.24 in D 20.56 in
19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Chest of Drawers Serpentine Tallboy Mahogany
Located in Newcastle upon Tyne, GB
A stunning 19th century Swedish Biedermeier flamed mahogany serpentine chest of drawers. The Biedermeier pagoda type top above seven long graduated serpentine drawers with oak lined...
Mahogany
Unavailable
H 59.49 in W 40.83 in D 20.08 in
Danish Biedermeier Chest of Drawers 19th Century Flamed Mahogany
Located in Newcastle upon Tyne, GB
An impressive 19th century Danish Biedermeier semainier tallboy chest of drawers. Boasting fine quality flamed mahogany marquetry work throughout.
Mahogany
Biedermeier Tallboy or Chest on Chest of Mahogany
Located in Austin, TX
A Danish tall boy (or chest-on-chest) featuring a Biedermeier-style design of flame-cut mahogany, seven graduating, locking drawers with key, and standing on scroll feet
Sold
H 43.71 in W 42.52 in D 18.9 in
Swedish Biedermeier Chest of Drawers Writing Desk Chiffonier Tallboy, Mid-1800s
Located in Lewes, England
Very unusually it also has a top 'drawer' with a key on the roof of the tallboy that provides extra storage, very rare feature.
Birch
Antique Mahogany Tallboy Chest of Drawers, Denmark circa 1840-60
Located in Round Top, TX
The mahogany veneer is stunning in this classic tall chest of 7 drawers. The highboy is built in 2 sections making it easier to move/install and rests on carved feet. This handsome...
Mahogany
Biedermeier Tallboy / Secretaire
Located in London, GB
The fourth drawer has a fold out lectern and small compartments
Birch
Biedermeier Tallboy / Secretaire
Located in London, GB
Six graduated drawers, the fourth drawer has out lectern and small compartments. Architectural facade with two columns.
Birch, Lacquer
19th Century Biedermeier Birch Tallboy
Located in London, GB
The chest has six drawers and the third drawer from the bottom pulls out to reveal a fold out lectern with black leather surface and small compartments with lift-up lids. It has blac...
Birch
Sold
H 64.97 in W 44.49 in D 20.87 in
19th Century Biedermeier Mahogany German Tallboy Six Drawers, 1830s
Located in Roma, RM
Imposing German tallboy, linear shapes, embellished with capitals, on columns, ebonized.
Mahogany
Sold
H 64 in W 40 in L 64 in
Antique Mahogany Tallboy Chest of Drawers 19th Century Danish Biedermeier Style
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Antique mahogany tallboy chest of drawers 19th century Danish Biedermeier style.
Mahogany
Sold
H 64 in W 40 in D 19 in
Antique Mahogany Tallboy Chest of Drawers 19th Century Danish Biedermeier Style
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Antique Mahogany Tallboy Chest of Drawers 19th century Danish Biedermeier style Magnificent Antique 19th century Danish Flame fronted Mahogany Tallboy chest of drawers in the Bied...
Mahogany
Sold
H 61.03 in W 39.38 in D 20.48 in
Danish Mid-19th Century Biedermeier Commode Tall Chest of Drawers
Located in Lisboa, Lisboa
Mahogany flame veneer Danish Biedermeier Tallboy chest of drawers, form the 1850s-1960s.
Mahogany, Oak
$23,952
H 26.5 in W 36.5 in D 3.25 in
19th Century Scottish Highland landscape oil painting of a Loch at sunset
By Alfred de Breanski Sr.
Located in Nr Broadway, Worcestershire
Alfred de Breanski Snr British, (1852-1928) Sunset over a Scottish Highland Loch Oil on canvas, signed Image size: 19.5 inches x 29.5 inches Size including frame: 26.5 inches x 36....
Canvas, Oil
$24,500
H 29 in W 59.25 in D 29.25 in
Pair of French Louis XVI Style Carved-Wood Cream-Lacquered Settees, Jansen Attr.
By Maison Jansen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine Pair of French Louis XVI Style Carved-wood Cream-Lacquered Settees, probably by Maison Jansen. The rectangular shaped Love Seats, each with scrolled carved armrests ending wit...
Fabric, Satin, Silk, Wood
$6,995
H 95 in W 38.5 in D 2.5 in
Eight Foot Tall Mid-19th Century French Regency Style Giltwood Floor Mirror
Located in Fayetteville, AR
Found in a chateau in the Loire Valley, this nineteenth century French Regency style gilt wood mirror stands at an impressive eight feet in height. Its beveled glass is surrounded by...
Mirror, Giltwood
$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
$288,528Sale Price|20% Off
H 113 in W 92 in
C19th Portrait Princesse de Joinville of Brazil - Spectacular fit for a palace
By Henri d'Ainecy Montpezat
Located in London, GB
Portrait of Princess de Joinville riding a Bay Horse Henri d’Aincy, Le Comte Monpezat (French 1817-1859) Painted circa 1837-9 oil on canvas 113 x 92 inches (including frame) 92 x 70 ...
Oil
English Regency Mahogany Dining Table
Located in Queens, NY
English Regency mahogany round dining table with a molded edge supported on a pedestal base with 4 gilt claw legs and green painted trim.
Gold Leaf
$24,000 / set
H 79 in W 27 in D 3 in
Pair of Magnificent Antique French Carved Wood Panels Depicting the Four Seasons
Located in Bridgeport, CT
An Extraordinary Pair of early 20th century carved wood Panels depicting the Four Seasons. Tall narrow unpainted panels with high relief carved decoration with motifs of the Four Sea...
Wood
20th Century Biedermeier Style Secretaire
Located in Berlin, DE
20th century Biedermeier style secretaire Delicate secretaire in Biedermeier style. Tulip veneer, partially blackened, on solid pinewood. Blackened full-columns. (L-Sam-42).
Wood, Pine
$26,000 / set
H 36 in W 49 in D 23 in
A fine pair of walnut 19th century Louis Philippe marble top commodes
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine pair of French Louis Philippe walnut marble top commodes. Very fine figured walnut. Carrera marble tops . Original keys and locks
Carrara Marble
$10,181Sale Price|24% Off
H 57.09 in W 36.23 in D 16.93 in
Early 19th Century South German Biedermeier Secretaire in Walnut
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Elegant Biedermeier secretaire crafted in South Germany around 1820. The piece combines solid walnut and walnut veneer with a striking mirrored grain on the façade. The interior is m...
Brass
$163,312
H 90.95 in W 61.03 in D 77.56 in
IMPORTANT BISHOP JAMES STANLEY 1508 KING HENRY VII ENGLiSH OAK TUDOR TESTER BED
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this very rare and highly important, Museum quality, English Tudor King Henry VII Oak tester bed made for an...
Oak
Louis XV Secretaire, France, 1770
Located in Belmont, MA
Louis XV secretaire, France, 1770. Beautiful walnut veneer with plum, satinwood and kingwood marquetry. Exquisite figural marquetry on the outside of the writing top. The writing ...
Kingwood, Satinwood, Walnut
$36,000
H 10 in Dm 13.75 in
Dinner Service, 86 Piece, Flow Blue and White, Classic Onion Meissen Pattern
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Montreal, Quebec
86 piece dinner service with the marking: "Original ZWIEBELMUSTER, Czechoslovakia", in the Classic Blue Onion, Meissen Pattern, comprising: 24 dinner plates, 9.5" diameter 12...
Porcelain
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, Germany 1820
Located in Belmont, MA
Exquisite Biedermeier Walnut Dresser from 1820, Southern Germany. This remarkable Biedermeier chest of drawers, dating back to 1820 and originating from Southern Germany, is a true t...
Walnut
Antique French Brass Inlaid Mahogany Semainier Chest, Circa 1880.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique French Brass Inlaid Mahogany Semainier Chest, Circa 1880.
Brass
$10,459
H 59.45 in W 39.38 in D 18.31 in
Empire Secretaire, Walnut, Maple, Paw Feet, Austria circa 1815
Located in Regensburg, DE
Fine Early Biedermeier or late Empire Secretaire / Drop-Front /Secretary Desk from Austria around 1815-20. Walnut veneered on hardwood (walnut and mahogany). Partly ebonized and deta...
Brass, Gold Leaf
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.