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Biedermeier Walnut Chests

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19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Commode. Vienna, c. 1825.
19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Commode. Vienna, c. 1825.

19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Commode. Vienna, c. 1825.

Located in Vienna, AT

Hello, This truly exquisite, early Biedermeier walnut commode was made in Vienna circa 1820-25

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

19th Century German Biedermeier Walnut and Elm Commode
19th Century German Biedermeier Walnut and Elm Commode

19th Century German Biedermeier Walnut and Elm Commode

Located in Dallas, TX

Exceptional early 19th century German Biedermeier walnut and elm commode. Very fine quality with

Category

Antique Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Elm, Walnut

19th Century South German Biedermeier Inlaid Walnut Commode
19th Century South German Biedermeier Inlaid Walnut Commode

19th Century South German Biedermeier Inlaid Walnut Commode

Located in Dallas, TX

Outstanding 19th century South German Biedermeier inlaid walnut commode with 2 drawers. Beautiful

Category

Antique Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Walnut

Early 19th Century South German Walnut Biedermeier Commode
Early 19th Century South German Walnut Biedermeier Commode

Early 19th Century South German Walnut Biedermeier Commode

Located in Dallas, TX

Very fine early 19th century South German walnut Biedermeier commode with modernized drawers

Category

Antique Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Walnut and Ebony Commode
19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Walnut and Ebony Commode

19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Walnut and Ebony Commode

Located in Dallas, TX

Exquisite 19th century Austrian Biedermeier walnut and ebony commode. Very fine finish and polish

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of D...

Materials

Walnut, Wood

Early 19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Pillar Half Cabinet
Early 19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Pillar Half Cabinet

Early 19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Pillar Half Cabinet

Located in Darmstadt, DE

Beautiful practical cabinet from the Biedermeier period in walnut veneer, with a very beautiful

Category

Antique Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Spruce, Walnut

Biedermeier Commode, Walnut Veneer, Ebony, Austria, circa 1820
Biedermeier Commode, Walnut Veneer, Ebony, Austria, circa 1820

Biedermeier Commode, Walnut Veneer, Ebony, Austria, circa 1820

Located in Regensburg, DE

Elegant early Biedermeier commode or chest of drawers from Austria around 1820 Walnut veneer on

Category

Antique 1820s Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Iron

19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Commode. Vienna, c. 1820-25.
19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Commode. Vienna, c. 1820-25.

19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Commode. Vienna, c. 1820-25.

Located in Vienna, AT

This truly exceptional early Biedermeier walnut commode was made in Vienna circa 1820. Viennese

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of D...

Materials

Walnut

Biedermeier Commode, Walnut Veneer, South Germany, circa 1820
Biedermeier Commode, Walnut Veneer, South Germany, circa 1820

Biedermeier Commode, Walnut Veneer, South Germany, circa 1820

Located in Regensburg, DE

Stately Biedermeier commode / chest of three drawers from South Germany, circa 1820. Walnut

Category

Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Biedermeier Fruitwood Chest of Drawers
Biedermeier Fruitwood Chest of Drawers

Biedermeier Fruitwood Chest of Drawers

Located in Laguna Beach, CA

Biedermeier fruitwood or walnut chest of drawers with ebonized columns, circa 1825.

Category

Antique 1820s European Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Paint, Wood

Biedermeier Commode with Three Drawers, Walnut Veneered, German circa 1820
Biedermeier Commode with Three Drawers, Walnut Veneered, German circa 1820

Biedermeier Commode with Three Drawers, Walnut Veneered, German circa 1820

Located in Greding, DE

Biedermeier Commode with three drawers, Walnut veneered, German circa 1820. Biedermeier chest of

Category

Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Biedermeier Chest of Drawers with Secretary, Austria, Mid 19th Century
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers with Secretary, Austria, Mid 19th Century

Biedermeier Chest of Drawers with Secretary, Austria, Mid 19th Century

Located in Wrocław, Poland

The Biedermeier chest of drawers veneered with walnut is an exceptional 19th-century piece from

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Walnut

French Biedermeier commode in Walnut Wood, Early 19th Century
French Biedermeier commode in Walnut Wood, Early 19th Century

French Biedermeier commode in Walnut Wood, Early 19th Century

Located in Wrocław, Poland

This is an original commode in Biedermeier style from beginning of 19th century. The furniture was

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Walnut

early 19th century Biedermeier two drawer chest
early 19th century Biedermeier two drawer chest

early 19th century Biedermeier two drawer chest

Located in Westport, CT

An exceptionally attractive early 19th century Biedermeier two drawer chest on straight tapered

Category

Antique 19th Century Austrian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut, Pine

early 19th century Biedermeier chest of drawers
early 19th century Biedermeier chest of drawers

early 19th century Biedermeier chest of drawers

Located in Westport, CT

Exceptionaly sleek Biedermeier 19th century chest of drawers in walnut veneer and ebony shield

Category

Antique 19th Century German Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut, Pine, Ebony

early 19th century Biedermeier chest of drawers
early 19th century Biedermeier chest of drawers

early 19th century Biedermeier chest of drawers

Located in Westport, CT

small and sleek Biedermeier three-drawer chest in a light walnut veneer with rounded corners and

Category

Antique 19th Century German Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut, Pine, Ebony

19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Walnut and Brass Side Table
19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Walnut and Brass Side Table

19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Walnut and Brass Side Table

Located in Dallas, TX

Exceptional early 19th century Austrian Biedermeier walnut and brass side table. Beautiful polished

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of D...

Materials

Brass

Early 19th Century German Walnut Two Drawers Biedermeier Commode
Early 19th Century German Walnut Two Drawers Biedermeier Commode

Early 19th Century German Walnut Two Drawers Biedermeier Commode

Located in Dallas, TX

two-drawer Biedermeier commode with handsome bookmatched walnut veneers, exceptional quality on

Category

Antique Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Walnut

Continental Biedermeier Influenced Light Walnut Neoclassic Commode, circa 1825
Continental Biedermeier Influenced Light Walnut Neoclassic Commode, circa 1825

Continental Biedermeier Influenced Light Walnut Neoclassic Commode, circa 1825

Located in Atlanta, GA

The body having one upper stepped drawer above three graduating drawers flanked by baluster shaped columns ending on Classic block-shaped feet.

Category

Antique 1820s European Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Biedermeier Style Walnut Commode
Biedermeier Style Walnut Commode

Biedermeier Style Walnut Commode

Located in Winter Park, FL

A handsome chest of drawers made of solid walnut (sides) and veneer of walnut (front and top

Category

Antique 19th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Biedermeier 19th Century Walnut Four-Drawer Commode with Butterfly Veneer
Biedermeier 19th Century Walnut Four-Drawer Commode with Butterfly Veneer

Biedermeier 19th Century Walnut Four-Drawer Commode with Butterfly Veneer

Located in Atlanta, GA

An Austrian Biedermeier style walnut veneered commode from the 19th century, with four drawers

Category

Antique 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, Germany, Late 18th, Early 19th Century
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, Germany, Late 18th, Early 19th Century

Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, Germany, Late 18th, Early 19th Century

Located in Wrocław, Poland

This unique chest of drawers comes from Germany and was made around late 18th or early 19th Century

Category

Antique Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Walnut, Pine

Small Biedermeier Commode, Walnut Veneer, Southwest Germany, circa 1820
Small Biedermeier Commode, Walnut Veneer, Southwest Germany, circa 1820

Small Biedermeier Commode, Walnut Veneer, Southwest Germany, circa 1820

Located in Regensburg, DE

Elegant, small early Biedermeier Commode / Chest of three drawers from Southwest Germany, Stuttgart

Category

Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Metal

Fine Pair of Biedermeier Walnut Marble Top Commodes, circa 1830
Fine Pair of Biedermeier Walnut Marble Top Commodes, circa 1830

Fine Pair of Biedermeier Walnut Marble Top Commodes, circa 1830

Located in Dallas, TX

A fine pair of Biedermeier period marble top commodes. Fine walnut with satinwood inlay and

Category

Antique Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Marble

Austrian Biedermeier Three-Drawer Commode with Walnut Veneer, circa 1840
Austrian Biedermeier Three-Drawer Commode with Walnut Veneer, circa 1840

Austrian Biedermeier Three-Drawer Commode with Walnut Veneer, circa 1840

Located in Atlanta, GA

An Austrian Biedermeier walnut veneered three-drawer commode from the mid-19th century, with

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Walnut

Pair of Austrian 1870s Biedermeier Walnut Commodes with Butterfly Veneer
Pair of Austrian 1870s Biedermeier Walnut Commodes with Butterfly Veneer

Pair of Austrian 1870s Biedermeier Walnut Commodes with Butterfly Veneer

Located in Atlanta, GA

A pair of Austrian Biedermeier walnut two-drawer commodes from the late 19th century, with

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dr...

Materials

Walnut

Biedermeier 19th Century Walnut Veneered Commode with Four Graduated Drawers
Biedermeier 19th Century Walnut Veneered Commode with Four Graduated Drawers

Biedermeier 19th Century Walnut Veneered Commode with Four Graduated Drawers

Located in Atlanta, GA

An Austrian Biedermeier period walnut veneered commode from the 19th century with four graduated

Category

Antique 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood, Walnut

Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, South Germany, around 1820
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, South Germany, around 1820

Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, South Germany, around 1820

Located in New York, NY

Biedermeier chest of drawers featuring three drawers adorned with fire-gilt bronze fittings as key

Category

Antique 1820s German Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, South Germany
19th Century Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, South Germany

19th Century Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, South Germany

Located in New York, NY

Biedermeier chest of drawers on S-shaped legs with ebonized columns, bases and brass capitals. The

Category

Antique Early 19th Century German Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Commode
19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Commode

19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Commode

Located in Hixson, TN

This 19th Century walnut Biedermeier commode is a fantastic piece. Featuring great patina, fabulous

Category

Antique 19th Century German Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Walnut Chest of Drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1920
Walnut Chest of Drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1920

Walnut Chest of Drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1920

Located in Chorzów, PL

Walnut chest of drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1920. Very good condition, after professional

Category

Vintage 1920s Norwegian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Walnut Chest of Drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1900
Walnut Chest of Drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1900

Walnut Chest of Drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1900

Located in Chorzów, PL

Walnut chest of drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1900. Very good condition, after professional

Category

Antique Early 1900s Swedish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Walnut Chest of Drawers, Northern Europe, Around 1900
Walnut Chest of Drawers, Northern Europe, Around 1900

Walnut Chest of Drawers, Northern Europe, Around 1900

Located in Chorzów, PL

Walnut chest of drawers, Northern Europe, around 1900. Very good condition, after professional

Category

Antique Early 1900s Swedish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Walnut 1840s Austrian Biedermeier Period Two-Drawer Commode with Inlaid Motifs
Walnut 1840s Austrian Biedermeier Period Two-Drawer Commode with Inlaid Motifs

Walnut 1840s Austrian Biedermeier Period Two-Drawer Commode with Inlaid Motifs

Located in Atlanta, GA

A walnut Austrian Biedermeier period commode from the mid-19th century, with two drawers and inlaid

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Brass

Biedermeier Commode, Walnut, Brass, Full Columns, Austria/Vienna circa 1830
Biedermeier Commode, Walnut, Brass, Full Columns, Austria/Vienna circa 1830

Biedermeier Commode, Walnut, Brass, Full Columns, Austria/Vienna circa 1830

Located in Regensburg, DE

Small Biedermeier Commode in Walnut Veneer with Full Columns and Brass Fittings from Austria circa

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of D...

Materials

Brass, Iron

Biedermeier Style Walnut Three-Drawer Commode with Ebonized Accents, circa 1880
Biedermeier Style Walnut Three-Drawer Commode with Ebonized Accents, circa 1880

Biedermeier Style Walnut Three-Drawer Commode with Ebonized Accents, circa 1880

Located in Atlanta, GA

A German Biedermeier style walnut three-drawer commode from the late 19th century, with ebonized

Category

Antique Late 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood, Walnut

Austrian Biedermeier Period 1820s Burled Walnut Commode with Cross-Banded Motifs
Austrian Biedermeier Period 1820s Burled Walnut Commode with Cross-Banded Motifs

Austrian Biedermeier Period 1820s Burled Walnut Commode with Cross-Banded Motifs

Located in Atlanta, GA

An Austrian Biedermeier period burled walnut veneered commode from the early 19th century, with

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of D...

Materials

Walnut

A pair of early 19th century Italian Biedermeier chest
A pair of early 19th century Italian Biedermeier chest

A pair of early 19th century Italian Biedermeier chest

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A handsome pair of early 19th century Italian Biedermeier walnut, ash, giltwood and ebony chests

Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut, Ash, Giltwood, Ebony

Biedermeier 1840s Burl Walnut Three-drawer Commode with Ebonized Semi-Columns
Biedermeier 1840s Burl Walnut Three-drawer Commode with Ebonized Semi-Columns

Biedermeier 1840s Burl Walnut Three-drawer Commode with Ebonized Semi-Columns

Located in Atlanta, GA

ebonized wood semi-columns and tapered feet. This Biedermeier commode features an exquisite burled walnut

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dra...

Materials

Wood, Walnut, Burl

Small 19th Century German Walnut Chest of Drawers
Small 19th Century German Walnut Chest of Drawers

Small 19th Century German Walnut Chest of Drawers

Located in Dusseldorf, DE

Small German late Biedermeier commode from around 1860. Walnut veneered on pine. Corpus with 4

Category

Antique 19th Century German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut, Pine

Austrian Biedermeier Style Burl Walnut Four-Drawer Commode with Grey Marble Top
Austrian Biedermeier Style Burl Walnut Four-Drawer Commode with Grey Marble Top

Austrian Biedermeier Style Burl Walnut Four-Drawer Commode with Grey Marble Top

Located in Atlanta, GA

An Austrian Biedermeier style burl walnut commode from the late 19th century, with grey veined

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Dr...

Materials

Marble, Brass

Biedermeier Trumeau Commode
Biedermeier Trumeau Commode

Biedermeier Trumeau Commode

Located in Lichtenberg, AT

An antique item from the Biedermeier period that blends well in any context due to its simple yet

Category

Antique 1830s Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Walnut chest of drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1890. After renovation.
Walnut chest of drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1890. After renovation.

Walnut chest of drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1890. After renovation.

Located in Chorzów, PL

Walnut chest of drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1890. The furniture is in very good condition

Category

Antique 1890s Swedish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Biedermeier Commode
19th Century Biedermeier Commode

19th Century Biedermeier Commode

Located in Belmont, MA

19th century Biedermeier commode, probably Austria or South Germany 19th century, walnut veneer on

Category

Antique 1840s Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Pair of Fine Biedermeier Style Chest of Drawers
Pair of Fine Biedermeier Style Chest of Drawers

Pair of Fine Biedermeier Style Chest of Drawers

Located in Westport, CT

A handsome pair of Biedermeier chests in walnut veneer comprised of three drawers finishing on

Category

Antique 19th Century Austrian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Biedermeier's Commode, 1820-1829, Germany
Biedermeier's Commode, 1820-1829, Germany

Biedermeier's Commode, 1820-1829, Germany

Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj

Biedermeier's commode. Completely restored. Shellac polish used for the surface. Country of

Category

Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood, Walnut

Biedermeier Dresser, South Germany, 1820
Biedermeier Dresser, South Germany, 1820

Biedermeier Dresser, South Germany, 1820

Located in Belmont, MA

This unique Biedermeier Dresser of the 1820's was made in Southern Germany. The four drawers

Category

Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Fine Biedermeier Two-Drawer Commode
Fine Biedermeier Two-Drawer Commode

Fine Biedermeier Two-Drawer Commode

Located in New York, NY

A fine Biedermeier two-drawer commode. Walnut with fruitwood inlay details.  

Category

Antique 1820s Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Fruitwood, Walnut

Pair of Biedermeier's Commodes, 1830-1839
Pair of Biedermeier's Commodes, 1830-1839

Pair of Biedermeier's Commodes, 1830-1839

Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj

Pair of Biedermeier's commodes Completely restored. Shellac polish used for the surface. Country

Category

Antique 1830s German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood, Walnut

Pair of Biedermeier Ebonized and Black Walnut Cabinets
Pair of Biedermeier Ebonized and Black Walnut Cabinets

Pair of Biedermeier Ebonized and Black Walnut Cabinets

Located in Hudson, NY

Pair of Biedermeier Ebonized and Black Walnut Cabinets PICK UP LOCATION: NAGA NORTH INC 536

Category

Antique 19th Century Austrian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Biedermeier Oval Cabinet, circa 1850, Northern Europe
Biedermeier Oval Cabinet, circa 1850, Northern Europe

Biedermeier Oval Cabinet, circa 1850, Northern Europe

Located in Chorzów, PL

Biedermeier chest of drawers, Northern Europe, circa 1850. Very good condition, after

Category

Antique 1850s Swedish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

A Fine Late 19th c.  Biedermeier Rival Commode
A Fine Late 19th c.  Biedermeier Rival Commode

A Fine Late 19th c. Biedermeier Rival Commode

Located in Hudson, NY

This simple but elegant three drawer chest chest created circa 1890 to 1900 in the biedermeier

Category

Antique 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Pair of Biedermeier's Commodes, 1830-1839
Pair of Biedermeier's Commodes, 1830-1839

Pair of Biedermeier's Commodes, 1830-1839

Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj

Pair of Biedermeier's commodes Completely restored. Shellac polish used for the surface. Country

Category

Antique 1830s German Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood, Walnut, Lacquer

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Biedermeier Walnut Chests For Sale on 1stDibs

Find a variety of biedermeier walnut chests available on 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, walnut and softwood, all biedermeier walnut chests available were constructed with great care. Biedermeier walnut chests have been produced for many years, with earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. Victorian biedermeier walnut chests are consistently popular styles. Biedermeier walnut chests have been a part of the life’s work for many furniture makers, but those produced by Biedermeier, Baker Furniture Company and Schumacher are consistently popular.

How Much are Biedermeier Walnut Chests?

The average selling price for at 1stDibs is $5,800, while they’re typically $1,051 on the low end and $59,500 highest priced.

A Close Look at Biedermeier Furniture

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.

Finding the Right Commodes-chests-of-drawers for You

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.

Questions About Biedermeier Walnut Chests
Prices for most biedermeier walnut chests on 1stdibs are negotiable. You’ll see a "Make an Offer" button on the item details page, indicating that the seller is willing to consider a lower price. It’s not uncommon for customers to get 15–25% off the list price after negotiating. See our tips for negotiating like a pro.
Only experienced, professional sellers who have applied and been thoroughly vetted by our team of experts can sell biedermeier walnut chests and other quality items on our site. Learn more about becoming a 1stdibs seller.
The 1stdibs Buyer Protection Guarantee provides coverage for qualified purchases in the unlikely event that the item arrives not as described or is damaged. We’ll work with you and the seller to find a resolution, ensuring your satisfaction. View details
We have partnerships with the world's best shipping providers to facilitate seamless and fully-insured delivery from the seller's location directly to you, wherever you are in the world. Our logistics team is comprised of dedicated members who arrange all the details with our partners, servicing and supporting all shipments. Learn more about shipping on 1stdibs.
For your convenience, we offer multiple payment methods, including all major credit cards and PayPal. For many purchases we also offer financing options or wire transfer. Learn more about payment options on 1stdibs.