Skip to main content

Black Bombay Chest

Marble Top Black Lacquer Brass Mounts 4 Drawer Bombay Dresser Chest Drawers Mint
By Baker Furniture Company, Weiman
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Marble top black lacquer brass mounts 4 drawer Bombay dresser chest drawers mint!.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Italian Marble Top Ormolu Bombay Commodes, Circa 1870
Located in Charleston, SC
Pair of Italian zebra wood three-drawer marble top Bombay commodes with inlaid fruit wood front
Category

Antique 1870s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Recent Sales

Pair of Maitland Smith Black Tessellated Bombay Chests
By Maitland Smith
Located in Houston, TX
A vintage pair of Maitland Smith tessellated black stone Bombay chests featuring three drawers and
Category

20th Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Stone, Brass

Black Painted Pine Bombay Chest of Drawers, Sweden circa 1750-1850
Located in Round Top, TX
It is the bombay curves and feet turning gently outwards that draws one to this dramatic chest of
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Swedish Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine, Paint

Pair of Royal Blue and Parcel-Gilt Decorated Bombay Commodes or Chests
By Don Rousseau
Located in Manhasset, NY
Pair of Royal blue and parcel-gilt decorated bombay commodes, nightstands or chests. These fine
Category

Mid-20th Century Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Japanese Chinoiserie Black Painted Two Draw Small Bombay Chest
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Japanese chinoiserie black painted two draw small Bombay chest. Great size 20" wide by 14" deep and
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English End Tables

Materials

Wood

French Serpentine Shaped Chinoiserie Painted Chest of Drawers, circa 1930s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
French chinoiserie painted and black lacquered Bombay chest of drawers. The piece is painted in
Category

Vintage 1930s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

People Also Browsed

English 1820s Georgian Period Black and Gold Chinoiserie Chest with Stone Top
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English Georgian ebonized chinoiserie chest-of-drawers from the early 19th century with gilt and black lacquered accents and later added stone top. Created in England during the f...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Dr...

Materials

Wood

Six-Piece English Silver Tea and Coffee Service
Located in London, GB
Six-piece English silver tea and coffee service English, circa 1850-1863 Tray: Height 6cm, width 58cm, depth 58cm Kettle on stand: Height 43cm, width 29cm, depth 23cm Weight: 7,1...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Tea Sets

Materials

Silver

A fine late 18th c Dutch black lacquered commode with Chinoiserie decoration
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare late 18th century Dutch black lacquered Chinoiserie hand painted commode. Brass pulls
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Scandinavian Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests o...

Materials

Wood

Berthold Muller Asymmetrical Mosaic Tile Coffee or Sofa Table, Germany, 1950s
By Berthold Muller, Berthold Hermann Muller
Located in Vienna, AT
A sculptural Midcentury coffee or cocktail table with a lovely decorative glass tiles mosaic top, showing beautiful graphic shapes. Created by designer and artist Berthold Müller - O...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Brass

Tiffany & Co. Silver-Gilt Finger Bowls
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
The most exquisite flatware and hollowware sets of Belle Époque were unequivocally crafted in America with the greatest American craftsman being Tiffany & Co. The very best of Tiffan...
Category

Antique 19th Century American Rococo Tableware

Materials

Silver

Tiffany & Co. Silver-Gilt Finger Bowls
Tiffany & Co. Silver-Gilt Finger Bowls
H 2.75 in W 5.75 in D 5.75 in
Early 19th Century Empire Commode
Located in London, GB
France, c. 1820 An early 19th century Empire mahogany commode with finely chased ormolu mounts, retaining the original marble top. Height 88.50cm Width 130.00cm Depth 57.00cm
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

Early 19th Century Empire Commode
Early 19th Century Empire Commode
H 34.85 in W 51.19 in D 22.45 in
Gisele Demi-Lune Console
By Koket
Located in Manassas, VA
Slender elegance radiates from the Gisele Demi-Lune Console. Delicate brass hands set upon three perfectly appointed legs hold up the piece’s crescent-shaped top. Offering a perfect ...
Category

2010s Portuguese Demi-lune Tables

Materials

Brass, Gold Leaf

Gisele Demi-Lune Console
Gisele Demi-Lune Console
H 35 in W 43 in D 22 in
Pair of Italian 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Giltwood and Marble Consoles
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An impressive pair of Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. giltwood and Rosso Levanto marble mirrored consoles. Each console is raised by fine topie feet below the decorative botto...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Console Tables

Materials

Marble

French Directoire Heavily Brass Inlaid Ebonized Commode Circa 1940 Jansen
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
For customers that require professional insured delivery we are proud to have teamed up with a nationwide professional delivery company that will assist with coordinating your delive...
Category

Vintage 1940s French Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Black Bombay Chest", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

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 Black Bombay Chest
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021
    A Bombay chest is a piece of wooden furniture — a chest that bulges outward in the front and on the sides and then curves in at the base. This style of chest was popularized in 17th century French design.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    The chest of drawers with a curvy frame is called a Bombay chest due to a misunderstanding about its name. Its proper name is "bombe" which is correctly pronounced similarly to the word "bomb." However, some people say "bom-BAY." This has led to confusion over how the name of the chest is actually spelled. Find a selection of bombe chests on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Bombay chests originated in France during the 18th century. Their name is actually a misspelling of the real name for the furniture, the bombe chest. Bombé is the French word for curved, and describes the wavy lines of the chests. You'll find a selection of Bombay chests on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Bombay chests are also called bombe chests and are a chest of drawers that feature a distinctive curved or bowed shape. The term bombe is French for a curved piece of furniture, meaning bomb-shaped. This shape of chest originated in the early 1700s in an attempt to soften the lines of furniture and create a more comfortable and casual look. Shop a collection of Bombay chests from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

Read More

The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home

Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.

What Exactly Is a Secretary Desk, and What Is It Used For?

The furniture equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, it's the multifunctional piece you didn't know you needed.

This Shelving System with Oxidized Brass Tubes Is Retro and Futuristic at Once

Italian studio DimoreMilano mustered great ingenuity when crafting these sculptural shelves, which are built without any screws.

28 Cheerful Home Bars, Where Everybody (Literally) Knows Your Name

Simple or sophisticated, equipped with console, cart or custom cabinetry, these stylish bar areas deserve a toast.

Ask an Interior Designer: Work-from-Home Edition

Leaping into a design project, whether it's refreshing the bedroom or redoing the whole house, can be overwhelming. Luckily, we know more than a few interior designers. You asked questions on Instagram, and now they're answering.

Collected and Eclectic, ‘Wunderkammern’ Are Back in a Big Way

Introduced nearly 500 years ago, curiosity cabinets are finding new fans among today's collectors and designers.

Meet the Incredible Woman Transforming Fallen Trees into Sleek Furniture

In the hands of New York Heartwoods cofounder Megan Offner, unwanted local trees become works of design art.

These New York Architects Love a Complicated Project

From Brooklyn townhouses to Maine campgrounds, Trattie Davies and Jonathan Toews relish a challenge, like transforming a former warehouse space into the new 1stdibs Gallery.