American Chippendale Oxbow Slant Front Desk, 1780
Located in Kenilworth, IL
American Chippendale slant front desk on four graduated drawers, resting on ogee bracket feet. The
Brass
Unavailable
H 34.5 in W 34.25 in D 20.5 in
Small Chippendale Mahogany Oxbow Chest of Drawers Claw and Ball Feet, circa 1770
Located in Providence, RI
This chest is compact, 34 inches wide with a close conforming top and is elevated by four claw and
Mahogany
Sold
H 36.13 in W 41.75 in D 23 in
American Chippendale Oxbow Antique Chest of Drawers, Connecticut c. 1780
Located in Shippensburg, PA
[three oxbow chests discussed, two with flanking quarter columns and identical feet] American Antiques
Mahogany
American Chippendale Oxbow Serpentine Chest of Drawers, Massachusetts
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A rather striking chest of drawers, the oxbow is a particularly difficult form to master and added
Brass
19th Century New England Chippendale Cherry Oxbow Chest of Drawers
Located in Woodbury, CT
Fine oxbow front Chippendale graduated four drawer chest with figured cherry ends and figured
Cherry
Sold
H 32 in W 39.75 in D 20.5 in
American Federal Chippendale Cherry Chest of Drawers Reverse Serpentine Form
Located in Wells, ME
American Federal period reverse serpentine (oxbow) Chippendale solid cherry chest of four graduated
Cherry
George III Bureau Desk or Secretary Chest from the 18th Century
Located in Austin, TX
A fine George III slant top desk or bureau secretary chest of elm, oak and padouk woods, c.1780 - an inlaid slant front drops to reveal a series of small drawers and document compart...
Metal, Brass
19th Century mahogany inlaid sideboard
Located in Martlesham, GB
A superb quality early 19th Century mahogany inlaid bowfront sideboard, having a lovely figured top above a central drawer flanked either side with a single deep drawer to the right ...
Mahogany
Antique English Fall Front Secretary Desk in Oak
Located in Meer, VAN
Antique Fall Front Secretary Desk in solid oak, England, late 18th to early 19th Century. This is a wonderful English antique fall front secretary desk in solid oak with brass fitti...
Brass
Georgian Walnut Bench
Located in Westwood, NJ
Georgian walnut two seater salon style settee with caned back and neutrally upholstered drop-in cushion, sweeping back rail and arms and with simple block feet. Dimensions: 51.5" ...
Wood
Antique Sterling Silver Canteen of Cutlery for Twelve Persons
By Viners 1
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A magnificent, fine and impressive, comprehensive antique George V English sterling silver Sandringham pattern flatware service for twelve persons - boxed; an addition to our canteen...
Silver, Sterling Silver
Circa 1750 Early George III Period Slant Front Bureau Desk
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Circa 1750 early George III period slant front bureau desk. Wood referred to at the time as "Red Walnut", with oak drawer liners. Original, fine cut-work bat-wing brass hardware. Ori...
Wood, Oak
American cherry Chippendale tilt top tea table, 1775-1800
Located in Kenilworth, IL
American Chippendale tilt top tea table with a two board cherry wood top. The top rests on a baluster turned pedestal which is supported by arched tripod legs on pad feet. American...
Cherry
$14,400Sale Price|20% Off
H 38 in W 43 in D 21.5 in
American Neoclassic Bird's Eye Maple Four Drawer Chest, 1820
Located in Kenilworth, IL
American Neoclassic four drawer chest in the French Restoration taste. The case employs both solid and veneered bird’s-eye maple in choice selection of overall pattern. The top is ma...
Birdseye Maple, Cherry, Poplar, Pine
$12,538
H 40.36 in W 38.19 in D 21.26 in
Antique Gentleman's Bureau, English, Walnut, Writing Desk, Secretaire, Georgian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique gentleman's bureau. A fine English, walnut writing desk or secretaire, dating to the Georgian period, circa 1760. Wonderful Georgian example, with a delightful v...
Walnut
$3,650
H 82 in W 40.5 in D 21.75 in
Kittinger Williamsburg Adaptation Mahogany Two Piece Secretary Desk / Bookcase
By Kittinger Furniture Company
Located in Milford, NH
A fine example of a two piece mahogany blind door secretary desk / bookcase in the Chippendale style by Kittinger from their Williamsburg Adaptation collection, its upper case with a...
Brass
Georgian Mahogany Slant Front Bureau / Desk
Located in Woodbury, CT
George III figured mahogany slant front bureau/desk. Fall has moulded edge and mahogany crossbanding above four graduated drawers with original locks and brass. Interior features pro...
Leather, Mahogany
George III Mahogany Slant Lid Desk
Located in Essex, MA
From the estate of Bartlett Burnap in Palm Beach. A fine example with the finest quality mahogany. With a slant lid fold down writing surface exposing an interior with central mirror...
Brass
$2,360Sale Price|20% Off
H 43 in W 44.5 in D 24 in
Chippendale Style Mahogany Serpentine Drop-Front Desk by Century, 20th C
By Century Furniture
Located in Big Flats, NY
A Chippendale style secretary by Century offers mahogany construction with drop-front desk over serpentine case having four graduated long drawers and raised on claw and ball feet, c...
Brass
$39,186
H 34.06 in W 76.58 in D 41.34 in
Fine Victorian Howard & Son's Claw & Ball Feet Brown Leather Chesterfield Sofa
By Howard and Sons, Howard & Sons Ltd, Howard Chairs Ltd.
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this very fine, fully restored Howard & Son’s Berners Street London, large Baring sofa upholstered with new Fully Aniline cattle hide leather with ...
Leather
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.