Federal Birdseye Maple Bow Front Chest Of Drawers
Located in Essex, MA
With a bow front with inlaid decoration over four conforming drawers and ending on bracket feet. Original brass handles. Possibly made in New Hampshire.
Birdseye Maple, Maple
Antique Federal Style Bow Front Figured Mahogany Chest
Located in Bridgeport, CT
The fine chest with four graduated drawers each with fine string inlay and with a pair of brass oval bales decorated with a classical columned rotunda and brass key holes. All drawer...
Brass
Federal Style Banded Mahogany Bow-Front Chest of Drawers
Located in Germantown, MD
A Federal Style Bowfront Federal Style Banded Mahogany Bow-Front Chest of Drawers.
Mahogany
American Federal Feathered Birch and Mahogany Bow Front Chest of Drawers
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
American Federal mahogany and feathered birch bow front chest of drawers, circa 1800.
Brass
BAKER Bow Front Banded Top & 4 Drawers Pull Out Desk Bachelor Chest Dresser MINT
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Rockaway, NJ
BAKER Bow Front Banded Top & 4 Drawers Pull Out Desk Bachelor Chest Dresser MINT!
Brass
Federal Mahogany Bow Front Chest of Drawers
Located in Santa Rosa, CA
Great bow front chest of drawers with nice clean lines. This pc. has 4 nice sized drawer with great antique hardware.
Mahogany
Unavailable
H 40.5 in W 41.25 in D 23.5 in
Early 19th Century Hepplewhite Federal Bow Front Four-Drawer Chest, circa 1790
Located in Alexandria, VA
Probably New York. This mahogany chest has maple inlay in a band around the top and another at the top of the skirt very understated. Ash and poplar secondary woods. Very old brass p...
Mahogany
18th Century Federal Bow Front Chest with Flame Birch Veneers
Located in Milford, NH
An exceptional late 18th century Federal mahogany bow front chest with wonderful oval and rectangular flame birch veneers, along with lovely satinwood checkered and line inlay, perio...
Sold
H 37.25 in W 41 in D 21.25 in
Fine American Federal Baltimore Bow-front Chest of Drawers, c. 1800
Located in Charlottesville, VA
A Baltimore, Maryland Federal Inlaid Bowfront Chest of Drawers, c. 1800.The bowed rectangular top above a case fitted with four string inlaid drawers above an apron having a fan form...
Mahogany
Federal Sheraton Bow Front Chest with Bird's-Eye Maple Drawer Fronts
Located in Milford, NH
A splendid Federal Sheraton mahogany bow front chest with shaped backsplash with brass bulls eyes, a shaped top with turret corners over a conforming case with four graduated drawers...
Birdseye Maple, Mahogany
Federal Sheraton Bow Front Four-Drawer Chest, Portsmouth NH
Located in Milford, NH
An exceptional Federal period Sheraton mahogany four-drawer chest, probably Portsmouth NH, with shaped top, turret corners over reeded pilasters, drawer fronts with bookmatched flame...
Birch, Mahogany
Sold
H 34.13 in W 34 in D 18 in
Baker Furniture Style Federal Mahogany Bow Front Commode or Chest of Drawers
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Federal or Georgian style bow front four-drawer dresser or chest of drawers In the manner of Baker Furniture USA, Circa 1980s Carved mahogany, with original brass hardw...
Brass
Sold
H 39.5 in W 42 in D 21.25 in
Southern Federal Walnut and Mahogany Bow Front Chest of Drawers C. 1830
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Southern Federal Sheraton bowfront chest, walnut with flame mahogany raised edge drawers.
Brass
Sold
H 43.5 in W 41 in D 18 in
Federal Early 19th Century Sheraton Bow Front Cookie Corner Chest of Drawers
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Exceptional early 19th century Sheraton bow front chest of drawers. The case is constructed of lovely flame mahogany. There are four drawers all fitted with the stunningly detailed o...
Brass
Sold
H 38 in W 41 in D 22 in
Portsmouth, NH Federal Style Bow Front Chest, Marlboro Manor for H. Sacks & Sons
By H Sacks & Sons
Located in Milford, NH
A beautiful Portsmouth Federal style mahogany four drawer chest with finely grained top with checkered inlay surmounting a case with contrasting veneer drawer front panels on the coc...
Mahogany
Traditional Mahogany Bow Front Chest of Drawers
By Robert W. Irwin Co.
Located in West Hartford, CT
Classic high quality mahogany chest of drawers with curved front and three spacious dovetailed drawers with original brass plates. Well crafted, Made in the USA.
Brass
Sold
H 54.5 in W 39 in D 22 in
Inlaid Mahogany Bow Front Tall Chest of Drawers with Oval Brass Shell Pulls
Located in Milford, NH
A beautiful one-piece Federal style mahogany bow front tall chest of drawers in a two over six configuration, conforming top, crotched veneer drawer fronts with cockbeading and inlai...
Brass
American Federal North Shores Bow Front Chest, circa 1800-1810
Located in Bridgeport, CT
American Federal North Shores bow front chest, circa 1800-1810, well figured mahogany with checked inlays along the top and lower frame edges, four graduated banded drawers with bone...
Mahogany
Baker Historic Charleston Mahogany Chest of Drawers.
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
American Federal style bow front mahogany chest of drawers with brass hardware, early 21st century.
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Federal Bow Front Chest
Located in Peabody, MA
A fine and generously proportioned antique Federal bow front chest of flame mahogany with string banding and French feet, ca. 1790.
Mahogany
Sold
H 38 in W 42 in D 24 in
1810 American Federal Bow Front Chest Sink with Waterworks Nickel Fittings
Located in Stamford, CT
Custom sink cabinet made from antique Federal 1810 Boston American bow front chest, purchased at Wayne Pratt in Nantucket, MA.
Brass, Nickel
Antique Federal Era Bow Front Chest of Drawers, Circa 1820
Located in Peabody, MA
Federal Period bow front chest of drawers in mahogany, ca. 1820.
Brass
18th Century American Federal Mahogany Bow Front Chest, circa 1780
Located in San Francisco, CA
About An antique bow front chest with original brass pulls and key holes. (No keys available.) The chest features French bracket feet and dovetails joints on all the drawers. Cre...
Mahogany, Poplar, Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Federal Bow Front Six Drawer Tall Chest
Located in Peabody, MA
Antique Federal six drawer tall chest from Philadelphia, ca. 1820, with a gently bowed front.
Brass
Sold
H 39 in W 42.25 in D 24.75 in
19th Century Federal American Two Over Three Bow Front Chest In Mahogany
Located in Milford, NH
A fine example of a Federal American bow front chest in mahogany with conforming molded edge top, surmounting a case two over three drawer configuration, each with dovetailed constru...
Brass
Sold
H 36 in W 38.5 in D 24 in
American Federal Mahogany Bow Front Chest of Drawers, 19th Century, circa 1820
Located in San Francisco, CA
Federal period Mid-Atlantic American bow front mahogany chest of drawers with some very unusual details.
Brass
Sold
H 35.25 in W 39.38 in D 21.38 in
Federal Period Cherry Four Drawer Swell or Bow Front Chest with Signed Brasses
Located in Milford, NH
A fine Federal Period cherry four drawer bow front chest, New England circa 1800, the top with banded edges over a conforming case with four string-inlaid, cockbeaded, graduated dra...
Sold
H 31 in W 34 in D 18 in
Federal Style Banded Mahogany Bow Front Bachelor Chest by Council Craftsman
Located in Big Flats, NY
A vintage federal style bachelor's chest offers mahogany construction with cross-banded op surmounting bow front case having four graduated drawers, stainwood banded and brass pulls ...
Brass
Pair of Mahogany Bow Front Bachelors Chests By Baker Furniture
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Toledo, OH
Pair of bow front chests by Baker Furniture. Banded inlaid drawer fronts with brass hardware and dove tale joinery. Original finish.
Mahogany
Sold
H 32 in W 34 in D 18 in
Mahogany Bow Front 4 Drawers Pull Out Tray Brass Hardware Bachelor Chest Dresser
By Kittinger Furniture Company, Baker Furniture Company
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mahogany exceptional bow front 4 drawers pull out tray brass hardware bachelor chest dresser.
Brass
Sold
H 30.88 in W 24.88 in D 16.5 in
Thomasville Georgian Mahogany Four-Drawer Bow Front Bedside Chests, Pair
By Thomasville
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful pair of Georgian or Federal style four-drawer bow front bachelor chests or nightstands By Thomasville USA, Circa 1980s Carved mahogany, with original brass hardware.
Brass
Federal Bow-Front Chest of Drawers
Located in Sheffield, MA
Federal bow-front chest of drawers, constructed of cherry and tiger maple, with strong tiger striping.
Sold
H 36.5 in W 42 in D 22 in
American Federal Bow Front Chest, Mahogany and Cherry, Exceptional Color
Located in Athens, GA
American federal bow front chest, circa 1820, cherry and mahogany, excellent light color, beautiful skirt and tall feet, drawers work well, period brass ovals, beautiful finish, nice...
Cherry
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.