How do I identify an antique chest of drawers?

To identify an antique chest of drawers, look inside and beneath drawers and on the back and bottom for any type of maker's marking. Researching these marks using trusted online resources may allow you to determine who produced your chest and roughly date your piece. If your chest is at least 100 years old, it is an antique. Should you be unable to locate the maker's marks, look at the hardware. Rose head nails, one-piece cast brass pommels on the drawer handles and circular rather than hexagonal bolts may all indicate that a piece is an antique. Keep in mind that hardware may have been replaced at some point and that there are many reproductions of antique furnishings. As a result, you may wish to have a certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer complete the identification process if you're unable to identify your chest via the maker's markings. Find a range of antique chests of drawers on 1stDibs.

Antique Cedar Chest Of Drawers

Lacquer Chest Japan

Small Japanese Chest Of Drawers

Japanese 19th Century Tansu Chest

English Diminutive Red Cedar Chest of Drawers, Circa 1700

$12,500

H 35.75 in W 32 in D 21.5 in

English Diminutive Red Cedar Chest of Drawers, Circa 1700

Located in Charleston, SC

Englishred cedar and cherry top four drawer chest with geometrical motif, original drop pull brass hardware terminating on block feet. Oak and Spanish cedar secondary woods. Signed...

Materials

Materials

Iron

1930’s Cotswold Walnut Chest Drawers Designed By WH Russell For Gordon Russell

Sold

Sold

H 36.03 in W 34.85 in D 16.54 in

Japanese Antique Drawer 1860s-1900s / Sideboard Tansu Wabi Sabi

Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba

Very old drawer storage made in Japan. The furniture is from the Meiji period (1860s-1900s). Material is cedar. The handles are made of iron. The design is simple and lean. It is th...

Category

Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Cedar Chest Of Drawers

Materials

Cedar

People Also Browsed

$16,763 / item

$5,400

H 32.5 in W 39.25 in D 19.75 in

19th century English faux bamboo marble top bedside chest

Located in Richmond, VA

Great little 19th century English faux bamboo chest with original white marble top. Two drawers over two on turned feet.

Category

19th Century English Antique Cedar Chest Of Drawers

Materials

Marble

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Antique Cedar Chest Of Drawers For Sale on 1stDibs

Find a variety of antique cedar chest of drawers available on 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, cedar and hardwood, all antique cedar chest of drawers available were constructed with great care. Antique cedar chest of drawers have been produced for many years, with earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. There are many kinds of antique cedar chest of drawers to choose from, but at 1stDibs, Georgian and Victorian antique cedar chest of drawers are of considerable interest. Fritz Manufacturing Co produced beautiful antique cedar chest of drawers that are worth considering.

How Much are Antique Cedar Chest Of Drawers?

The average selling price for at 1stDibs is $2,580, while they’re typically $350 on the low end and $39,000 highest priced.

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.

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