19th Century Pair Of Transitional Nightstands/ Side Tables, France ca. 1870
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
An amazing crafted set of late 19th century transitional mahogany pillar commodes coming to you in perfect restored condition.
Marble, Brass
French 19th Century Transitional St. 'Perruquier' Chest, Stamped Henry Pannier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very unique and high quality French 19th century Transitional st. Ormolu, Tulipwood, Charmwood, Kingwood, and Breche D'Alep marble 'Perruquier' chest, stamped Henry Pannier. This h...
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century French Marquetry Dresser Transition, Napoleon III, circa 1870
Located in Berlin, DE
French marquetry dresser Transition, Napoleon III, circa 1870 Marquetry: wood on solid oak body. Marbled and profiled marble top. Fire-gilt bronze fittings. Fine and time-typical ...
Marble
French 19th Century Transitional Style Mahogany, Marble and Ormolu Chest
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An extremely elegant and high quality French 19th century Transitional style mahogany, marble and ormolu two-drawer chest. The chest is raised by handsome cabriole legs with striking...
Ormolu
French 19th Century Transitional St. Wood, Tulipwood and Mahogany Chiffoniers
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A charming and very elegant pair of French 19th century Transitional st. exotic wood, tulipwood, and mahogany, five drawer chiffoniers. Each chiffonier is raised by cabriole legs wit...
Marble, Ormolu
A French mid 19th century Transitional st. Tulipwood, Charmwood, Ormolu and marb
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A superb and high quality French mid 19th century Transitional st. Tulipwood, Charmwood, Ormolu and marble commode.
Marble, Ormolu
French 19th Century Transitional Style Kingwood and Ormolu Six Drawer Chiffonier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant French 19th century transitional St. kingwood and ormolu six drawer Chiffonier. Raised on cabriole legs with finely pierced ormolu wrap around sabots. The arbalest-shaped ...
Ormolu
$19,955Sale Price|20% Off
French Transition-style Chest of drawers by Louis Foureau, Paris, circa 1760
Located in Münster, DE
Chest of drawers by Louis Foureau, Paris, circa 1760 This exquisite chest of drawers was crafted around 1760 by the renowned cabinetmaker Louis Foureau and exemplifies the elegant Fr...
Marble, Brass
19th Century Marquetry Chest Of Drawers, Transitional Style, France ca. 1870
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Beautifully shaped slender legs, noble brass applications and a traditional hand-polished shellac finish completes the exceptional look of this elegant shaped transitional style comm...
Brass
18th Century Transition Chest of Drawers with Marble Top, France, circa 1780
Located in Greven, DE
Small Chest of Drawers with Marble Top France Rosewood and others Transition around 1780 Dimensions: H x W x D: 77 x 78 x 43 cm Description: Dainty French chest of drawers from th...
Marble
19th Century French, Louis XV-Louis XVI Transition Kingwood Marble Top Chest
Located in New Orleans, LA
This classic French transition marble top chest with drawers features satinwood, kingwood, is inlaid with burl walnut, and sports detailed marquetry alongside bronze mounts and a mar...
Marble, Bronze
$6,600Sale Price|32% Off
18th Century French Walnut Commode with Marble Top Stamped "N. Petit"
By Nicolas Petit
Located in Pembroke, MA
French 18th century transitional style walnut commode with a thick Gris St.
Marble, Bronze
Louis XV Transitional Style Weekly Planner Marquetry Chest of Drawers
Located in NAVILLY, FR
Louis XV style marquetry chest of drawers - Transition period, mounted on oak. Breccia marble top. Additional information: Period: 20th century Style: Louis XV - Transition Condi...
Marble
19th Century Transitional Marquetry Chest Of Drawers, Mahogany, FR circa 1870
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
An absolutely masterpiece of a transitional commode, perfectly restored, impressing with its outstanding looking marquetry works.
Marble, Brass
Antique Continental Transition Style Parquetry and Marble Chest of Drawers
Located in London, GB
An exquisite French antique chest showcasing a breakfront design, featuring its original Marquina Marble top elegantly positioned above three drawers. The superb craftsmanship of the...
Marble, Metal
19th Century Beautiful High Chest of Drawers / Chiffoniere, Louis XVI/Transition
Located in Berlin, DE
19th Century beautiful high chest of drawers / Chiffoniere in Louis XVI / transition. Solid oak body with extremely elaborate marquetry veneer work on three sides. The chest of dr...
Marble, Bronze
Louis XVI Transition Style Cabinet or Nightstand with Marble Top, Table De Salon
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Louis XVI style transition cabinet or nightstand with marble top, bronze gallery. Table de salon, it is a marvellous accent for the living room or as a side table drawn up to the di...
Carrara Marble, Bronze
Rare Transition Style Commode (Louis XV - Louis XVI), Brecciated Marble Top, 79
Located in CHAMBLY, FR
A Sophisticated Transition Period Commode (Louis XV - Louis XVI) This exquisite petite commode is the perfect statement piece for a refined interior requiring furniture with charact...
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Tulipwood and Kingwood Marble Topped Comm
Located in Benington, Herts
An outstanding gilt bronze-mounted tulipwood, kingwood and sycamore parquetry breakfronted breche violet marble topped commode, in French Transitional style dating to the late 19th-e...
Marble
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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