What is a military chest?

A military chest is a chest of drawers made of hardwood like mahogany, teak or cedar. Also called a campaign chest, the furniture usually comes apart into smaller pieces for easy carrying. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of military chests.

Military Storage Chests

Campaign Style Chest Of Drawers

Military Campaign Furniture

Officers Chest

Military Cabinet

19th Century Campaign Chest

Mahogany Campaign

Chest Of Drawers Leather Top

Antique Campaign Chests And Cabinets

1950s Czech Military Medical Storage Chest Vzor 57

$434

1950s Czech Military Medical Storage Chest Vzor 57

Located in Praha, CZ

Original military medical storage chest manufactured in Czechoslovakia during the 1950s and marked as Vzor 57.

Category

Vintage 1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Blanket Chests

Materials

Other

Military Chest

$8,643

$1,359

$2,042

$2,213

$8,950

British Military Officer's Campaign Chest or Dresser of Brass-Bound Mahogany

Located in Austin, TX

A fine and unusually diminutive British army or naval officer’s Campaign Ware chest of drawers or dresser, from the 19th century, featuring a patinated mahogany exterior with four lo...

Category

Antique 19th Century English Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Materials

Oak

Lovely Vintage Military Campaign Mahogany Chest of Drawers TV Stand Storage

Sold

Sold

H 38.25 in W 36.5 in D 18 in

Caribbean Military Campaign Chest

Located in Charleston, SC

Caribbean Spanish Cedra and mahogany five drawer military campaign chest with original recessed brasses, side handles, and ending on bun feet.

Antique Camphor Military Campaign Chest

Sold

H 40 in W 39 in D 18.5 in

Antique Camphor Military Campaign Chest

Located in Bedfordshire, GB

A Superb Quality Mid 19th Century Camphor Wood Military Campaign Chest Of Five Drawers Having Stunning Removable Secretaire Drawer With Interior Drawers, Writing Slope And Divisio...

Materials

Materials

Paper

20th Century Bleached Wood Rare Brasero Firepit Table

$2,595

H 45.6 in W 34.7 in D 34.7 in

20th Century Bleached Wood Rare Brasero Firepit Table

Located in High Point, NC

This piece carries genuine presence, its natural bleached oak, arched apron, turned legs immediately setting the tone for the piece. The piece dates to 20th Century, sourced from Fra...

Category

20th Century French French Provincial Industrial and Work Tables

Materials

Brass

STUNNING PAIR OF KENNEDY HARRODS LONDON MILITARY CAMPAiGN OPEN BOOKCASES

$8,882 / set

H 83.08 in W 39.38 in D 16.54 in

STUNNING PAIR OF KENNEDY HARRODS LONDON MILITARY CAMPAiGN OPEN BOOKCASES

By Kennedy Furniture For Harrods London

Located in Pulborough, GB

Antiques of London These stunning and substantial pair of military campaign open bookcases was made by Kennedy and originally retailed through Harrods in London, reflecting a high...

Category

20th Century British Bookcases

Materials

Hardwood

John Hutton for Donghia Black Center Table

$4,500

H 30 in Dm 42 in L 30 in

John Hutton for Donghia Black Center Table

Located in Houston, TX

John Hutton for Donghia black center table composed of wood finished in high-gloss enamel, tapered square legs, metal casters and a single drawer. Two available, sold individually.

Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Center Tables

Materials

Enamel

$6,950

H 34.65 in W 26.78 in D 31.5 in

French Art Deco Lounge Chair in Solid Oak and Neutral Corduroy Velvet Upholstery

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Lounge chair, oak, France, 1930s This impressive armchair is a powerful expression of French craftsmanship from the 1930s. Built from solid oak, it has a remarkable weight and prese...

Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Lounge Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Oak

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Military Storage Chests For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are several options of military storage chests available for sale. The range of distinct military storage chests — often made from wood, mahogany and metal — can elevate any home. Military storage chests have been made for many years, and versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century. Military storage chests are generally popular furniture pieces, but Victorian, Georgian and Mid-Century Modern styles are often sought at 1stDibs. There have been many well-made military storage chests over the years, but those made by Harrods, Kennedy Furniture For Harrods London and Bevan Funnell Ltd. are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much are Military Storage Chests?

Prices for military storage chests can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, military storage chests begin at $147 and can go as high as $16,988, while the average can fetch as much as $3,820.

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 Military Storage Chests

What is a military chest?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023
A military chest is a chest of drawers made of hardwood like mahogany, teak or cedar. Also called a campaign chest, the furniture usually comes apart into smaller pieces for easy carrying. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of military chests.

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