French Empire Mahogany Commode with Bluestone Top and Gilt Bronze Hardware

Topped by a one-inch thick marble top, this commode has a beautiful mahogany veneer with flame graining and foliate and floral gilt bronze hardware. Hand-carved in France, circa 1820, the stunning chest of drawers is from the Restauration period, which is the transitional era of French history following the first defeat of Napoleon. The gray marble top with white and black veining has a subtle embellishment often seen during the Restauration: rounded front corners. Directly underneath is a drawer with flared tulip molding (molding of Restauration furniture is almost always thin and delicate), with an elaborate rinceaux mount, adorned with a shell, palmettes, and a supple floral swag drop handle. The drawer is segmented into four compartments, allowing the storage of smaller items. Three tiers of taller drawers form the main body, each embellished with a volute leaf keyplate flanked by a pair of swag drop pulls. The apron is also adorned with a lovely bronze mount of a foliate margent with a center rosette that spans between a pair of half-bun feet in the front (the two back feet are blocked). A beautiful example of Restauration period furniture...

The straight grain and rich color of the cherry tree made it a desirable wood for constructing luxury furniture during the 18th century. One beautiful example is our period Louis XIV commode, which was hand-carved in France in the early 1700’s. Augmenting the lovely reddish-brown color of the commode is an arbalete top that slightly hangs over the three stacked drawers below. Each drawer has three bronze foliate fittings set inside geometric panels with recessed molding (two pierced foliate swag pulls flanking a small keyplate surrounded by a parted leaf). There is a unique, shallow pullout drawer with two concentric circle pulls built into the molded frieze. This drawer was most likely used to store jewelry and other small valuables. Canted corners can be seen along the front of the shaped top, with elongated asymmetrical panels beneath that flank the tiers of drawers...

A grand yet grounded piece, this antique Empire commode dates back to the early 19th century. Crafted in rich walnut with glowing depth, the piece reflects the stylistic ideals of th...

A fabulous French mahogany commode from 19th century France, circa 1840’s. The stunning gray and white marble top with rounded front corners is in good antique condition with few signs of wear. The apron houses a hidden drawer, free of hardware. Making up the body of the piece, three larger drawers have more recently been fixed with a pair of laurel wreath cast...