Commodes and Chests of Drawers
20
5,785
774
56
to
922
3,906
2,547
6,615
6,028
6,116
1,078
444
334
325
325
221
209
201
177
115
100
91
86
67
25
21
13
8
1,289
1,780
2,715
830
441
1,361
425
72
26
65
118
123
299
341
175
71
18
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
6,279
2,408
1,375
1,266
1,258
4,715
1,451
1,153
1,062
978
52
41
38
36
31
Commodes and Chests of Drawers For Sale
Color: Brown
Color: Gray
19th C. French Empire Style Ormolu Mounted Semainier Tall Chest
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
A classic French Empire style Semainier Tall Chest in mahogany and bronze ormolu with seven drawers framed with fluted columns and fine gilded escutcheon. The front face of each drawer is also surrounded by an ormolu frame. Chest shows wear from daily use. Age related cracks that have been filled.
The key shown is only for decorative purposes to open drawers...
Category
1880s French Empire Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Minimalist Nightstands Consoles Commodes 2 by Atelier Bachmann Walnut
Located in Berlin, DE
A beautiful pair of nightstands designed by Yuzo Nakamura-Bachmann, handcrafted in Germany.
These nightstands are made out of solid American Walnut and brass handles. Finished with ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary German Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
Louis XV Style Commode
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Vintage Danish Modern Teak Dresser, 1960s.
Located in Asaa, DK
Vintage Danish Modern Teak Dresser, 1960s.
Very expressive Mid-Century Modern chest of drawers with six drawers. Pulls are integrate...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Teak
19th Century Italian Bird’s-Eye Maple Chest of Drawers Commode
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning fine quality antique, circa 1860s/1870s Italian chest of drawers commode.
Hand-crafted in Italy in the third quarter of the 19th century, influenced by Napoleon III Se...
Category
Mid-19th Century Italian Napoleon III Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Carrara Marble, Brass
Danish Baroque Blue Scraped Chest of Drawers
Located in Kastrup, DK
Danish baroque period 4 drawers chest scraped, to reveal layers of its original light blue paint and wonderful patina.
Moulded edge top above a front with beautifully carved serpent...
Category
Mid-18th Century Danish Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Pine
Dressing table Teak Ølholm Møbelfabrik, 1960
Located in Lejre, DK
Dressing table veneered with teak wood, front with fold-up mirror panel, including two drawers. Manufactured at Ølholm Møbelfabrik, stamp from here. The 1960s. H. 80 W. 86 D. 46 cm
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Glass, Teak
Pair of French Louis XV Style "Semainier" Tall Lingerie Commodes Marble with Top
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A pair of French Louis XV style "Semainier" tall chest commodes with a Brêche d'Alep marble top. The slender walnut and tulipwood body, each fitted with seven drawers with gilt bronz...
Category
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Bronze
1960s Henredon Walnut Chest of Drawers: Mid-Century Modern Design with Mobility
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dive into the 1960s with our authentic Mid-Century Modern Henredon chest of drawers. Meticulously handcrafted from the finest mahogany wood, this vintage gem radiates in a striking b...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Lacquer, Plywood, Walnut
4 Scandinavian Modern Rosewood Cabinets by Rud Thygesen & Johnny Sorensen for HG
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome Mid Century Scandinavian Modern cabinets by Rud Thygesen & Johnny Sorensen for Hansen & Guldborg (a.k.a. HG,). These cabinets are comprised of rosewood with square steel tube legs, a set of 4. They also have a hanging mechanism on the back of each cabinet for hanging on a wall unit. The legs may have been added after the fact by someone or they could have been an original option. We have been unable to determine this for sure. The cabinets designer...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Metal
Vintage Pencil Reed Rattan Waterfall Highboy Dresser
Located in Harlingen, TX
A vintage 1970's Palm Beach Regency split reed rattan five drawer highboy dresser. Gabriella Crespi style waterfall design with brass drawer handles.
Di...
Category
1970s Bohemian Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
French 1870s Walnut Three-Drawer Commode with Marble Top and Butterfly Veneer
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French walnut commode from the late 19th century, with three drawers and white marble top. Created in France at the end of Emperor Napoléon III's reign, this commode features a whi...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble
Vintage Broyhill Emphasis Chests of Drawers
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of mid-century modern chest of drawers in walnut. Sculpted wood handles on each drawer. Could be used as large bedside tables.
Please confirm location NY or NJ
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
20th Century Royal Francois Link chest of drawers, oak with gilt bronze
Located in Berlin, DE
FRENCH CHEST OF DRAWERS DESIGN AFTER FRANÇOIS LINKE & LÉON MESSAGÉ
Finely chased, gilded fittings. Solid beech wood top panel mottled marble top above a pair of doors concealed by a laurel, seaweed and cane back water cascade down bowl and a dolphin amidst seaweed, applied with delicate scroll frames and stained floral lattice marquetry in the upper corners and on each lower corner with a floral ray.
This grandiose and opulent commode is Linke's second version (bis) of his famous 'Commode coquille: Coquetterie et Modestie', index number 559. The original model was linked to index number 553, 'Commode Louis XV Figaro (Scène du Barbier de Séville) , and together the two commodes formed an integral and important part of Linke's gold-medal-winning stand at the Paris Exposition of 1900, where they flanked his most monumental work, the Grande Bibliothèque. The 559 chest of drawers was delivered to Elias Meyer in London in September 1909 and after his death in 1925 it was sold on to King Fouad...
Category
20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Early Biedermeier Walnut Two Drawer Commode
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Biedermeier Walnut Chest of Drawers: Exquisite Elegance and Timeless Beauty!
Introducing our stunning Biedermeier Walnut Chest of Drawers, a true...
Category
Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut, Pine
19th Spanish Console Table with Two Carved Drawers and Original Hardware
Located in Miami, FL
This large Spanish 19th century features a beautiful one plank rectangular top over a two carved drawer featuring slightly different hardware, is adorned with geometrical motifs and ...
Category
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Iron
Mid-Century Modern Paul McCobb 3-Drawer Dresser #1508 Blonde Finish Brass Pulls
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Vintage mid-century Paul McCobb 3-drawer dresser Planner Group #1508. Beautiful dresser by Paul McCobb circa 1950s Planner Group, 3 drawer, solid maple, blonde finish, brass pulls, W...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Maple
19th Century Empire Commode
Located in Berlin, DE
Classic empire shape, flanked with a full column, each with a bronze finish.
two-door. Solid wood, circa 1900.
(O-239)
Category
19th Century German Empire Revival Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
Royal Commode/Chest of Drawers after Jean Henri Riesener
Located in Berlin, DE
20th Century Louis XVI Style Commode/Chest of Drawers after Jean Henri Riesener
Bronze, gilded or partly dark patinated. Marble plate, over three frying chunks and a large two-third...
Category
20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Vintage Italian Olive Wood Bombe Commode or Chest
Located in Rochester, NY
Vintage Italian two drawer bombe olive wood parquetry commode. Mid-20th century. Great color. Please, contact us for shipping options.
Presented by J...
Category
Mid-20th Century European Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Olive
Pretty Bombay Style Painted & Decoupaged Chest of Drawers
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Lovely refurbished vintage bombe style chest of drawers having cream crackle painted background and decoupaged floral fabric decoration in greens, ...
Category
1940s North American Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
Pair of Davis Cabinet Co. Cherry Octogonal Commodes or Side Tables
Located in Germantown, MD
Pair of Davis Cabinet Co. Cherry Octogonal Commode Side Tables Cabinets. Comes with lose shelves and rock solid.
Measures 24" in width, 234" in depth and stands 24.5" tall.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Adam Style Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Cherry
Louie XV Style French Provincial Chest
Located in Bradenton, FL
Early 19th century Louis XV chest. Serpentine front with two smaller top drawers and two larger bottom drawers, on sturdy cabriole legs. Chest has a fabulous bleached painted finish ...
Category
Early 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
Contemporary / Modern White "Lustrosa" Cabinet and Natural Wood 5-Drawer Chest
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary / Modern "Lustrosa" 5 drawer chest featuring a white finished wood cabinet containing 5 drawers with a natural walnut finish, each with two top mounted drawer pulls, res...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Metal, Brass
Set of Two Night Stands by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, Italy, 1980s
Located in Milan, IT
Set of two nightstands - chest of drawers by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti.
Extremely capable deep drawers, burnished brass details and iridesce...
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
HEKMAN Inlaid Yew Wood Entertainment Cabinet Chest
Located in Charlotte, NC
A Chippendale style entertainment cabinet chest by Hekman. Inlaid yew wood with brass hardware, ogee edge to top, ogee edge at middle to separate cabinet from chest, and bracket feet. Features upper cabinet with two fold back doors...
Category
Late 20th Century American Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
Edwardian French Commode Chest of Drawers with Marble Top
Located in Richmond, Surrey
A super quality Edwardian French Commode / Chest of Drawers with beautiful inlay of various woods throughout. A solid removable Marble top, three drawers and original french brass fi...
Category
Early 1900s French Edwardian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
Milo Baughman American Mid-Century Rosewood and Brass Commode / Chest of Drawers
Located in New York, NY
American Mid-Century 3-drawer commode / chest of drawers finished in rosewood veneer and a brass veneer band around the base. (MILO BAUGHMAN)
Minor scuffs to finish on both wood ...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass, Metal
Mid-Century Coburn Manufacturing Chippendale Maple Chest of Drawers
Located in Germantown, MD
Contemporary AE Coburn Manufacturing Chippendale Maple three drawer Chest of Drawers in good vintage condition. Measures 40" in width, 18.25" in depth and stands 30" tall.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Maple
Antique Victorian Quality French Parquetry Marble Top Commode Chest of Drawers
Located in Suffolk, GB
Antique Victorian quality French parquetry marble top commode chest of drawers having a serpentine shaped marble top with a moulded edge above 3 serpentine shaped quality kingwood an...
Category
19th Century French Victorian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Other
A Louis XV Oak Bombe Commode, 18th Century
Located in Lincoln, GB
A LOUIS XV BOMBE OAK COMMODE THIRD QUARTER 18TH CENTURY, PROVINCIAL FRANCE With two short and two long panelled drawers carved with foliage, the angles with carved cartouches, handle...
Category
18th Century Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Oak
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Teak Roll Top Desk or Dresser
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome vintage Scandinavian Modern teak roll top desk or dresser. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that this is vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear. It has some visible wear, particularly in the top, so you can see some scratches and dings. And it has a newly modified recessed black painted base as it encountered water at some point in its life and could not be refinished so we revamped it, modified, and painted the base black. There are some small rings on the desktop. Please see photos and zoom in for details. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Circa, Mid-20th Century.
Need a GORGEOUS desk but have limited space? Well, here it is…. the perfect desk! This is a very handsome smaller roll top desk...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Teak
THEODORE ALEXANDER Walnut Wine Motif Regency Occasional Chest
Located in Charlotte, NC
A Regency style occasional chest by Theodore Alexander. Walnut with a distressed finish, lighter and darker finish inlays, banded top with bullnose edge, brass ring hardware, and a b...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
1960s Scandinavian Birch Chest of Drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Scandinavian birch chest of drawers circa 1960.
Fine example of simple but elegant Swedish mid century furniture. Rectangular top with...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Birch
Georgian Chippendale Chest of Drawers
Located in London, GB
A fine quality Chippendale period chest of drawers in beautifully figured mahogany.
English, c. 1770
Why we like it
We have chosen it for its sturdy proportions, superb quality and ...
Category
Mid-18th Century English George III Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
19th Century English Chest of Drawers
Located in High Point, NC
19th century mahogany chest of drawers from England with a single board top with lovely color and graining. This is surrounded by a beveled edge. The sides are simple, and the front ...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century French Louis Philippe Commode
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th century French Louis Philippe marble top commode. Nicely patterned book matched cedar veneer over pine with black painted accents. Fi...
Category
19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble
Danish Art Deco Dresser with 3 Drawers of Pine by Danish Furniture Maker 1940s
Located in Aarhus C, DK
Danish Art Deco dresser with 3 drawers.
The frame and drawers are made of solid pine, the top and side are made of plywood.
Designed and made by a Danish furniture maker in the 1940s
The chest of drawers is really cozy with round corners and fits well with modern Scandinavian decor as well as the more international style.
It is fine and does not take up much space in a small apartment...
Category
1940s Danish Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Pine, Plywood
Vintage Louis XV/XVI Transitional Style Inlaid Commode with Brass Fittings
Located in Morristown, NJ
20th c., Louis XV/XVI transitional style inlaid commode with loose shaped rouge marble top, inlaid flower basket design to both drawer fronts on slender cabriole legs with scrolled c...
Category
1980s American Louis XV Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Brass
French Louis XVI Period Painted Oak Chest Of Drawers Commode
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning period Louis XVI (1774-1793) French commode in the original paint finish.
Hand-crafted in France in the 18th century, exceptionally executed in refined luxurious Neocl...
Category
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Carrara Marble
English 19th Century Chinoiserie Lacquered Commode with Five Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English black commode from the 19th century, with Chinoiserie low-relief décor, guilloche motifs and five drawers. Created in England during the 19th century, this lacquered commo...
Category
19th Century English Chinoiserie Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
Rare Art Deco Streamlined Moderne Dresser by Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky
Located in Lafayette, IN
Rare streamlined dresser by Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky for Red Lion Furniture. The count was famous for his wonderfully stylized Industrial designs and worked with major automakers of the day like Auburn, Cord, Packard, Tucker and the White Truck Co. This dresser features wonderful, asymmetrical streamlined lines, unique round drawer pulls, and Stunning Circassion Walnut Veneer. This dresser was originally designed by Sakhnoffsky for display in the "House of Tomorrow" during the 1939 New York World's fair!
Some more info on Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky:
Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky was born in Russia in 1901, the son of an Advisor to Tsar Nicholas II. Following the Russian revolution he escaped to the continent and began a career as an automobile designer emigrating to America in 1929. In America he designed many famous automobiles and his drawings of futuristic cars appeared in Esquire Magazine from 1934 on. In furniture he advocated streamline design as in the Bloomingdale’s Department Store furniture shown at the 1939-40 World’s Fair in New York.
Outside automobiles and furniture, de Sakhnoffsky also created designs in the areas of aircraft design (Sabca), boat design (feather-Craft), Bike design (Murray), watch design (Gruen), and radio design (Emerson). This desk represents the perfect culmination of all of these influences and is one of the best examples of his 'streamline' furniture design aesthetic. Add to all of that the 1939 World's Fair connection and you have an extremely rare collector's piece that spans an almost infinite number of genres!
Automotive designs by Sakhnoffsky:
1929 Cord l-29 Special Coupe
1934 Packard Twelve Model 1106 Sport Coupe & Runabout Speedster
1947 White Labatt Streamliner Delivery Truck
1938-41 American Austin Bantam
Commander Gatti's 1937 International Harvester...
Category
1930s American Streamlined Moderne Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
Victorian Carved Oak Sewing Chest of Drawers, Card Filing or Apothecary Cabinet
Located in Germantown, MD
Rare Antique Oak versatile use Sewing Drawers Solid Wooden 6 in Original Cabinet Case Drawer.
Great drawer storage.
Super for use as a riser for a lamp...
Category
Early 20th Century American Late Victorian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble
Claudio Salocchi chest of drawers for Sormani 1960s
Located in Nijlen, VAN
A nice italian cabinet from the 1960s. This cabinet was designed by Claudio Salocchi for Sormani
It is a nice example of elegant italian desgin but also functional. You can use it as...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
Early 19th Century flat fronted mahogany chest of drawers
Located in Martlesham, GB
Early 19th Century flat fronted mahogany chest of drawers, having a nice figured moulded edge top above a selection of two short over three long graduated oak lined drawers with the ...
Category
Early 1800s British Georgian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
Late 18th Century Painted Louis XVI Chest of Drawers
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
A classicistic Louis XVI chest of drawers from around 1800. Solid oak wood with later paint.
Half-high side-cassetted corpus with slightly overhanging fluted profiled top and flute...
Category
Late 18th Century European Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Oak, Poplar
Mid-Century French Louis XV Marble Top Walnut Inlaid Commode Chest of Drawers
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant, kidney-shaped fruitwood antique commode was crafted in France, circa 1950. The commode sits on cabriole legs ending with bronze sabot mounts over a scalloped apron decorated with a bronze mount. The bow front features two drawers decorated with parquetry motifs and dressed with the original pulls and intricate escutcheons. The cabinet is further decorated with bronze mounts at the shoulders, and both rounded sides are also embellished with inlaid marquetry decor. The surface is dressed with the original beveled "Breche d'Alep" marble top. The traditional nightstand...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Chippendale 4-Drawer Mahogany Bedside Commode Chest of Drawers
Located in Germantown, MD
A beautiful Chippendale 4-drawer mahogany bedside commode chest of drawers in great condition. Flawless drawers with dovetail construction
Measures 24" in width, 14" in dpeth and st...
Category
Late 20th Century American Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
Swiss solid wood Ticino region trunk
Located in grand Lancy, CH
Swiss chest from the Ticino region the facade is engraved with a geometric pattern
Category
Early 19th Century Swiss Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
Custom Refinished Vintage Faux Bamboo Two-Drawer Low Chest
By Thomasville
Located in Harlingen, TX
This vintage Thomasville Palm Beach Regency faux bamboo chest of drawers has been custom refinished in satin light grayish green w...
Category
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
Vintage Louis XV Style Faux Marble Distressed Painted Bombe Chest of Drawers
Located in Forney, TX
A shabby chic vintage country French Provincial Louis XV style distressed painted bombe chest of drawers commode, 20th century, having a serpentine shaped faux marble top, curvacious...
Category
20th Century Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Paint
Satinwood & Polychrome Demi-Lune Commode, late 19th Century
Located in Lincoln, GB
Y A SATINWOOD AND POLYCHROME PAINTED DEMI-LUNE COMMODEIN GEORGE III STYLE, LATE 19TH CENTURY 96cm high, 127cm wide, 51cm.
Category
19th Century Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Satinwood
English 19th Century Georgian Chest of 5 Drawers with Drop Panel Desk Top
Located in Santa Monica, CA
English 19th century Georgian chest of 5 drawers with drop panel desk top and original hardware.
Category
Late 18th Century English Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
18th Century Italian Walnut Commode Chest of Drawers
Located in San Francisco, CA
Elegant hand-carved three-drawer walnut commode with inlaid detail.
Beautiful original finish and with original hardware.
Italy, 18th century.
Please note there is a small 2 inch sq...
Category
18th Century Italian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
Mid-Century Modern Walnut Chest of Drawers
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Gorgeous Mid-Century Modern vintage chest of drawers in a stunning walnut grain. Five pull-out drawers provide ample storage and organization, whether in the home or office. Unique m...
Category
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Metal, Steel
French 19th Century Bow-Fronted Burl Walnut Chest of Drawers with a Marble Top
Located in Santa Monica, CA
French 19th century bow-fronted burl walnut chest of drawers with a marble top and original hardware. A set is the chest and the marble top.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut, Burl
Antique Painted Gustavian Grey/White Secretary with Fall-Front & Birch Interior
Located in Miami, FL
A very lovely Louis Philippe fall-front secretary in pine with a light Gustavian-grey/white painted finish, and original French-polished birch wood interior. Features a carved bonnet...
Category
Mid-19th Century German Louis Philippe Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
Louis XIV, 17th Century Kingwood Commode with Marble Top
Located in Lincoln, GB
Louis XIV, French 17th century, rare, exceptional quality kingwood commode with fine quality guilt bronze mounts and created in parquetry technique. This is a beautiful piece for eit...
Category
17th Century Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble
Antique and Vintage Chests of Drawers and Commodes for Sale on 1stDibs
Is it 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 a 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.
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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19th Century French Louis Xvi Style Commode
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Carved Serpentine Chest
Black Chest With Marble Top
Wood Gustavian Chest Of Drawers
18th Century Marquetry Commode
Century French Provincial Chest Of Drawers
Bronze Inlaid Commode
White Lacquer Commodes And Chests Of Drawers
Walnut Marquetry Chest Of Drawers
3 Drawer Vintage Chest Of Drawers
19th Century Louis Philippe Commode
18th Century Serpentine Front Chest Of Drawers
American Mahogany Chest
19th Century French Empire Commode
Wood Chest Of Drawers Lock