Commodes and Chests of Drawers
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Commodes and Chests of Drawers For Sale
Large English Victorian Mahogany Chest of Drawers
Located in Southampton, NY
Large English Victorian Mahogany Chest of Drawers
Early Victorian mahogany chest. The rectangular well-figured top having a moulded edge, above two short and three long drawers. All ...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
A Fine Pair French 19th-20th Century Louis XV Style Marquetry & Ormolu Commodes
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine matched pair of French 19th-20th century Louis XV style gilt bronze-mounted (Ormolu) tulipwood, kingwood and satinwood floral marquetry Bombé his and her's commodes with marbl...
Category
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Late 19th Century English Teak Campaign Chest with Brass Mounts & 5 Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
Late 19th Century English Teak Campaign Chest with Brass Mounts & 5 Drawers
Category
19th Century English Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Teak
Hand-Carved Oak Chest of Drawers, France, 18th Century
Located in Antwerp, BE
Beautiful oak chest of drawers, a wonderful testament to craftsmanship and timeless elegance. At first glance, the dresser enchants with its intricate details. The three drawers are ...
Category
18th Century French Rustic Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Oak
Pair of Black Lacquered Two-Drawer End Tables or Nightstands Asian Inspired
Located in Winnetka, IL
This is a pair of black lacquered wood end tables or nightstands
Have two drawers in each table and are well constructed
They have an Asian inspired look.
Category
1880s Chinese Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
French Canadian Scrubbed Pine Commode, Circa 1800
Located in Doylestown, PA
A rare early 19th century French Canadian 3-drawer commode in scrubbed and bleached pine with iron handles and heart-shaped key escutcheons.
Category
Early 19th Century Canadian French Provincial Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Pine
$3,200 Sale Price
24% Off
Usm Haller Storage C1A18 Storage System
Located in New York, NY
Offered by M2L.
With one drop down door and one drawer. Designed by Swiss architect Fritz Haller and Paul Schaerer in 1963. Made from powdercoated steel and chrome-plated steel t...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Chrome, Steel
19th Century Catalan Spanish Carved Walnut Console Sofa Table, Four Drawers
Located in Miami, FL
19th century Spanish antique walnut console sofa table with the four drawers and original iron hardware.
You can use like a commode or c...
Category
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Revival Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Iron
$3,980 Sale Price
20% Off
Art Deco Figured Walnut Chest of Five Drawers, English, C1930's
Located in Devon, England
For your consideration is this very stylish and beautifully figured Walnut original Art Deco chest of drawers which dates to the 1930's. Five generously sized drawers which are venee...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Chrome
2 Maitland Smith Neoclassical Demilune Chiffonier Cabinet Commode Console Tables
Located in Dayton, OH
Pair of two Maitland Smith Poise Chiffonier sideboard cabinets, console tables or commodes featuring demilune / half round form with upper drawer, lower cabinet and textured hand pai...
Category
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Hardwood
$4,680 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Danish Modern, Chest of Drawers in Mahogany, Frits Henningsen, 1940s
Located in Odense, DK
A timeless Danish Modern chest of drawers crafted in rich mahogany, featuring clean lines and elegant proportions. Designed in the 1940s and attributed to renowned cabinetmaker Frits...
Category
Early 20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
English 19th Century Faux Bamboo Chest of Drawers
Located in Haywards Heath, GB
Original painted English 19th Century faux bamboo chest of drawers on bracket feet.
Drawers run with ease and in good original conditio...
Category
19th Century English Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Faux Bamboo
Børge Mogensen Set of "China" No. 232 Cabinets Oak & Brass, Denmark, 1960s
Located in Odense, DK
Set of original model 232 'China' cabinets all in oak with maple interior. Beautiful keys and handles in brass. Designed by Børge Mogensen in 1960 and produced by cabinetmaker C.M. M...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
18th Century Louis XVI Commode Signed T.C.
Located in Nashville, TN
A very fine Period French Louis XVI Commode signed T.C.
Oak and Walnut construction in the case and drawers. There are three upper drawers over two lower drawers. Heavy use of flowi...
Category
1770s French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Bronze
$12,400 Sale Price
76% Off
19th Century Bleached Walnut Burl French Louis Philippe Chest Of Drawers
Located in Viterbo, VT
Louis Philippe chest of drawers hand-made in Southern France in the early 1800s using fruitwood and decorated with walnut burl veneer. The chest of drawers follows the typical Louis ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
Chic Louis XVI Style Neoclassical Commode by Maison Jansen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Chic Louis XVI style neoclassical commode by Maison Jansen. Elegant and simple.
The last picture gives an example of how this commode could look in situ.
Category
1940s French Louis XVI Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Carrara Marble, Bronze
Japanese Antique Tansu / Drawer Cabinet / 1868-1912s / Wabi-Sabi Mingei
Located in Iwate-gun Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate Prefecture
This is an old Japanese drawer.
It has been used in stores since the Edo period in the Tohoku region, and it is estimated that it was made around the Meiji period.
The material is ...
Category
Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Iron
White Furniture Federal Mahogany Serpentine Chest of Drawers, Circa 1940s
Located in Germantown, MD
A White Furniture Federal Mahogany Serpentine Chest of Drawers, Circa 1940s
Measures 42" in width, 21" in depth and 37.5" in height.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
English 19th Century Painted Pine Chest with Flowers
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Beautifully painted floral details create an enchanting finish for this 19th century English pine chest of drawers. Darling sweet peas and lilies grace all sides of this wonderful pa...
Category
19th Century English Other Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Pine, Paint
Pair of Original 1960s Italian Nightstands with Salmon-Colored Glass Top Walnut
Located in Buggiano, IT
Pair of original 1960s Italian nightstands with salmon-colored glass top.
Walnut wood.
One is Right and one is left.
They will be delivered ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Glass, Walnut
$448 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Ello Gunmetal Stainless & Smoked Mirror Tall Boy Dresser
Located in Hanover, MA
1970 designed "Moods" tall boy wardrobe designed by O. B. Solie for Ello Furniture Mfg. Co. clad in gunmetal tinted brushed stainless steel and smoked mirror.
Post Moden space age v...
Category
1970s American Space Age Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Stainless Steel
Meiji Two-Part Japanese Tansu in Cypress & Kiriwood from the Yamagata Prefecture
Located in Milford, NH
A fine two part Japanese tansu chest in cypress and kiriwood, the upper part with oxblood stained top, two fitted large drawers, and a single fitted small drawer, over a single fitte...
Category
Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Metal, Iron
Mid Century Low Nine Drawer in Walnut by Stanley #1
Located in Berkeley, CA
Origin: USA
Designer: Unknown
Manufacturer: Stanley Furniture
Era: 1960s
Materials: Walnut, Laminate (Top)
Measurements: 62" wide x 18" deep x 30" tall
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Laminate, Walnut
Spanish Baroque Bargueno Style Gilt Cabinet Chest on Stand
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Rustic large Spanish baroque bargueno style cabinet or chest on stand crafted from thick pine. The beautiful case has exposed dove tail joinery and features 6 large storage drawers and is centered by an arched storage door with an ornate carved surround and an old master style religious painting on the door of Christ. The drawers have decorative cartouche designs on the front with an iron pull in the center and finished in gilt. The cantilever style stand has two square leg supports decorated with acanthus vines and gilt finishes flanking four turned supports attached to stretchers. Decorated in the style of a Bargueno or Vargueno desk...
Category
19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Iron
$3,840 Sale Price
20% Off
Brass Clad Chest in the manner of Sarreid, LTD, 1980s
By Sarreid Ltd.
Located in Hamburg, PA
A handsome Brass Clad Asian style chest of drawers in the manner of Sarreid, LTD. This distinctive brass chest would add a touch of glamou...
Category
1980s Chinese Export Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
"Il Pezzo 2 Nightstand" night table - solid walnut - Carrara marble - brass
Located in Firenze, IT
Classic, flowing and gentle contours, Il Pezzo 2 gives its own reading of time, old pieces inspiring familiar and comforting sensations.
Crafted entirely from solid American walnut, ...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Carrara Marble, Gold, Brass
19th Century Black Swedish Chest of Drawers
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Early 19th Century Swedish pine chest of drawers with remains of old black paint.
Original brass handles and escutcheons with one key. A simple and nicely proportioned chest for a be...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Country Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
French Workshop Drawers, Circa 1930s
Located in Gloucester, GB
French workshop drawers, Circa 1930s
- Solid oak drawer fronts
- Solid pine sides and frame
- Original steel cup handles
- 24 large drawers
- Drawers have their original metal...
Category
1930s French Industrial Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Oak
Pair of Paul Frankl Four-Drawer Chests for Brown Saltman
By Paul Frankl
Located in Hanover, MA
***FINAL SALE***
Pair of 1950s four-drawer chests with distinctive polished brass "X" drawer pulls.
Produced by Brown Saltman.
Handsome storage or bedside nightstands.
If preferred...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
$1,250 Sale Price / set
55% Off
Antique French Louis XV Style Marble Top Satinwood Demilune Commode Dresser
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Louis XV Style Marble Top Satinwood Demilune Commode Dresser. Item features a pink marble top, satinwood inlay, demilune shape, fancy brass hardware, 3 dovetailed draw...
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble
Antique Georgian Mahogany Chest On Chest
Located in King's Lynn, GB
Here we have an Antique Georgian, George III (1760-1820), Mahogany Chest On Chest with 6 large drawers and 2 smaller drawers to the top. The top features a moulded dentil cornice, ea...
Category
18th Century British George III Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
Slender Elegant Maitland-Smith Tooled Leather Wrapped Wellington Chest
Located in Kastrup, DK
Maitland-Smith Wellington Chest with 7 Drawers.
Crafted from wood with a bamboo-shaped frame, decorated to resemble tortoiseshell.
The front features 7 drawers with beveled glass f...
Category
Late 20th Century English Other Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
George III English Chest on Chest
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
George III period chest on chest, English, Circa 1765. A strikingly handsome piece - the upper case displays a flat, blind fretted quarter column in the Gothic taste of Chippendale. ...
Category
Mid-18th Century English George III Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
1750 Venezia Italy Blue and Green Lacquered Wooden Engraved Commode with Flowers
Located in Brescia, IT
There are a few pieces that can be called rare and extraordinary and this piece it can be. This is one-of-a-kind and unobtainable commode coming out from an Italian gentleman privat...
Category
Mid-18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
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
Pair of Italian 18th Century Walnut Four-Drawer Commodes with Bookmatched Veneer
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of Italian 18th century walnut commodes with bookmatched veneer, four drawers and petite carved feet. Immerse yourself in the historical grandeur of this pair of Italian 18th-...
Category
18th Century Italian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
Vintage Oak Chest Of Drawers From France, Circa 1960
Located in Nashville, TN
Vintage Oak Chest Of Drawers From France, Circa 1960. Solid oak construction with very light wear and use.
Category
1960s European Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Oak
Swedish Gustavian White Grey Painted Chest of Drawers Commode C.1870
Located in Lewes, England
Circa 1860/1870 antique Swedish Gustavian White Grey painted plain front chest of drawers commode in gustavian style with classic Gustavian detail on the drawer fronts and leading e...
Category
Mid-18th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Pine
$3,855 Sale Price
43% Off
Huge Gilded Ebonized Period French Louis XV Marble Top Butlers Desk Commode
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
For customers that require professional insured delivery we are proud to have teamed up with a nationwide professional delivery company that will assist with coordinating your delivery needs! They offer a reasonable flat-rate fee for delivery and set up to the ground floor of your home. They deliver to the vast majority of the lower 48 states. They offer a flat rate for most of our items with exclusions for the largest or most complex items such as breakfronts or crystal chandeliers or other items of greater complexity. For those items please ask for a shipping quote prior to purchase as these rates are different from our stated pricing. For those items please ask for a shipping quote prior to purchase. Most deliveries to the East Coast will be 295.00, to the mid-west and Southern mid-west 395.00. To the areas west of Kansas 495.00 and the farthest points to the West coast will be 595.00. Again, some areas we can't cover, however we can deliver to most of the lower 48 states so please inquire to be sure! Delivery times range from as fast as 1-4 weeks for the east coast to 5-9 weeks to the farthest areas of the west coast, sometimes longer and sometimes even shorter. If it is a time sensitive purchase, we may be able to accommodate you for a higher price. It is our goal to please each and every one of our customers with the highest standard of service possible. You must realize and accept that we are shipping antique, vintage and quality used furnishings to your home. We cannot control traffic, weather, and acts of God. There will be times when additional patience will be necessary.
Please see video below.
This is a very rare, monumental butlers desk or large scale commode in solid oak with incredible hand polished and hand-hewn quarried marble. The piece has been painstakingly gilded and ebonized in a French-polished shellac finish and has a red interior. The piece features two side doors which at one time had adjustable shelves. Take a look at the incredible chunky antique locks...
Category
1770s French Louis XV Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Oak
$7,960 Sale Price
20% Off
Scandinavian Mid Century Teak Three Drawer Chest of Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
Three drawer teak chest on round black tapered legs with original brass hardware.
A great piece to store your bedding or clothes. A handsome piece of furniture in any room.
Category
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Teak
$1,100 Sale Price
26% Off
Aldo Tura Large Chest Of Drawers Credenza Brown Parchment Italy, 1970
By Aldo Tura
Located in Vienna, AT
Great chest of drawers in brown parchment designed and manufactured by Aldo Tura, Italy, 1970 - Dimensions are 51.2" x 35.43" x 18.9"
Rare large credenza in brillant condition with ...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Parchment Paper
Pair of Chelsea Textiles Gustavian Chest of Drawers Nightstands
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Hand painted, in a wonderful Scandinavian neutral creamy gray color, Gustavian style chest of drawers or nightstand. This piece has been constructed from solid wood with a hand-appli...
Category
Early 2000s European Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
Vintage Commode with Hand Painted Scenes and Foliate Festooning
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Renaissance style hand painted two-drawer chest with a faux marble top, hand-carved in Italy for Niermann Weeks. Its rectangular molded top sits above a conforming case, fitted with ...
Category
1990s Italian Renaissance Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
Early 18th Century Geometric Chest of Drawers
Located in High Point, NC
Early 18th century oak geometric chest of drawers from England. The top has a molded and beveled edge, and follows down to simple sides and four drawers in the front of the case. The...
Category
Early 18th Century English Georgian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
Mid 20th century Swedish pine chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Mid 20th century Swedish pine chest of drawers circa 1960.
Unusual mid century chest of drawers that embraces the pine grain and colour rather than try and hide it. This model woul...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Teak, Pine
Selig Furniture Scandinavian Teak Chest of Drawers
By Selig
Located in Pasadena, TX
A Mid-Century Modern chest of drawers featuring Danish modern styling in teak with seven drawers. This piece was made in Denmark by Selig Furniture. This piece is made in a richly gr...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Teak
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers with Secretary, Austria, Mid 19th Century
Located in Wrocław, Poland
The Biedermeier chest of drawers veneered with walnut is an exceptional 19th-century piece from Austria, distinguished by its elegance and functionality. The chest features six drawe...
Category
Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
$4,292 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Louis XVI Marquetry Commode
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th century French Louis XVI style marquetry commode made of mahogany with inlaid veneers of mahogany and walnut. Three dovetailed drawers with interiors lined in green fabric. Ca...
Category
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Pair of Elaborately Paint Decorated Venetian Creme Paint Commodes Cabinets
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
These are marvelous and whimsical! Look at the amazing faux marble paint decorated tops and the incredible figures of jesters, satrys, and lions. The painting is so magnificent and w...
Category
1910s Italian Louis XV Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
Fine Solid Walnut Bombe Form Carved Italian Louis XV Style Commode
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a gorgeous solid walnut commode made in Italy but in the tradition of French Louis XV style. The Commode shows minor signs of age and minor age cracks from age but nothing si...
Category
1940s Italian Louis XV Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
$2,316 Sale Price
20% Off
Italian Louis Philippe Style Walnut Miniature Chest Commode Nightstand
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage Louis Philippe style miniature chest of drawers / commode made of walnut with a string inlay of satinwood on the top and front. The case, finished on all sides, holds a shall...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Louis Philippe Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
$1,520 Sale Price
20% Off
A Petite Pair of English Four Drawer Panel-Front Chests (2.5 Ft. Wide)
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English pair of petite, painted-wood, four-drawer chests from the mid 20th century. These vintage chests from England each have rectangular-shaped tops with rounded front corners,...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
Jewelry Safe Brushed Gold Brass
Located in Paris, FR
Jewelry safe vintage golded distinguishes
itself following a new hyperluxury trend. Special compartments
for jewelry and precious liquors, watch winde...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Gold Plate, Brass
$110,286
Antique French Louis Philippe Commode Pull Out Secretary Hidden Storage Restored
Located in Chicago, IL
Spectacular 19th century French Louis Philippe book-matched mahogany commode, dresser or chest of drawers constructed to a very high standard. Typically, we would not purchase an ave...
Category
1850s French Louis Philippe Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Brass
Coppia di Comò Impero Italia Inizi '800
By Non-Standard Furniture and Lighting
Located in Milano, IT
Coppia di comò del periodo Impero, in noce lastronati in noce rigatino fiammato, presentano sul fronte quattro cassetti di cui il primo sotto piano aggettante, poggiante sui montanti...
Category
Early 1800s Italian Empire Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble
$5,603 / set
Early 19th Century Sheraton Mahogany Four Drawer Chest
Located in Kenilworth, IL
American Sheraton mahogany chest with graduated cock beaded drawers. The case top bears characteristic Seymour School lunette inlay on the edge of the s...
Category
Early 19th Century American Sheraton Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
1960’s Danish palisander double chest of drawers by Hu
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
1960's Danish made palisander chest of drawers.
Beautiful 1960s chest of drawers designed by Poul Hundevad for Hu. In Denmark danish control.
4 graduating drawers on each side. Ba...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Palisander
German Biedermeier Chest of Drawers, Walnut, circa 1825
Located in Greven, DE
Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
Southern Germany
Walnut
Biedermeier around 1825
Dimensions: H x W x D: 84 x 106 x 55 cm
Description:
Three-tier piece of furniture standing on solid b...
Category
1820s German Biedermeier Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
Vintage Henkel Harris Chippendale Style Mahogany 4 Drawer Server Bachelor Chest
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Henkel Harris Chippendale Style Mahogany 4 Drawer Server Bachelor Chest. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 30.5" H x 33.25" W x 18" D.
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
Pair of Auffray Style Carved Walnut Louis XV Commodes Dressers
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Carved walnut frames with three drawers. Brass hardware.
Category
20th Century Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
$1,836 Sale Price / set
26% Off
Antique and Vintage Chests of Drawers and Commodes for Sale: Find Art Deco Commodes and Mid-Century Modern Chests of Drawers on 1stDibs
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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