Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
LOUIS XIV STYLE
As opposed to the styles that would follow from the other 18th-century French kings, Louis XV and Louis XVI, antique Louis XIV furniture is rigid and imposing. It expresses opulence — even its armchairs, with their upright backs, straight legs and lavish ornamentation, look like thrones. Authentic Louis XIV sofas, a then newly emerging iteration of seating, are fully upholstered and often feature decoratively carved frames of walnut, chestnut or oak.
When French King Louis XIV established his royal court at Versailles in 1682, he transformed what was once a hunting lodge into a palace that declared his wealth and power through its design. Until his death in 1715, he reigned with a spirit of excess and absolute political dominance. The “Sun King,” as he called himself, believed that France revolved around him as planets do the sun. Louis XIV adopted the sun as his emblem, decorating the grounds with symbols of the sun and Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. As he stated, “There is nothing that indicates more clearly the magnificence of great princes than their superb palaces and their precious furniture.” He was a child when he became king in 1643, only shaping his style after he became absolute monarch in 1661.
Reflecting trends in French Baroque art, Louis XIV furniture characteristics included exuberant decoration. There were gilded bronze details including shells, suns, grotesques, lions and classical references like acanthus leaves. The years of growth in the country’s manufacturing, such as the tapestries and cabinets made at Gobelins, led to design innovations. The commode replaced the chest as a storage device, with drawers and a surface that could double as a desk.
The materials were luxurious, such as the popular tortoiseshell veneer technique that leading cabinetmaker Pierre Golle used in his designs. André-Charles Boulle, who became royal cabinetmaker in 1672, was a masterful artist of marquetry, using inlays of ebony, exotic woods and mother-of-pearl.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIV bedroom furniture, chairs, tables and other pieces on 1stDibs.
to
15
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
51
35
85
1
1,727
738
567
544
499
485
368
274
271
212
192
192
133
108
45
31
18
14
44
16
25
1
11
4
1
1
85
35
34
20
14
79
49
20
3
3
86
86
86
1
1
1
1
Style: Louis XIV
Louis XIV Style Commode with Rosewood Marquetry Décor and Red Griotte Marble
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Louis XIV style commode from circa 1950 with rosewood marquetry décor, four drawers, red griotte marble top and gilt bronze hardware. Crafted in the timeless French Louis XI...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Griotte Marble, Ormolu
Ferrarese walnut console dresser, 18th century
Located in Vicenza, IT
Rare 18th-century Italian console chest of drawers from the Ferrara area.Strongly distinctive piece of furniture, with fir internal structure and walnut burl veneer with a marked and...
Category
1730s Italian Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Nutwood
French Louis XIV Style Burlwood Commode with Gilt Bronze Mounts, 20th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
Commodes were first introduced in France during the reign of Louis XIV, towards the end of the 17th century. These early offerings were often constructed with luxurious veneers and decorated with ornate handles, escutcheons, and decorative mounts, all in bronze. Our French burlwood commode...
Category
20th Century French Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Early 18th Century French Louis XIV Painted Oak Commode
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A handsome and robust 18th Century French Louis XIV oak commode.
With a later pale grey finish.
Two small drawers over two wide drawers. Ornate brass handles, fielded sides and decor...
Category
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Oak
Louis XIV Chest of Drawers in Walnut and Briar, 1700
Located in Torino, IT
Louis XIV Chest of Drawers, Original Period in Wood and Walnut Burl With Ebonized Details.
Three and a Half Drawers. Original Key, Locks and Hardware.
Eighteenth Century
Period: E...
Category
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
Italian, Piemontese, Late LXIV Period 3-Drawer Commode, 2nd quarter 18th cen.
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a serpentine shaped top with molded edge above a rectangular case housing three drawers with decorative brass hardware, raised on shaped bracket feet
Category
1740s French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
Walnut French Commode Mazarine Late 17th Century
Located in Miami, FL
Beautiful and rare French "Commode Mazarine" in solid walnut.
Late 17th century. Louis XIV period.
Three drawers, hand-carved.
Bronze hardwares.
...
Category
Late 17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Bronze
18th Cent French L XIV Commode Marble Top Exotic Wood Veneer original hardwares
Located in Miami, FL
Exquisite small commode, beautifull LXIV original hardwares, excellent proportions.
Condition as is, needs few small restaurations in the veneer.
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
French Style Louis XIV Painted Chest
Located in New York, NY
French style Louis XIV painted chest. The chest has a total of six pull out drawers, original brass hardware and nicely painted. Can also be us...
Category
1970s Vintage Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
French Louis XV Period Commode
Located in Marseille, FR
Beautifully carved French walnut commode (Louis XV period, circa 1720) with three drawers in arbalete form, all four carved snail feet, cartouche at th...
Category
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
18th Century French Walnut Louis XIV Commode
Located in Viterbo, VT
Louis XIV commode band-made in Southern France in the mid 1700s using walnut and pegged constructions. The commode has beautiful color, patina, and character. The commode features th...
Category
Mid-18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
19th Century Louis XVI Style Bombe Commode
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality late 19th century marquetry inlaid kingwood commode, having its original marble-top, two large drawers, ormolu mounts and handles and raised on out swept legs.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Kingwood
18th Century Commode from the Louis XIV Regency Period
Located in NICE, FR
We present you with this rare chest of drawers hailing from the Louis XIV Regency era in the 18th century. It has a gracefully curved facade which unfolds with four drawers arranged ...
Category
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble
Antique French Regence Style Commode with Bronze Dore Hardware, Circa 1875
Located in Dallas, TX
A stunning commode with bronze dore hardware, this French chest of drawers dates to circa 1875 and is in the Regence style. The beautiful parquetry veneer has a rich sheen and a warm...
Category
1870s French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Top Quality Pair French Bedside Lamp Chests of Drawers
Located in Swadlincote, GB
A very nice pair of French tulipwood and ormolu mounted three drawer bedside lamp chests of drawers with wonderful marble tops, excellent overall colour and condition.
29" high
17"...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Tulipwood
19th Century French Louis XIV Marble Top Commode ~ Chest of Drawers
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Louis XIV Marble Top Commode ~ Chest of Drawers exudes a stately elegance that is truly timeless! Hand-crafted from dense, old-growth oak, it features a casework...
Category
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Louis XIV Painted Commode
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French Louis XIV painted commode is as functional as it is visually appealing! The wonderfully contoured facade embraces four spacious drawers that are fitted with brass pulls and carved with stylized foliate motifs. The rounded cornerposts have received the attentions of the sculptor's hand, as well, with scrollwork and foliates leading the eye down to the massive lion's paw feet below, all set at 45 degrees to enhance the look. The multi-hued gray patinaed painted...
Category
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Oak
Louis Seize Chest of Drawers Made In Mahogany With Inlaid Wood From 1790s
Located in Lejre, DK
The Louis Seize chest of drawers, crafted from mahogany and adorned with exquisite inlaid wood detailing, is a remarkable antique piece from the 1790s. This elegant chest showcases t...
Category
1790s Danish Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
Tombeau chest of drawers in marquetry, Transition style – Part 1 of the 20th cen
Located in HÉRIC, FR
This kingwood chest of drawers opens with three drawers of identical dimensions, curved and rounded.
The fronts of these drawers are inlaid with kingwood veneer elements arranged vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, creating geometric yet symmetrical shapes.
Each drawer is adorned with a lock and key, a substantial rocaille-decorated doorway, and two large gilt bronze scroll handles.
This piece features a bronze acanthus leaf lamp base...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
18th Century, Louis XIV Carved Walnut Wood Drop-Leaf Cabinet
Located in IT
This elegant drop-leaf cabinet was made in the early eighteenth century in walnut wood finely carved with rocaille motifs. It has a particular patina of the carvings, slightly darker...
Category
Early 18th Century European Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Bronze
19th Century French Louis XIV Marble Top Commode with Marquetry
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Louis XIV Marble Top Commode with Marquetry features timeless French flair with bronze d’ore pulls and key-guards combined w...
Category
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Italian 18th Century Louis XIV Period Walnut Inlaid Bombée Commode
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very impressive Italian 18th century Louis XIV period walnut inlaid bombée commode. The commode is raised on curved legs with elaborately scrolled frieze with bone inlay. Above are...
Category
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
Louis XIV Regence Commode Painted Ox Blood Red
Located in Vista, CA
A rare Louis XIV/Regence commode newly painted in ox blood red, with three convex and concave scrolled molded panels with beveled molding and central brass pulls on the drawers, with...
Category
Early 18th Century European Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Hardwood
20th Century Louis XIV Style Chest of Drawers / Sideboard
Located in Berlin, DE
20th century Louis XIV style chest of drawers / sideboard
solid beech wood. The fittings are pronounced and of exceptionally good quality.
(D-Sam-237).
Category
20th Century Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Bronze
Italian Early 18th Century Louis XIV Period Four-Drawer Walnut Chest
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fabulous Italian early 18th century Louis XIV period four drawer walnut chest from the Piedmont region. The chest is raised by lightly scrolled carved legs. Each of the four drawer...
Category
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Walnut
20th Century antique Louis XIV Style Palisander Tulipwood Cabinet bronzed
Located in Berlin, DE
Chasedt bronze are distinctive and of exceptionally good quality. High-right corpus. In the articulated front, there are two wide doors with an infill filled...
Category
20th Century French Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
Louis XIV Arbalette Chest of Drawers
Located in London, Park Royal
Hand-carved Louis XIV style Arbelette chest of drawers. Hand finished in a textured two tone patina of distressed paint work over silver gilding.
Category
2010s British Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Paint
20th Century Antique Louis XIV Style Palisander Tulipwood Chest of Drawers
Located in Berlin, DE
Chasedt bronze are distinctive and of exceptionally good quality. High-right corpus. In the articulated front, there are two wide doors with an infill filled...
Category
20th Century French Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood
Louis Xiv commodes and chests of drawers for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Louis XIV commodes and chests of drawers for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage commodes and chests of drawers created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Louis XIV commodes and chests of drawers made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original commodes and chests of drawers, popular names associated with this style include La Maison London, and Mellier & Co.. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for commodes and chests of drawers differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,320 and tops out at $237,297 while the average work can sell for $5,822.