1940s French Chest Of Drawers
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Lacquer, Wood
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
20th Century French Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Ormolu
Vintage 1940s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
20th Century French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
20th Century French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
20th Century French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rattan
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1940s French Régence Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass, Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century Italian Rococo Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1970s Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mirror, Wood
Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Chrome
Vintage 1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of D...
Birdseye Maple
Antique 1860s Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Chrome
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Vintage 1940s French Shelves
Pine
Vintage 1940s French Shelves
Pine
Vintage 1940s French Dressers
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Dressers
Marble
Vintage 1940s English Art Deco Secretaires
Oak
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Cabinets
Mirror, Walnut
20th Century French Chinoiserie Dressers
Marble
Vintage 1940s American Louis XVI Dressers
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Table Lamps
Stone, Brass
Vintage 1940s American Louis XV Dressers
Brass
Early 20th Century Louis XVI Credenzas
Marble, Brass, Bronze
1990s English Books
Paper
Mid-20th Century Italian Baroque Sideboards
Glass, Walnut, Burl
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Oak
Vintage 1940s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze, Gold Leaf
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany, Lacquer
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1940s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Lacquer
Mid-20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine, Plywood, Wood
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Travertine, Silver Plate
Vintage 1940s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Paint
Vintage 1940s French Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mid-20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine, Wood
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Chrome
Vintage 1940s French Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1940s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1940s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mirror, Sycamore, Wood
Vintage 1940s Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1930s French Queen Anne Blanket Chests
Beech
Vintage 1940s French Louis XV Dressers
Oak
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1940s French Chest Of Drawers For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are 1940s French Chest Of Drawers?
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.
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