1940s French Chest Of Drawers
Mid-20th Century French Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1940s French Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mirror, Wood
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Sapele Wood
Vintage 1940s French Rustic Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
20th Century French French Provincial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry, Oak
Vintage 1940s American Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze, Silver
Vintage 1940s French Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mid-20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Vintage 1940s French Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
20th Century Unknown Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1940s French Industrial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Carrara Marble
20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1940s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1940s Argentine Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1950s French Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Silver Leaf
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Vintage 1940s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Vintage 1940s American French Provincial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1940s French Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1940s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Vintage 1930s French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Vintage 1940s European Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Vintage 1930s French Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1930s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1940s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Mid-20th Century French Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf
Vintage 1940s American Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mirror, Walnut
Vintage 1940s American Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Carrara Marble
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1940s French Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1940s French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Macassar
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 20th Century French Side Tables
Ebony, Macassar, Mahogany, Satinwood
Vintage 1940s French Primitive Apothecary Cabinets
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Cabinets
Wood
Vintage 1930s English Cabinets
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Credenzas
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Cabinets
Brass
20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
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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