20th Century Bombe Chest
20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
20th Century American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-20th Century Swedish Rococo Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ormolu
Mid-20th Century Swedish Rococo Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Swedish Rococo Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Mid-20th Century European Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood
Vintage 1950s Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ormolu
Late 20th Century American Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Stone, Brass
Mid-20th Century Swedish Rococo Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
20th Century American Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 20th Century American Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Stone, Brass
20th Century Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Mid-20th Century Italian Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Early 20th Century Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-20th Century Swedish Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
20th Century French Louis XIV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Ormolu
Mid-20th Century Swedish Rococo Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Mid-20th Century Swedish Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Olive
Mid-20th Century Swedish Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Early 20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
20th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-20th Century North American Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century Dutch Dutch Colonial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
20th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
20th Century American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Early 20th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
20th Century Italian Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
20th Century Italian Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood, Satinwood
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood, Rosewood, Satinwood
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
20th Century American Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
20th Century French Louis XIV Blanket Chests
Marble, Ormolu
Mid-20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Vintage 1920s Italian Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Olive
Early 20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ormolu
Late 20th Century North American Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Paint
Early 20th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century European Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood
Late 20th Century Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Hardwood, Olive
20th Century American Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
20th Century French Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century European Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Olive
Late 20th Century Baroque Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Paint
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20th Century Bombe Chest For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a 20th Century Bombe Chest?
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022What painting is the most important of the 20th century is largely a matter of personal opinion. Some notable works produced during the period include Paul Cézanne's Mont Sainte-Victoire, Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, Henri Matisse's The Dance and Jackson Pollock's Lavender Mist. Shop a large selection of 20th-century paintings on 1stDibs.
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