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Antique French Empire Chest

Mahogany Commode With Marble Top
Empire Period Chest Of Drawers
19th Century French Marble Top Commode
Chest Of Drawers With Black Marble Top
French Painted Three Drawer Chest
French Empire Gilt Cabinet
French Fruitwood Chest Of Drawers
19th Century Painted French Cabinet
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20th Century French Walnut Empire Period Commode
Located in LEGNY, FR
Very nice 20th century French walnut Empire Period chests of drawer or commode from the 1800s
Category

1890s French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

Antique 20th Century French Walnut Empire Period Commode
20th Century French Walnut Empire Period Commode

20th Century French Walnut Empire Period Commode

$1,421
French 19th Century Empire Walnut Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A handsome French Empire walnut commode from the 19th century, circa 1850. The stunning top planks
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

Antique French 19th Century Empire Walnut Commode
French 19th Century Empire Walnut Commode

French 19th Century Empire Walnut Commode

$3,995
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Great care was taken through the years to maintain this exceptional solid walnut Empire period
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

Antique French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode

French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode

$3,550
French, 19th Century Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This French 19th century commode features fantastic Empire style elements. Topped with a removable
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Stone, Marble, Metal, Brass, Ormolu

Antique French, 19th Century Empire Commode
French, 19th Century Empire Commode

French, 19th Century Empire Commode

$4,500
French 19th Century Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Empire style, two columns flank the bank of drawers, each having decorative brass capitals and bases
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass

Antique French 19th Century Empire Commode
French 19th Century Empire Commode

French 19th Century Empire Commode

$4,500
Early 19th Century French Empire Commode
Located in Stockbridge, GA
Very nice proportion and a beautiful plain walnut wood, half columns, simple and elegant.
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Commode
Early 19th Century French Empire Commode

Early 19th Century French Empire Commode

$5,600
19th Century Italian-Lombardy Empire Walnut Golden Bronzes Chest of Drawers
Located in IT
piece comes from from France, from 1815s Empire period. We have restored it in conservative way
Category

Mid-19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Bronze

Antique 19th Century Italian-Lombardy Empire Walnut Golden Bronzes Chest of Drawers
19th Century Italian-Lombardy Empire Walnut Golden Bronzes Chest of Drawers

19th Century Italian-Lombardy Empire Walnut Golden Bronzes Chest of Drawers

$2,487
French Empire Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Commode
Located in Astoria, NY
French Empire ormolu-mounted mahogany four-drawer commode, ca. 1815, with a rectangular black
Category

19th Century Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Mahogany

Antique French Empire Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Commode
French Empire Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Commode

French Empire Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Commode

$14,500
Fine French Mahogany Empire Commode
Located in Lincolnshire, GB
A french marbled top and bronze mounted mahogany commode. The original grey marble top over the
Category

Early 19th Century Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Antique Fine French Mahogany Empire Commode
Fine French Mahogany Empire Commode

Fine French Mahogany Empire Commode

$4,779
French 19th Century Petite Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A petite French Empire commode made of mahogany, is topped with its original black fossil marble
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass

French 19th Century Petite Empire Commode
French 19th Century Petite Empire Commode

French 19th Century Petite Empire Commode

$3,200
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A wonderful French walnut commode hand-crafted in France circa 1830 with rather grand Empire style
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble

French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode

French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode

$3,850
Beautiful 19th Century French Empire Weekly Dresser
Located in Stockbridge, GA
Beautiful 19th century French Empire weekly dresser.
Category

Mid-19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Walnut

Beautiful 19th Century French Empire Weekly Dresser
Beautiful 19th Century French Empire Weekly Dresser

Beautiful 19th Century French Empire Weekly Dresser

$3,680
19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Chiffonier
Located in Austin, TX
Antique French Empire period "chiffonier" with gray marble top. Solid mahogany construction
Category

1810s French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Chiffonier
19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Chiffonier

19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Chiffonier

$3,950
French empire mahogany commode
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
French empire mahogany commode, circa 1810
Category

19th Century French Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

French empire mahogany commode
French empire mahogany commode

French empire mahogany commode

$3,500
19th C. French Restoration Period Empire Style Mahogany Chest Of Drawers Commode
Located in Forney, TX
A striking French Empire style mahogany chest of drawers commode with warm rich patina. circa 1820
Category

Early 19th Century French Restauration Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass, Bronze

19th C. French Restoration Period Empire Style Mahogany Chest Of Drawers Commode
19th C. French Restoration Period Empire Style Mahogany Chest Of Drawers Commode

19th C. French Restoration Period Empire Style Mahogany Chest Of Drawers Commode

$3,500
French 19th Century Burled Walnut Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
French Empire commode with dark marble top, resting over four spacious drawers each with brass
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble

French 19th Century Burled Walnut Empire Commode
French 19th Century Burled Walnut Empire Commode

French 19th Century Burled Walnut Empire Commode

$3,495
French 19th Century Burl Mahogany Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Four total drawers compose this dignified Empirically-styled mahogany commode. Made in France circa
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Mahogany, Burl

French 19th Century Burl Mahogany Empire Commode
French 19th Century Burl Mahogany Empire Commode

French 19th Century Burl Mahogany Empire Commode

$5,550
French Early-19th Century Empire Walnut Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This handsome period Empire four- drawer walnut commode is from France, c. 1815, and features a
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Walnut

French Early-19th Century Empire Walnut Commode
French Early-19th Century Empire Walnut Commode

French Early-19th Century Empire Walnut Commode

$4,850
19th Century French Empire Flame Mahogany Semainier
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A nicely-proportioned simple French mid-19th century tall seven-drawer chest or 'semainier', the
Category

Mid-19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Mahogany

19th Century French Empire Flame Mahogany Semainier
19th Century French Empire Flame Mahogany Semainier

19th Century French Empire Flame Mahogany Semainier

$4,250
Unrestored French Empire, Three-Drawer Columned Walnut Commode
Located in BENSENVILLE, IL
Cosmetically all original this circa 1815 French Empire commode is the kind of antique that gets us
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Walnut

Unrestored French Empire, Three-Drawer Columned Walnut Commode
Unrestored French Empire, Three-Drawer Columned Walnut Commode

Unrestored French Empire, Three-Drawer Columned Walnut Commode

$8,500
French Empire Fruitwood Commode, Early 19th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
An early 19th century French Empire commode in figured fruitwood featuring 3 drawers flanked by
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

French Empire Fruitwood Commode, Early 19th Century
French Empire Fruitwood Commode, Early 19th Century

French Empire Fruitwood Commode, Early 19th Century

$6,585
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A handsome bookmatched walnut commode from France crafted during the 1830s. Composed in the Empire
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Metal, Brass, Bronze

French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode

French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode

$4,200
19th Century French Empire Style Walnut Commode
Located in Dallas, TX
Handsome 19th century Empire style walnut commode. Very fine finish and ebonized details along with
Category

Mid-19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Bronze

19th Century French Empire Style Walnut Commode
19th Century French Empire Style Walnut Commode

19th Century French Empire Style Walnut Commode

$6,800
French Empire Style Commode
Located in Troy, MI
Circa 1880 French empire style commode has three functional drawers with keyholes, decorative brass
Category

19th Century French Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass

French Empire Style Commode
French Empire Style Commode

French Empire Style Commode

$2,195
19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Commode
Located in Hixson, TN
This beautiful French Empire commode is crafted in mahogany with flamed bookmatched drawer fronts
Category

1860s French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble

19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Commode
19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Commode

19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Commode

$3,000
1860s French Wooden Chest of Drawers
Located in High Point, NC
A wooden chest of drawers from France, produced circa 1860. This antique chest wears an Empire
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

1860s French Wooden Chest of Drawers
1860s French Wooden Chest of Drawers

1860s French Wooden Chest of Drawers

$4,595
19th Century French Empire Period Walnut Commode
Located in Austin, TX
Step into the grandeur of the 19th century with this gorgeous French Empire Period Commode, a
Category

Late 19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble

19th Century French Empire Period Walnut Commode
19th Century French Empire Period Walnut Commode

19th Century French Empire Period Walnut Commode

$4,675
French 19th Century Painted Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This wonderful Empire commode was created in 19th century France, circa 1830. Topped with its
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Stone, Marble, Metal, Brass

French 19th Century Painted Empire Commode
French 19th Century Painted Empire Commode

French 19th Century Painted Empire Commode

$3,600
French Empire Period Commode
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
19th century French walnut commode with its original marble top. This delightful commode
Category

Mid-19th Century French Neoclassical Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Walnut

French Empire Period Commode
French Empire Period Commode

French Empire Period Commode

$5,735
Empire Chest of Drawers in Mahogany Veneer, 19th century Napoleon III RESTAURED
Located in Madrid, ES
Empire chest of drawers in mahogany veneer, 19th century Three drawers plus one under the gray
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Mahogany

Empire Chest of Drawers in Mahogany Veneer, 19th century Napoleon III RESTAURED
Empire Chest of Drawers in Mahogany Veneer, 19th century Napoleon III RESTAURED

Empire Chest of Drawers in Mahogany Veneer, 19th century Napoleon III RESTAURED

$6,383
Petite Mahogany 19th Century French Empire Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Proof that big things come in small packages, this 19th century French Empire commode packs quite a
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass

Petite Mahogany 19th Century French Empire Commode
Petite Mahogany 19th Century French Empire Commode

Petite Mahogany 19th Century French Empire Commode

$3,200
Fine French Egyptian Revival Empire Period Walnut Commode
Located in London, GB
A very fine and unusual early 19th century walnut commode with three long drawers with book matched veneers, mounted with heavy cast bronze lion mask handles, flanked by caryatids of...
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Fine French Egyptian Revival Empire Period Walnut Commode
Fine French Egyptian Revival Empire Period Walnut Commode

Fine French Egyptian Revival Empire Period Walnut Commode

$16,251
19th Century French Empire Mahogany Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Made in the Netherlands, circa 1820, this is a very fine example of a French Empire commode
Category

19th Century Dutch Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

19th Century French Empire Mahogany Commode
19th Century French Empire Mahogany Commode

19th Century French Empire Mahogany Commode

$6,500
19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Cherry Commode
Located in Richmond, VA
Gorgeous color on this 19th century French Empire four drawer marble top cherry commode.
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble

19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Cherry Commode
19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Cherry Commode

19th Century French Empire Marble-Top Cherry Commode

$5,400
French 19th Century Empire Style Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A practical black granite top crowns this bespoke commode in the Empire style, featuring a custom
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass

French 19th Century Empire Style Commode
French 19th Century Empire Style Commode

French 19th Century Empire Style Commode

$5,400
Period Empire Chest of Drawers in Walnut Marble
Located in Round Top, TX
Period Empire Chest of Drawers in Walnut. This is a beautiful piece with the original hand-cut
Category

19th Century French Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble

Period Empire Chest of Drawers in Walnut Marble
Period Empire Chest of Drawers in Walnut Marble

Period Empire Chest of Drawers in Walnut Marble

$5,500
French Empire 19th Century Mahogany Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A fabulous French mahogany commode from 19th century France, circa 1840’s. The stunning gray and
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Stone, Metal

French Empire 19th Century Mahogany Commode
French Empire 19th Century Mahogany Commode

French Empire 19th Century Mahogany Commode

$4,500
Elegant 19th Century French Empire Napoleon III Commode
Located in Hopewell, NJ
French Empire style mahogany commode, 19th c., having marble top, hidden frieze drawer, over three
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass

Elegant 19th Century French Empire Napoleon III Commode
Elegant 19th Century French Empire Napoleon III Commode

Elegant 19th Century French Empire Napoleon III Commode

$3,800
French 19th Century Empire Style Walnut Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
An elegant Empire style commode from 19th century France, circa 1840. The stunning smooth wood top
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

French 19th Century Empire Style Walnut Commode
French 19th Century Empire Style Walnut Commode

French 19th Century Empire Style Walnut Commode

$3,200
Chest of Drawers, France, 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Three-drawered black chest of drawers with brass strips, standing on tapered feet. The streamlined
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

Chest of Drawers, France, 19th Century
Chest of Drawers, France, 19th Century

Chest of Drawers, France, 19th Century

$6,869
French Empire Style Four-Drawer Napoleonic Commode, circa 1850
Located in Savannah, GA
French Empire style four-drawer Napoleonic commode, circa 1850. Brass ormolu columns and crotch
Category

Mid-19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

French Empire Style Four-Drawer Napoleonic Commode, circa 1850
French Empire Style Four-Drawer Napoleonic Commode, circa 1850

French Empire Style Four-Drawer Napoleonic Commode, circa 1850

$7,500
Antique French Empire Style Marble-Top Mahogany Commode
Located in Sheridan, CO
French Empire style mahogany commode, 19th c., having marble top, frieze drawer, over three
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass

Antique French Empire Style Marble-Top Mahogany Commode
Antique French Empire Style Marble-Top Mahogany Commode

Antique French Empire Style Marble-Top Mahogany Commode

$4,650
French 19th Century Empire Style Mahogany Semainier
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This magnificent 19th century French semainier is the perfect way to add more storage to your space
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Metal, Brass

French 19th Century Empire Style Mahogany Semainier
French 19th Century Empire Style Mahogany Semainier

French 19th Century Empire Style Mahogany Semainier

$5,100
Rustic 19th Century Country French Empire Stripped Solid Oak Commode
Located in Dallas, TX
Rustic 19th century Country French Empire stripped solid oak commode was bench made by able rural
Category

1820s French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Rustic 19th Century Country French Empire Stripped Solid Oak Commode
Rustic 19th Century Country French Empire Stripped Solid Oak Commode

Rustic 19th Century Country French Empire Stripped Solid Oak Commode

$2,750
Empire Period Chests of Drawers from Chateau de Compiegne
Located in Austin, TX
French Empire period pair of chests hand painted and patined with Sainte-Anne marble tops and
Category

19th Century French Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Empire Period Chests of Drawers from Chateau de Compiegne
Empire Period Chests of Drawers from Chateau de Compiegne

Empire Period Chests of Drawers from Chateau de Compiegne

$13,500
Antique French Inlaid Chest of Drawers
Located in Houston, TX
Antique French Inlaid Chest of Drawers with Mahogany and Birch marquetry. This chest has turned
Category

1820s French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Wood, Birch, Mahogany

Antique French Inlaid Chest of Drawers
Antique French Inlaid Chest of Drawers

Antique French Inlaid Chest of Drawers

$8,400
18th Century French Oak Chest of Drawers
Located in High Point, NC
Empire style furniture. Built in France in the 1700s, the oak has been carefully restored in our
Category

18th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

18th Century French Oak Chest of Drawers
18th Century French Oak Chest of Drawers

18th Century French Oak Chest of Drawers

$4,995
C.1830 French Empire Commode
Located in Pomona, CA
C.1820 French Empire Commode. Fruitwood drawer fronts and a wide grain mahogany top.Bronze column
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Bronze

C.1830 French Empire Commode
C.1830 French Empire Commode

C.1830 French Empire Commode

$2,600
Rich French Mahogany Empire Commode with Black Marble Top
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Very elegant French Empire rich mahogany commode having stunning black marble top, original brass
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble

Rich French Mahogany Empire Commode with Black Marble Top
Rich French Mahogany Empire Commode with Black Marble Top

Rich French Mahogany Empire Commode with Black Marble Top

$3,400
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode with Marble Top
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Extraordinary bookmatched walnut veneer graces this gorgeous Empire period commode from France. The
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble

French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode with Marble Top
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode with Marble Top

French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode with Marble Top

$4,595
French Empire Walnut Commode
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French Empire walnut commode. Circa 1870. Adds warmth and charm to any room!
Category

19th Century Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Walnut

French Empire Walnut Commode
French Empire Walnut Commode

French Empire Walnut Commode

$5,800
19th Century French Empire Commode with Marble Top
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A stunning four-drawer Empire commode, made in France, circa 1860. A thick piece of gray marble
Category

19th Century Empire Antique French Empire Chest

19th Century French Empire Commode with Marble Top
19th Century French Empire Commode with Marble Top

19th Century French Empire Commode with Marble Top

$5,350
19th Century, French Country Chest of Drawers
Located in High Point, NC
Rational and harmonious, this antique oak chest of drawers is a covetable find. Made in France in
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Brass

19th Century, French Country Chest of Drawers
19th Century, French Country Chest of Drawers

19th Century, French Country Chest of Drawers

$4,595
Antique French Empire Bronze Mounted Marble Top Commode Buffet
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a gorgeous original 1880s era French Empire commode with marble top and bronze hardware and
Category

Early 1900s French Empire Revival Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Antique French Empire Bronze Mounted Marble Top Commode Buffet
Antique French Empire Bronze Mounted Marble Top Commode Buffet

Antique French Empire Bronze Mounted Marble Top Commode Buffet

$3,995
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode with Marble Top
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This excellent French Empire marble-top commode has four total drawers and fossilized specimens
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass

French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode with Marble Top
French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode with Marble Top

French 19th Century Walnut Empire Commode with Marble Top

$3,450
19th Century French Mahogany Semainier Tall Chest
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Early 19th century French mahogany semainier chest, with a grey marble top sitting on a moulded
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Mahogany

19th Century French Mahogany Semainier Tall Chest
19th Century French Mahogany Semainier Tall Chest

19th Century French Mahogany Semainier Tall Chest

$5,394
Pair of 19th Century French Empire Exotic Black Walnut Commodes
Located in Dallas, TX
Exceptional pair of 19th century French Empire exotic black walnut commode. Gorgeous polished
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique French Empire Chest

Materials

Walnut

Pair of 19th Century French Empire Exotic Black Walnut Commodes
Pair of 19th Century French Empire Exotic Black Walnut Commodes

Pair of 19th Century French Empire Exotic Black Walnut Commodes

$24,500 / set
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Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets Under $3,000
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Antique French Empire Chest For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the antique French empire chest you’re looking for at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, mahogany and marble, every antique French empire chest was constructed with great care. Your living room may not be complete without an antique French empire chest — find older editions for sale from the 19th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 20th Century. An antique French empire chest is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Empire and Art Deco styles are sought with frequency.

How Much is a Antique French Empire Chest?

Prices for an antique French empire chest start at $1,000 and top out at $9,800 with the average selling for $3,768.

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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