Bachelor Chest
Vintage 1940s Argentine Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1940s American Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique Late 19th Century English George III Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 1780s English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Late 20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests ...
Brass
Antique 1780s British George III Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century Adam Style Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 18th Century and Earlier British Georgian Commodes and Chests of...
Mahogany
Vintage 1980s North American Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1950s Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 19th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Vintage 1970s Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Leather, Paint
Vintage 1970s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Vintage 1950s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 1780s English Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1950s Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1930s American Dressers
Mahogany
Antique 1770s English Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 1730s English George I Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Early 20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century Unknown George III Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany, Pine
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests o...
Wood
Antique 1760s British George II Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique Mid-18th Century English George II Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1950s Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 17th Century Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century American Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 1820s English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Queen Anne Commodes and Chests ...
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Marble
Antique Early 19th Century English George III Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Brass
Vintage 1920s British Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century British Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
20th Century American Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century English Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Wood, Oak
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique Mid-18th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1960s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1960s American Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 1740s British George II Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Late 20th Century English Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Burl, Elm
Early 20th Century American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 20th Century American Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Teak
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry, Walnut
Antique 1780s French George III Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1940s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 19th Century English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
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Bachelor Chest For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Bachelor 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, 2022A bachelor’s chest of drawers is a relatively short and shallow chest, usually with three or four drawers. The name refers to their historical use as multi-purpose, space-saving fixtures that are perfect for a bachelor sharing a friend’s flat. On 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of antique and modern bachelor’s chests from some of the world’s top sellers.
- What is a bachelor’s chest?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertJanuary 23, 2019
A bachelor’s chest is a low chest of drawers. Its name comes from the fact that it was originally designed to provide multipurpose storage for a single man with a small living space.
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