Skip to main content

French Empire Chest

to
51
769
278
1,061
5
716
10
2
2
1
1
1
1
20
913
128
5
41
36
24
7
3
9
7
5
5
6
8
2
880
441
394
379
345
967
952
27
22
5
1,065
1,065
1,065
11
3
3
2
2
Sort By
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

Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Mahogany

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

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

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

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

Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Bronze

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Metal, Brass, Bronze

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

Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Brass

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

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

Antique 1860s French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

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

Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Stone, Marble, Metal, Brass

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

Antique Mid-19th Century French Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Mahogany

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Brass

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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

Antique 19th Century Dutch Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Brass

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

Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Stone, Metal

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Brass

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

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

Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Brass

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Metal, Brass

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

Antique 1820s French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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

Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Bronze

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

Antique 1820s French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood, Birch, Mahogany

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

Antique 18th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

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

Antique Early 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Bronze

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

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

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

Antique 19th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

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

Antique 19th Century Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

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

Antique Early 1900s French Empire Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Bronze

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Brass

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

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Mahogany

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

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Empire Semainier, France, Second Half of the 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Tall chest of drawers with seven drawers and rounded, fluted corners, standing on conical feet with
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Antique French Empire Walnut Commode Early 19th Century
Located in SAINTE-COLOMBE, FR
Antique French Empire Walnut Commode Early 19th Century This impressive Empire Commode features a
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

Impressive Antique Flame Mahogany French Empire Commode with Marble Top
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Period French empire gorgeous flame mahogany commode with beautiful escutcheons and knobs and
Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

Early 19th Century French Empire Period Commode In Marble And Walnut
Located in Round Top, TX
French antique Empire period commode in marble and walnut from the early 19th century. This
Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

19th Century French Empire Painted Commode
Located in Bradenton, FL
Charming 19th century French Empire painted commode. Commode features frieze drawer over three
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French French Provincial Commodes and Chests ...

Materials

Wood

19th Century French Empire Painted Commode with Greek Key Pattern
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautiful 19th century French Empire painted commode with decorative Greek Key pattern. The piece
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

Fine Quality French Empire Period Commode
Located in Middleburg, VA
. Fine Quality French Empire Period Commode Made of deeply patinated burl ash with a beautiful
Category

Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Pair of Petite Bleached French Empire Style Four-Drawer Commodes
Located in Richmond, VA
Great pair of petite bleached French Empire style four-drawer commodes, early 20th century. Height
Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Sleek Pair of Continental Empire Chests of Drawers
Located in Westport, CT
A fine pair of mahogany veneer chest comprised of three drawers finishing on high straight tapered
Category

Antique 1820s German Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Mahogany

A 19th Century French Empire Mahogany Commode with Marble Top
Located in London, GB
France, circa 1820 A fine early nineteenth century santos mahogany Empire commode, with three
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

19th Century French 2nd Empire Marble Top Mahogany Commode ~ Saturday Sale ~
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-crafted from exotic mahogany in 19th century France, then fitted with a luxuriously veined
Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Early 19th Century French Empire Commode
Located in Charlottesville, VA
French Empire is so handsome. This piece has lots of quality.
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

French Empire Period Walnut Commode with Marble Top and Bookmatched Front
Located in Birmingham, AL
A fine 19th century French Empire period four drawer commode handcrafted of walnut, circa 1810
Category

Antique 1810s French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

Antique Figural First Empire Flame Mahogany, Marble Ormolu Chest, c1820
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique first American Empire chest of drawers offers flame mahogany construction with upper
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

19th Century French Empire Painted Commode
Located in Dallas, TX
Elegant 19th century French Empire painted commode. Lovely grey color and pretty marble top. Nice
Category

Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Marble

Antique French Lion Paw Footed Mahogany Empire Style Commode, Restored
Located in BENSENVILLE, IL
Antique Lion Paw footed French Empire style commode. Our old plank workshop completed a thorough
Category

Antique 1860s French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Mahogany

French 19th Century Empire Walnut Commode with Fossil Marble Top
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A handsome French Empire walnut and fossil-marble commode from the 19th century. The dark stone top
Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

19th Century French Empire Commode from the Villa of Coco Chanel
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A 19th century French mahogany three-drawer Empire chest or commode embellished with gilt mounts
Category

Antique 1870s French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Mahogany

  • 1
  • ...
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "French Empire Chest", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

French Empire Chest For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the French empire chest you’re looking for. Each French empire chest for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, metal and mahogany. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer French empire chest, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. A French empire chest is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Empire, Neoclassical and Art Deco styles are sought with frequency. A well-made French empire chest has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Baker Furniture Company, Empire Furniture and Jean-Jacques Werner are consistently popular.

How Much is a French Empire Chest?

Prices for a French empire chest start at $750 and top out at $68,500 with the average selling for $4,838.

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.

Questions About French Empire Chest
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    The Classical world is primarily what influenced French Empire furniture. Greek and Roman motifs appear on many pieces. In addition, the opulence of Egyptian furniture inspired furniture makers active during the period. On 1stDibs, shop a range of French Empire furniture.

Read More

37 Cheerful Home Bars, Where Everybody (Literally) Knows Your Name

Simple or sophisticated, equipped with console, cart or custom cabinetry, these stylish bar areas deserve a toast.

The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home

Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.

What Exactly Is a Secretary Desk, and What Is It Used For?

The furniture equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, it's the multifunctional piece you didn't know you needed.

This Shelving System with Oxidized Brass Tubes Is Retro and Futuristic at Once

Italian studio DimoreMilano mustered great ingenuity when crafting these sculptural shelves, which are built without any screws.

Ask an Interior Designer: Work-from-Home Edition

Leaping into a design project, whether it's refreshing the bedroom or redoing the whole house, can be overwhelming. Luckily, we know more than a few interior designers. You asked questions on Instagram, and now they're answering.

Collected and Eclectic, ‘Wunderkammern’ Are Back in a Big Way

Introduced nearly 500 years ago, curiosity cabinets are finding new fans among today's collectors and designers.

Meet the Incredible Woman Transforming Fallen Trees into Sleek Furniture

In the hands of New York Heartwoods cofounder Megan Offner, unwanted local trees become works of design art.

These New York Architects Love a Complicated Project

From Brooklyn townhouses to Maine campgrounds, Trattie Davies and Jonathan Toews relish a challenge, like transforming a former warehouse space into the new 1stdibs Gallery.