Marquetry Louis Xvi Chest
Antique 1780s German Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Yew
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Plate, Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 1790s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Restauration Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century European Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Satinwood, Walnut
Antique Mid-18th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Ormolu, Bronze
Antique Early 1900s French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique Mid-19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Satinwood, Kingwood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique 1780s German Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry, Walnut
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Breccia Marble, Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany, Walnut
Antique 1780s German Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Fruitwood, Walnut, Pine
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Metal
Antique 1890s French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Vintage 1960s American Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass, Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Models and Miniatures
Ebony, Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Side Tables
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century German Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany, Satinwood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Kingwood
Antique 19th Century German Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Maple, Walnut, Ribbon
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1990s Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 1780s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique 1790s French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Vintage 1920s Italian Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood, Walnut
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Austrian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
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Marquetry Louis Xvi Chest For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Marquetry Louis Xvi Chest?
A Close Look at Louis Xvi Furniture
Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.
Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.
Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.
The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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.