Tansu Chests
Early 20th Century Japanese Furniture
Early 20th Century Japanese Modern Dressers
Antique Early 1900s Japanese Edo Furniture
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
Vintage 1970s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 20th Century Japanese Furniture
Iron
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wrought Iron
Antique 19th Century Japanese Furniture
Wood
Vintage 1930s Japanese Japonisme Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 1880s Japanese Japonisme Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century Japanese Cabinets
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 19th Century Japanese Furniture
Wood
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Late 20th Century American Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 19th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1930s Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron, Brass
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Softwood
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Late 20th Century American Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
Late 20th Century American Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Late 20th Century American Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1950s Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass, Copper
20th Century Unknown Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1920s Rustic Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron, Bronze
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron, Bronze
20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wrought Iron
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wrought Iron
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 19th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1960s Japanese Furniture
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wrought Iron
Antique 19th Century Japanese Commodes and Chests of Drawers
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Tansu Chests For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Tansu Chests?
Finding the Right Commodes And 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.
- What is a step Tansu?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 5, 2021A step Tansu is also known as a step Tansu chest. It originated in Japan with simplistic design and multi-purpose use. Step Tansu has a storage chest that doubles as a staircase to climb to higher-level rooms. Add aesthetic appeal to your home decor with a step Tansu chest or other storage pieces from 1stDibs.
- What is a Tansu chest?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2021Tansu refers to Japanese portable storage chests. When tansu became a well-known feature of life in Japan — the chests’ emergence is said to be rooted in the Genroku era of the Edo period (1688–1704) — the country’s traditionally minimalist households had little to no proper seats, tables, or other pieces of furniture. Tansu were intended to be multipurpose cabinets. These case pieces were used to store things of everyday utility, such as clothing and various personal items. Tansu are regarded as collectible furniture with a timeless appeal. Shop a collection of antique, vintage, and contemporary Tansu from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.
- What is a tansu chest used for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A tansu chest is a Japanese cabinet designed for easy transportation and can store a variety of items, including clothes and personal items. Tansu chests often feature multiple compartments to keep items organized. Shop a selection of authentic tansu chests on 1stDibs.
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