How can you tell if a chest is antique?

To tell if a chest is antique, first examine its materials and details carefully. An antique chest is one produced 100 years ago or more. This generally predates the use of engineered wood, particleboard, plastics and other synthetic materials. As a result, an antique chest usually features solid wood construction.In addition, antique chests are likely to be handmade, so you should be able to spot subtle signs that indicate this, such as tool marks and small irregularities in any carvings. If a piece looks flawless and regular, it is unlikely to be antique. Locating a maker's mark and then researching when the manufacturer was active can also help you date your chest. Alternatively, you can use the services of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer to learn more about your chest.On 1stDibs, shop a large selection of antique chests.

How do I identify an antique chest of drawers?

To identify an antique chest of drawers, look inside and beneath drawers and on the back and bottom for any type of maker's marking. Researching these marks using trusted online resources may allow you to determine who produced your chest and roughly date your piece. If your chest is at least 100 years old, it is an antique. Should you be unable to locate the maker's marks, look at the hardware. Rose head nails, one-piece cast brass pommels on the drawer handles and circular rather than hexagonal bolts may all indicate that a piece is an antique. Keep in mind that hardware may have been replaced at some point and that there are many reproductions of antique furnishings. As a result, you may wish to have a certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer complete the identification process if you're unable to identify your chest via the maker's markings. Find a range of antique chests of drawers on 1stDibs.

Antique Rosewood Chest

Portugal Chest

Late 19th Century French Louis Xv Style Commode

Marble Top Louis Xv Chest

Art Deco Rosewood Cabinet

Rosewood Marble Top Cabinet

Rosewood Marquetry

Late 18th Century English George III Antique Rosewood Chest

Materials

Rosewood

Quality Art Deco Rosewood and Burl Walnut 3-Drawer Chest by Irwin Furniture

$11,840Sale Price|20% Off

$27,266Sale Price|20% Off

Antique Rosewood & Marble Chest of Drawers, France, 1750s, Artist Unknown

By Non-Standard Furniture and Lighting

Located in Milano, IT

Two-drawer continuous commode with concealed chain. The cabinet is domed thanks to both a vertical and horizontal move, fully veneered in quadripartite Bois de Rose laid crosswise to...

Category

1750s French Other Antique Rosewood Chest

Materials

Marble

Recent Sales

Unusual English Rosewood Chest of Drawers

Unavailable

H 44.75 in W 50.75 in D 23 in

Unusual English Rosewood Chest of Drawers

Located in Sleepy Hollow, NY

A top quality and very unusual 19th century rosewood chest of drawers with beautiful hand-carved, classical style details, lion's heads, paw feet and rosettes.

Rosewood

18th Century French Chest of Drawers in Rosewood

Unavailable

H 35.44 in W 59.06 in D 24.41 in

18th Century French Chest of Drawers in Rosewood

Located in Formigine Modena, IT

Overall veneered and inlaid with rosewood. 1730 circa cm 90 x 150 x 64 The chest need a little restore

Materials

Rosewood

Transitional Tulipwood Rosewood & Parquetry Commode

Unavailable

Unavailable

Unavailable

H 35 in W 33.5 in D 19 in

Petite Neoclassical Style Chest of Drawers or Commode, France, 1850

By Jean-Henri Riesener

Located in Chicago, IL

French Louis XVI style chest of drawers or commode after a model by Jean-Henri Riesener, with its petite portions will fit comfortably into small spaces. The top drawer is smaller wi...

Category

19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Rosewood Chest

Materials

Marble, Brass

18th Century and Earlier English George III Antique Rosewood Chest

A 18th c. walnut , rosewood, and various woods italian commode.

Unavailable

H 35.8 in W 45.66 in D 20.4 in

A 18th c. walnut , rosewood, and various woods italian commode.

Located in Formigine Modena, IT

A 18th c. walnut, rosewood and various wood inlaid italian commode. The rectangular top and the front inlaid with images of battle symbols. Four square tapering legs. cm 91 x 11...

Category

18th Century and Earlier Italian Neoclassical Antique Rosewood Chest

Mahogany & Rosewood Bohol Chest

Unavailable

H 49 in W 52 in

Mahogany & Rosewood Bohol Chest

Located in New York, NY

Mahogany & Rosewood Carved Colonial Chest from Bohol, Philippines

Category

Early 20th Century Philippine Antique Rosewood Chest

Materials

Mahogany, Rosewood

19th Century French, Napoleon III, Rosewood with Bronze Dore Commode Showcase

Unavailable

H 86.62 in W 47.25 in D 18.12 in

19th Century French, Napoleon III, Rosewood with Bronze Dore Commode Showcase

Located in Paris, FR

19th French Good Commode Showcase Napoleon III rosewood and with good ebane bronze dore.

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl

People Also Browsed

Vintage Wooden Barley-Twist Hourglass with Hand-Blown Glass

$475

H 9 in W 5 in D 4.5 in

Vintage Wooden Barley-Twist Hourglass with Hand-Blown Glass

Located in San Diego, CA

A handsome vintage hourglass featuring a solid wood frame with classic barley-twist turned supports and a faceted hexagonal top and base. The hourglass contains hand-blown glass bulb...

Category

Early 20th Century American Post-Modern Antique Rosewood Chest

Materials

Glass, Wood

$4,800 / item

H 25 in W 32 in D 9 in

Redondo Ship Chandelier by Miamar Home, Gilded Metal, Crystal Beads

By Melissa Levinson

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This exquisite ship-form chandelier is a custom creation by Miamar Home, an atelier based in Los Angeles renowned for its collaboration with the city’s finest local artisans. Entirel...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Antique Rosewood Chest

Materials

Crystal, Metal

English Regency Harp by Lyon & Healy, Satinwood & Brass Art Deco

$18,000

H 71 in W 38 in D 20 in

English Regency Harp by Lyon & Healy, Satinwood & Brass Art Deco

Located in Queens, NY

English Regency style satinwood and gilt trim harp having brass forty-six string, double action 7-pedal function with fluted columnar support surmounted by a crown finial, over a sym...

Category

20th Century British Art Deco Antique Rosewood Chest

Materials

Brass

Large Wedgwood Solid Black Basalt Neoclassical Jardiniere

$2,000

H 9 in W 9.88 in D 9.88 in

Large Wedgwood Solid Black Basalt Neoclassical Jardiniere

By Wedgwood

Located in Doraville, GA

Wedgwood black basalt jardiniere, made in England around 1900. The jardiniere has a floral banded border above fruiting grapevine festoons terminating at lion masks and rings with Mu...

Category

Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Revival Antique Rosewood Chest

Materials

Ceramic

Get Updated with New Arrivals

Save "Antique Rosewood Chest", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Antique Rosewood Chest For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the antique rosewood chest you’re looking for at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, rosewood and marble, every antique rosewood chest was constructed with great care. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer antique rosewood chest, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. An antique rosewood chest made by Louis XV designers — as well as those associated with Louis XVI — is very popular. Many designers have produced at least one well-made antique rosewood chest over the years, but those crafted by M. Hayat & Bros Ltd. are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is a Antique Rosewood Chest?

The average selling price for an antique rosewood chest at 1stDibs is $4,265, while they’re typically $328 on the low end and $55,721 for the highest priced.

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 Antique Rosewood Chest

How can you tell if a chest is antique?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 9, 2024
To tell if a chest is antique, first examine its materials and details carefully. An antique chest is one produced 100 years ago or more. This generally predates the use of engineered wood, particleboard, plastics and other synthetic materials. As a result, an antique chest usually features solid wood construction.

In addition, antique chests are likely to be handmade, so you should be able to spot subtle signs that indicate this, such as tool marks and small irregularities in any carvings. If a piece looks flawless and regular, it is unlikely to be antique. Locating a maker's mark and then researching when the manufacturer was active can also help you date your chest. Alternatively, you can use the services of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer to learn more about your chest.

On 1stDibs, shop a large selection of antique chests.
How do I identify an antique chest of drawers?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertNovember 4, 2024
To identify an antique chest of drawers, look inside and beneath drawers and on the back and bottom for any type of maker's marking. Researching these marks using trusted online resources may allow you to determine who produced your chest and roughly date your piece. If your chest is at least 100 years old, it is an antique. Should you be unable to locate the maker's marks, look at the hardware. Rose head nails, one-piece cast brass pommels on the drawer handles and circular rather than hexagonal bolts may all indicate that a piece is an antique. Keep in mind that hardware may have been replaced at some point and that there are many reproductions of antique furnishings. As a result, you may wish to have a certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer complete the identification process if you're unable to identify your chest via the maker's markings. Find a range of antique chests of drawers on 1stDibs.

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.