Antique Chests/Chests of Drawers
The chest of drawers is one of the most useful and enduring forms of antique furniture. Our dealers offer chests from the 17th century through to the Edwardian era, in oak, mahogany, walnut, satinwood and pine. You'll find tallboys, bow-fronted chests, campaign chests, Wellington chests, mule chests and blanket boxes.
Built with solid timber, hand-cut dovetail joints and quality brasswork, antique chests of drawers deliver storage, style and craftsmanship that modern furniture rarely approaches.
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A Particularly Appealing Mahogany Military Chest
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Antique Quality Burr Walnut Chest of Four Drawers with Brushing Slide
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Antique 18th Century Georgian Mahogany Serpentine Chest of Four Drawers
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Small 19thC Mahogany Chest of Drawers
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A George III Bow-fronted Chest
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Antique George II Mahogany Chest of Drawers with Fitted Writing Desk
18th Century Bleached Oak Chest on Stand
Elegant 19th Century French Walnut Faux Bamboo Commode Chest
French Marquetry Commode Chest of Drawers
18th Century Queen Anne Walnut Chest of Drawers
Georgian Oak Coffer
17th Century Oyster Veneered Chest Of Drawers
Pair Serpentine Mahogany Bedside Lamp Chests of Drawers
Excellent Quality Minature Oak Coffer
Good Quality Mahogany Bow Front Chest Drawers
Small Georgian Chest of Drawers
Georgian Oak Chest of Drawers
Narrow Regency Mahogany Bowfront Chest of Drawers
Large Georgian Mahogany Tall Boy Chest on Chest
Large 19th Century Mahogany Bowfront Chest of Drawers
18th Century Walnut Chest of Drawers
Small Mahogany Trinket Storage Chest of Drawers
Small Mahogany Chest Of Drawers
Victorian Mahogany Chest of Drawers
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Revival Painted Chest of Drawers | Four Drawer Commode
Small Sized Burr Walnut Queen Anne Chest on Chest of Drawers
Antique Chests of Drawers: A Buyer's Guide
Few pieces of furniture are as universally useful as a chest of drawers. They work in bedrooms, hallways, living rooms and studies. Antique examples offer the added bonus of being beautifully made from solid timber, with joints and construction techniques that have proven themselves over centuries.
Pull drawers out and examine them closely. Hand-cut dovetails, visible on the drawer sides, are a hallmark of quality and age. Machine-cut dovetails, which are perfectly even and uniform, indicate a later date, typically post-1860. Drawer bottoms should be solid timber running front to back, with the grain running side to side on earlier pieces.
Popular Types
Georgian bow-fronted chests in mahogany are classics of English furniture. Their gently curved fronts required skilled cabinet work and they sit beautifully in any setting. Campaign chests, designed for military officers to take on campaign, are distinguished by their flush brass handles and the ability to separate into two halves for transport. They're immensely practical and suit modern interiors perfectly.
Wellington chests, tall and narrow with a locking bar on one side, were originally designed for storing coins, specimens or documents. Today they make superb storage for jewellery, accessories or collections of any kind.
Assessing Condition
Check that drawers slide smoothly and sit squarely in the carcass. A drawer that sticks may simply need its runners waxed, or it may indicate that the chest has been exposed to damp and the timber has swelled. Look at the top surface for excessive ring marks, burns or veneer damage. Most surface marks can be improved with careful restoration, but this should be factored into the price.