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.
Antique George III Quality Mahogany Bow Fronted Chest of 5 Drawers
17th Century Lakeland Coffer
Antique Rare Fine Pair of French Early 20th Century Mahogany, Fruitwood Marquetry and Gilt Bronze Mounted Commodes In the Louis XVI Style, after the Original By Jean-Henri Riesener
Antique 17th Century Quality Oak Mule Chest
Fine 18th Century Mahogany Chippendale Chest Of Drawers
Henry VIII Oak Coffer
Edwardian Mahogany Chest on Chest
Blyth and Sons Victorian Walnut Chest of Drawers
Outstanding Quality Antique Victorian French Marble Top Commode Chest of Drawers
17th Century Oak Mule Chest/ Coffer.
Fine 18th Century Mahogany Chest Of Drawers
Antique Quality Hand-Carved Oak Marriage /Dowry Chest
Superb Quality Antique 17th Century Jacobean Oak Geometric Chest of Drawers
Exceptional Quality Early 18th Century Antique George I Walnut Chest on Stand
18th Century Oak Coffer Bach
Small 17th Century Oak Coffer
Small 18th Century Welsh Oak Coffer Bach
Fine 18th Century Mahogany Secretaire Tallboy
Antique Early 18th Century Quality Oak Box Coffer in the Form of a Miniature Chest
Exceptional Quality 17th Century Antique Oak Mule Chest with Marquetry Inlay
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.