Antique Central European four-drawer chest of drawers in cherry-stained wood, made in Central Europe in the early 20th century. A generously proportioned domestic piece halfway between a master-bedroom commode and a family storage cabinet, characteristic of the Biedermeier-Gründerzeit tradition at the end of the Wilhelmine era.
In bourgeois Central European households of the late 19th and early 20th century, the tall four-drawer chest was the principal piece of the master bedroom. It held linens, textiles and personal belongings in four graduated drawers — the top one shallower, the lower ones progressively deeper. Its sober construction, with flat fronts and finely moulded lateral pilasters, descends directly from the Biedermeier reading.
It is built in solid wood with fronts and sides stained in a cherry tone. The four drawers are assembled with concealed dovetail joints and retain their original oval brass pulls with engraved escutcheons, as well as the rectangular brass keyholes. The fluted lateral pilasters, the carved rosettes at the upper corners and the raised plinth base organise the verticality of the whole.
The patina is highly even and preserves the warmth of the original varnish: the front shows the warm reflection of the settled cherry stain, while the upper top displays use marks, small cracks and a natural ageing that has darkened it. The hardware retains its noble patina and the drawers run correctly on their wooden runners.
Thanks to its stately scale and balanced lines, it suits classical contemporary, vintage, eclectic or bourgeois interiors, where it works as a master-bedroom commode, a storage piece in a dressing room, a hallway with presence or an anchoring piece in a dining room. Its height allows a mirror to rest above it without saturating the composition, in line with the original bourgeois arrangement.
Details
- Dimensions: Width: 125 cm Depth: 61 cm Height: 110 cm
- Style: Central European, Biedermeier-Gründerzeit tradition
- Materials and techniques: Solid wood stained in cherry tone; concealed dovetail drawers; original oval brass pulls and keyholes
- Place of origin: Central Europe
- Period: Early 20th century
- Date of manufacture: Circa 1910
- Condition / Notes: Good. Even natural patina. Use marks on the top, consistent with its age
This piece is part of the collection of Amaru Antiques, Barcelona.
ONE OF A KIND PIECE
