Federal Furniture Appraisal

Pair of Federal/Georgian Revival Style Commodes/Chest-on-Stands

This is a pair of vintage American Federal or early 20th-century Georgian Revival style chest-on-stands or commodes. Each unit features a rich, reddish-brown wood, likely mahogany or a mahogany-stained wood, exhibiting a distinctive figured or flame grain veneer on the drawer and cabinet fronts, creating a visually striking pattern. The top surface of each piece, as well as the borders around the drawers and cabinet doors, feature a darker, possibly ebonized or stained wood with intricate light-colored inlay work, appearing to be a patterned stringing or cross-banding, lending an elegant accent to the pieces. Each chest has a configuration of four drawers on the upper section; the top row consists of two wider drawers, and the row below that also has two drawers, though slightly smaller. Below the drawers, there are two cabinet doors with brass or bronze drop pulls, matching the oval-shaped, bail-style pulls on the drawers. The hardware appears to have an aged patina, consistent with the age of the pieces. The construction suggests quality craftsmanship, with visible dovetail corners on the drawers (though not clearly visible in the provided image, typical for this style and period). The base of each unit features a delicate, scalloped apron with continuous inlay matching the top and drawer borders, supported by four short, slightly splayed bracket feet. There are no major visible condition issues such as cracks or significant chips, but minor wear, scuffs, and a consistent patina across both pieces are present, indicative of their age and use. The surfaces appear generally well-maintained, though some minor surface imperfections or fading might be present upon closer inspection. The absence of discernible maker's marks or signatures prevents specific attribution, but the style strongly points to a period of revivalist furniture, possibly from the late 19th or early to mid-20th century.