Chest of drawers - Walnut - Louis XV style

Weekly walnut chest of drawers, Luigi XV style, second half of the 19th century

Tall, narrow seven-drawer chest with a slightly bulged front and a shaped, bead-bordered upper surface.

The piece presents an elegant, proportioned line typical of Luigi XV-inspired tall chests produced in the second half of the century.

The slender form and the Cabriole legs make it particularly suitable for bedrooms, entrances, or service spaces where you want a decorative piece without taking up too much room.
The visible surfaces are cross-banded in high-quality walnut, with a very marked, wavy, decorative grain.

The drawers are delineated by dark fillets that accentuate their curved silhouette.

This finish, combined with the surface’s gloss, gives the piece a rich, refined appearance characteristic of good-quality 19th-century marquetry.
The structure and drawers are solid wood.
The interiors clearly reveal traditional joints and wooden reinforcing blocks, typical of carpentry from the period.

The backs and sides of the drawers show the natural signs of age and use, without recent invasive interventions.
This internal construction confirms the piece’s solidity and its coherence with late 19th-century production.

The legs are of the cabriole type, connected by a shaped apron, and end with metal sabot feet.
The drawer pulls are metal, simply made and coherent with the style of the piece.
All the curved lines and proportions clearly recall the Luigi XV / Rococo revival taste, widely diffused in Italy and France during the 19th century.

Condition:
The condition is good and consistent with the piece’s age.
The structure is stable and the drawers slide properly.
The external finish is glossy and even, with the walnut grain clearly visible.
Normal signs of wear are present, small scratches and wood shrinkage typical of a late 19th-century piece.

There are no major structural damages beyond those described below and documented in the photos.

The most noticeable wear marks, visible in photos, are on the front right foot and on the rear left foot. At the back there are the most evident defects, a couple of scratches and some damage, highlighted in detail in the last three photos. Apart from the one on the front right foot, all other signs of wear are not visible once the piece is placed against a wall.

Strengths:
- Walnut grain particularly beautiful and decorative on visible surfaces.
- Elegant, well-proportioned Luigi XV style.
- Solid internal construction, with joints and reinforcing blocks visible.
- There are 4 well-lit interior photos showing total integrity.
- Excellent overall condition and good drawer functionality.

Compact and visually striking.

Details about its Era and country of origin:
The piece is consistent with late 19th-century Luigi XV / Rococo revival production, most plausibly between 1860 and 1890.
During this period most tall, curved-front chests with cabriole legs, walnut veneer, and metal sabots were produced in both Italy and France.

Arguments supporting a possible Italian origin:
The tall, narrow seven-drawer chest was particularly common in Italian production of the time. Solid wood construction with reinforcing blocks and walnut veneer are typical of Italian cabinetmaking of the period.

Arguments supporting a possible French origin:
The curved lines, cabriole legs, and metal sabots directly evoke French models in the Luigi XV taste, widely imitated abroad.

Additional details about the material:
Front and upper surface: very beautiful, wavy, and pronounced grain. It is typical of veneered walnut (or a very figured walnut used as a veneer). The presence of dark fillets and the regularity of the grain on the drawers suggest veneering.

Drawers’ interiors, backs, and structure: solid wood, with joints and reinforcing blocks. Here you can clearly see solid wood, though not of the same quality/figuring as the front.

Back and sides: wood is more uniform and less figured, consistent with a solid-core construction of a secondary or lower-grade walnut.

In summary: a piece of good 19th-century cabinetry, with solid-wood core and visible faces veneered in walnut (or similar) with fine grain. It is not a piece made entirely of solid walnut.

Elements such as the quality of the grain, internal solid-wood construction with reinforcing blocks, and the absence of early 19th- or 20th-century details support this dating, but do not allow narrowing to a single decade (e.g., 1870 or 1880) without marks, labels, or documentary elements.

The few defects and signs of wear are documented in detail in the specific photos, mainly on the front right foot and the rear left foot. As in the last two photos, there are two defects on the back of the piece.

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR SHIPPING:

The item is in the province of Viterbo; we offer free pickup, which would be the best solution for the buyer.
If you have shipping options you’d like to propose, we are willing to have you handle it.

Generally, if you are truly interested in the item, WE STRONGLY ADVISE WRITING TO US IN DM FOR A PERSONALIZED QUOTE ON SHIPPING COSTS, so you can participate in the auction confident of the final cost and sure of receiving the piece; since shipping costs vary based on many factors, it’s better to hear from us first to avoid problems after the auction ends. Once shipment is completed, we will provide the receipt and, if there is any price difference, we will promptly reimburse the excess. Before the package leaves.
Unfortunately for this type of furniture there are many variables that can raise the price, such as urban center vs. outskirts, capital city vs. a small town, delivery to a pickup point or to home, curbside pickup or delivery to the floor, etc., etc., etc.
The estimates we have posted are the lowest possible, but since we have had issues with previous auctions and quotes from shippers, we prefer to communicate with auction participants to give them an exact final shipping cost according to each person’s needs.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation... and good auction to everyone!