18th Century Italian Walnut Inlaid Chest of Drawers

Italian commode hand-crafted in Central Italy in the late 1700s using walnut and walnut veneer. This commode has very straight lines and minimal carving. The only additions to the straight case are the thin hand-carved molding under the top, under the first drawer, and around the base; other than those the only decorations on the commode are given by the absolutely stunning veneer and inlay work done using walnut burl and satinwood. Whether the commissioner of the piece back in the day asked for this look in details I cannot tell you, but I can for sure say that the builder went for the "wow" factor and did not hold back. But let's looks at this guy in detail. The top is made by a single board with tapered edges and is decorated with two symmetric geometrical shapes. At the center of each decoration a rhombus is made by using book-matched panels which are then framed by crossbanded veneer bordered by satinwood. The rhombi are then enclosed into a crossbanded rectangle, which itself is enclosed in a larger one. The inlay on the top has, therefore, a lot of depth given by the play between the layout of the grain and colors of the different woods. The front of the commode features four inset drawers, all showing beautiful hand-made dovetailed joints. Each drawer front is decorated by walnut burl veneer framed by crossbanded walnut veneer and thin satinwood inlay. The satinwood inlay is also repeated on the front corners of the case. On the sides the commode features a top inset panel decorated by satinwood inlay, and bottom inset panels framed with molding, adding depth and detail to every visible surface of the commode. The commode still sits on its original bracket feet.
Because of the amount of detail present this commode is a beautiful statement piece that will add decoration (as well as storage) to any home. Its lines will fit well with many different styles of furniture, and the light color given by the bleaching process gives it a very modern look, while also highlighting the pegs and little cracks and discolorations that have accumulated over time.