Early 19th Century Biedermeier Sideboard, Chest of Drawers, Cherry, circa 1815

Southern Germany – Bavaria
Cherry tree
Biedermeier around 1815

Dimensions: H x W x D: 92 x 79 x 51 cm

Description:
Strict, early and absolutely cubist half-cabinet from the southern Bavarian Biedermeier period around 1815-1820.

A two-door body standing on pointed legs with a wide drawer above the doors.
The harmonious and perfectly symmetrical cherry wood grain pattern runs continuously across the entire front.
If we look at the sides and the top of the piece of furniture, it is noticeable that the veneer runs the full length of the cabinet. The grain therefore runs from the left side across the top panel to the right side. In order to emphasise this extraordinary veneer work, there is no panel overhang. The edge of the top is merely indicated by a thinly scribed line.

The simple keyhole surrounds and the brass pull knob are discreetly understated so as not to detract from the surface emphasis of the furniture.

The interior layout of the unit is also unusual. Behind the doors, which can be locked with a bar lock, there are three drawers instead of the usual shelves. Gilded lion heads embossed in brass serve as pull handles for the drawers.

Worth knowing:
The piece of furniture presented here exemplifies the design of early Bavarian Biedermeier furniture, both in its basic cubist form and in its surfaces decorated solely with wood.
As a work made purely by cabinetmakers and for a broad middle class, the furniture of the early 19th century differs from that of previous eras. Precious fittings, inlays and marquetry, even curved and elaborate shapes were almost completely dispensed with. The beauty of the wood’s structure is emphasised by its symmetrical and harmonious arrangement. The shellac polish “fires up” the grain, giving the structure of the wood “depth” and even a certain three-dimensionality.

Condition: Restored and suitable for everyday use.

Please refer to the following literature on the form and design of the furniture:
Rainer Haaff – Biedermeierwelten p. 325
Wolfgang Eller – Biedermeier-Möbel p. 180