Bow Fronted Drawers
When you search for bow fronted drawers, you are looking for storage chests featuring a curved convex front.
What the pieces are
Bow fronted drawers are practical storage chests designed with a curved front profile that projects outward. You will find them most commonly appearing as mahogany chests of drawers from the Georgian, Regency, and Victorian periods.
The form ranges from small proportions and bachelor chests to taller four or five height drawer configurations. Variations include pieces fitted with slides, secretaire drawers, or decorative painted surfaces.
Makers working across the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries produced these items in various sizes to suit domestic chambers. Walnut and painted wood also appear alongside the dominant mahogany examples.
How they were made
Cabinet makers constructed these carcases primarily using mahogany, frequently selecting figured timber for the drawer fronts. Workshops incorporated brass for handles, escutcheons, and keyplates.
Additional decorative techniques recorded in the evidence include painted finishes and ebony string inlay. Construction methods required careful shaping of the solid wood and veneers to follow the distinct curved contour of the bow front.
Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical UK retail prices for bow fronted drawers, calculated from the Sellingantiques database of over a million retail prices indexed since 2003. This retail price guide relies exclusively on Sellingantiques data; no external sources or auction records are used, so the figures do not describe the wider market.
Listings span four main periods: Georgian, Regency, Victorian, and early twentieth century.
What varies in quality
Quality in these chests rests upon the selection of timber and the precision of the curved drawer construction. Figured mahogany yields a more visually engaging surface than plain timber.
Gillows
The Bow Fronted Drawers Glossary
- Bow front
- A convex curved front profile typical of these chests. This shaping requires specialised woodworking skill to curve the drawers and frame to a consistent radius.
- Secretaire
- A drawer fitted with a drop-front that conceals a writing surface and small compartments. This dual-purpose form combines storage with a compact desk space.
- Slide
- A pull-out shelf located above the drawers. It provides an extendable surface for temporary placement of items.
- Graduated drawers
- Drawers that decrease in depth from the bottom to the top of the chest. This arrangement creates a balanced visual hierarchy on the facade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I place bow fronted drawers?
These chests suit bedrooms, hallways, or living spaces where surface depth and curved profiles fit comfortably against a wall.
Their substantial drawer capacity provides functional storage while the outward projection adds visual interest to a room.
How do I identify a Georgian bow fronted chest?
Georgian examples typically display clean architectural proportions, hand-cut dovetails, and rich mahogany surfaces. They often feature graduated drawers and period brass handles.
Later Victorian versions may include different internal framing methods or darker finishes while maintaining the signature curved front.
What is a bachelors chest?
A bachelors chest is a compact storage piece often equipped with a fold-over top or a slide used for writing.
These smaller proportions make them versatile for placement in restricted spaces while retaining full drawer utility.
Did cabinet makers use woods other than mahogany?
While mahogany is the primary material recorded across these listings, walnut and painted wood also appear. Figured grain variations frequently denote higher quality execution.
Inlays in contrasting woods like ebony were sometimes applied to accent the structural lines.