Not knowing the height, it looks like the base of a chifferobe to me --- would have had a tall mirror and a hat box on it orginally. I would have dated it 1875-1890. Looks Empire but could have been more Eastlake-inspired depending on the mirror. Any labels on the back?

Its been stripped and the escutcheons removed --- those handles are sure unusual -- I haven't seen them like that.

Great piece to use around the house but not great value. I would try to replace the escutcheons --- VanDykes would be a starting place.

Cathy

Much more modern than eastlake....check the construction.
I agree that it had a tall mirror and a piece that some called a hat box but was actually a place for a wash bowl or thunder mug.. The piece is often called a Gentleman's dresser and they were frequently broken up into a tall mirror a night stand and the chest that you have. I will bet that you can see where the other pieces fit onto that piece.
The handles are old but nor original to the piece. the handles would bave been a simple bail with a thin brass stamped eschutchon. The piece dates to about 1910 and they were frequently found in hotels and boarding houses.
Linda C

I don't see any kind of markings where there would have been a mirror or anything else attached. But I've attached another picture showing the construction of the drawer. Maybe that would tell more. Also the dimensions are 3 1/2' long, 2' tall, and 1 1/2 deep. The only markings that I can make out are 407,
16 and something starting with the letters tri.

Here is a link that might be useful:

That type of dovetailing is very typical of the early part of the 20th century.
The mirror would have been attached at the back and the wash basin holder would have been on the right side ot the piece...if it has been refinished, the marks may have been sanded out.
I have added a link to a picture of a complete one.
Linda C

Here is a link that might be useful: chest

Here's a slightly different styled one.
Linda C

Here is a link that might be useful: chest

The dovetailing is called pin and cove and was done for a very short time around 1870.

Sorry....all the sources I find say that sort of dovetail was not made before 1890. It is a machine made joinery technique that was used in the early part of the 20th century for a short period, always in factory made furniture.
Linda C

This might help in narrowing the timeline down.
The sought after information is near the end of the article, but the whole article is enlightening.

Here is a link that might be useful: Common Sense Antiques

Eastlake used that type of dovetailing, some people call it rolling pin, late 1860s 70s. Looks very much like Eastlake to me. Also looks to be a base that would have had a tall mirror at one time.

Betty

I have looked all over the net trying to find the site I took my information from that told the main period of use of that type of dovetailing and can't find it....and the George Grotz book that I own ...or used to own seems to be gone....so I can't refute you on the dates of that type of dovetailing.
Charles Eastlake was not a furniture maker nor an architect but an Englishman who wrote a book about good style and people adopted his views as the next thing after the over done excesses of the Victorian and Renaissance Revival periods.
Eastlake style furniture was characterized by chip carvings and applied moldings, not the curvy moldings and carved animals and leaves of the earlier periods.
I can't find an exact date for one of thoise "gentlemen's chests" on the internet. All the listings I find say early 20th centure. And, those that I have seen sell at auction were documented as being of that period.....and I started going to auctions about 1964.
Linda C

Knapp patented his machine in 1868 and an improved version in 1870, licensed and EXPENSIVE ... 20 years later (1887-1890) the patents expire and suddenly the inexpensive imitations of the machine are all over the place.

Then the machine that could duplicate a dovetail was invented and by 1900 or so the Knapp was obsolete.

So we have a 20 year period when they were not in high-volume production because the licensing fees were high, and a 10-year period when it was really popular.