Antique dressers were originally made to be used in a kitchen but in recent times they are often upgraded into the dining room.
A generous arrangement of working drawers along with a plate rack means that these can accommodate cutlery, general table items and even a dinner service. At the same time they can be a lovely piece of furniture in their own right often of excellent colour and patina thanks to an active house keeper !
Many examples are of Welsh origin and are, surprise surprise, simply referred to as Welsh dressers. There are of course regional dressers but it is quite hard to identify these as such with any real degree of accuracy.
Dressers in oak are the most common, in other woods they are somewhat rarer, particularly those in fruitwoods which are much sought after.
Pine dressers are still available in considerable numbers and, although they can be attractive, generally these are considered less desireable.
Often pine dressers were kitchen or scullery ‘fitments’.
The earliest dressers can date from the 17th century but most are from the 18th century or later.
