American Dressers & Vanities

American designs for dressers and vanities tended to be simpler than their European counterparts. The Chippendale style was among the most popular, even though it originated in England. The first style of furniture that was named after its maker rather than a monarch, it blended Gothic, Rococo, and Chinese styles. During the early 18th century, Boston was the leading colonial city and the first to implement popular styles such as the Chippendale into their household furniture; however, it wasn't until the latter part of the 19th century that dressing and vanity tables became a common piece of the bedroom furniture suite.

American vanities and dressers were greatly influence by the Art Deco period of the 1920s. In the 1960s, modern molded-plastic valet dressing tables designed by Raymond Leowy were quite prevalent, while today minimalist designs by Korean Choi Byung Hoon are gaining popularity.

Quick Facts

• A Chippendale carved Cherrywood bonnet-top high chest-of-drawers dresser sold at Christie's New York in January 2012 for $422,500
• An Art Deco red and black painted dressing table from the first half of the 20th century sold at Christie's London in April 2009 for $2,944