Pair of Kindel Louis XVI Directoire Style Brass Mount Commodes

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Description

A handsome and beautifully matched pair of Kindel French Directoire-style cherry nightstands, combining the restrained neoclassical character of late eighteenth-century … Read more A handsome and beautifully matched pair of Kindel French Directoire-style cherry nightstands, combining the restrained neoclassical character of late eighteenth-century French design with the high-quality American cabinetmaking for which Kindel is known.
Each nightstand has a clean rectangular top above a particularly well-organized façade. Directly beneath the top is a shallow frieze drawer fitted with a small brass ring pull, followed by two smaller drawers arranged side by side and two broad drawers below. This configuration provides substantial bedside storage while retaining an elegant, architectural appearance.
The warm cherry has developed a particularly attractive amber-brown coloration, and the relatively restrained finish allows the natural figuring and movement of the timber to remain visible. The drawer fronts are framed by simple raised mouldings rather than heavy carving, very much in keeping with the French Directoire influence, where classical proportion and controlled ornament were favored over the exuberance of earlier French furniture.
Especially attractive are the vertically fluted pilasters defining the sides and separating the upper drawers. These architectural details give the cases a strong neoclassical character and provide subtle visual texture. The nightstands stand on short, tapering legs terminating in brass casters, lending them a lighter and more refined profile than conventional chest-form bedside furniture. Traditional brass bail handles and ring pulls complement the warm cherry beautifully and complete the understated period appearance.
An important aspect of this pair is the maker. Kindel Furniture Company was founded by Charles J. Kindel in 1901 and became associated with Grand Rapids, Michigan, one of the historic centers of fine American furniture production. The company has remained committed to American manufacture and is now part of Kindel Grand Rapids, which also encompasses the historic Karges and Councill furniture names. Kindel describes its furniture as handcrafted and made to order, and the company continues to manufacture in Grand Rapids. Kindel Furniture
Kindel has long worked extensively in cherry hardwoods and cherry veneers, including traditional and classically inspired case furniture, making the material particularly characteristic of the firm's refined American interpretation of European designs. Kindel Grand Rapids
As a true pair, these nightstands are particularly desirable. Their symmetry makes them ideal for flanking a substantial bed, while their generous storage means they are equally practical. The combination of American craftsmanship, French Directoire styling, warm cherry, architectural fluting and traditional brass hardware gives them a timeless quality suited to both traditional and sophisticated transitional interior



Dimensions:31.5 inches high x 32 inches wide x 17 inches deep See less