Nachtkasten

Nachtkasten, literally “night box” in German, is a historical term used to describe a small bedside storage piece of furniture. In modern German, the common term for this function is Nachttisch, and Nachtkasten is largely obsolete except in historical sources, antique catalogs, and curatorial notes.

In antique inventories, Nachtkasten typically referred to a stand-alone cabinet placed beside the bed, often with a single drawer above a small cupboard compartment, and sometimes with a sliding tray or a recessed top surface. Variants could be designed to tuck against a bed frame or to stand independently as part of a bedroom suite. The form ranges from compact, functional models to more elaborately decorated pieces in baroque, rococo, or neoclassical styles.

Construction and design commonly employed local woods such as oak, walnut, or fruitwoods, with simple joinery and modest hardware. Tops might be finished to tolerate night-time objects, while drawers or doors could feature brass pulls, inlays, or veneer surfaces. The aesthetic reflects broader trends in furniture and regional tastes rather than a single standardized product.

Today, Nachtkasten is primarily of historical interest and is encountered in descriptions of antique furniture, museum catalogs, and curatorial records. It is frequently used to distinguish older bedside cabinets that predate the now-standard Nachttisch from more contemporary pieces. See also Nachttisch; bedside furniture in German-speaking regions.