Footnotes

• The commode offered here is related to a group of documented chests thought to be by Thomas Chippendale at Dumfries House, Ayrshire with which it shares certain similarities (see Christie's proposed contents sale of Dumfries House, 12-13 July 2007, lots 106,153,213,242,251, 252).
  
  The Dumfries chests do not appear in Chippendale's bills but are tentatively attributed to him on the grounds of certain constructional features. The characteristics of this group of chests which are in turn displayed on the chest offered here include, the laminated blocking behind the simple bracket foot, nails for the 'pack thread' to the underside used to attach protective covers in transport and the red wash to the underside. The original handles on the chest offered are of Chippendale's favoured early Neo-Classical pattern, (see C.Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London 1978, p.146, fig.263). The conjecture for the Dumfries chests being by Chippendale is backed up by the existence of a linen press at the house which bears many of the features of the group of chests and for which a Chippendale bill of 1763 is thought to relate (see Christies proposed contents sale of Dumfries House, 12-13 July 2007, lot 236). The distinctive red wash and the use of packing nails appears on many of the pieces at Dumfries House supplied by Chippendale and not on those pieces known to have been supplied by other cabinet-makers. Although Chippendale's plainer mahogany furniture has been historically more difficult to attribute, the furniture supplied to Lord Pembroke for Pembroke House around the same time as he was supplying furniture for Dumfries and furniture supplied to Ninian Home for Paxton House have been key in this study, see C.Gilbert, op.cit., p.271-272.

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Category: Furniture / English Furniture and Works of Art

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