Thomas Moore
Head of Department
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Lot 95TP
A near pair of George III harewood, tulipwood, purplewood, green stained sycamore and marquetry serpentine commodes 1770-1790
Amended
1 July 2025, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £5,760 inc. premium
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Oliver Cornish
Sale Coordinator for Furniture, Sculpture, Rugs & Tapestries
A near pair of George III harewood, tulipwood, purplewood, green stained sycamore and marquetry serpentine commodes
1770-1790
Each with stringing and line-inlaid surrounds, of serpentine outline with projecting front angles, each surface quarter veneered and inlaid with interlocking waved shaped trellis work, each recess of the trellis inlaid top inset with a stylised flowerhead, above a pair of panel inlaid doors with re-entrant angles and with a floral spray to each angle, each door panel inlaid with central ribbon tied assorted flowers, enclosing six short deep mahogany faced and oak lined drawers, over a shaped apron, on later splayed ogee feet, some variations in the construction, the reverse of each commode with a late 19th century printed paper label which reads: 'M. BUTLER, Chippendale, "Adams" and Sheraton Furniture etc... 26, 126 & 127 Upper Abbey St., Dublin', 101cm wide x 54cm deep x 88cm high, (39.5in wide x 21in deep x 34.5in high) (2)
Each with stringing and line-inlaid surrounds, of serpentine outline with projecting front angles, each surface quarter veneered and inlaid with interlocking waved shaped trellis work, each recess of the trellis inlaid top inset with a stylised flowerhead, above a pair of panel inlaid doors with re-entrant angles and with a floral spray to each angle, each door panel inlaid with central ribbon tied assorted flowers, enclosing six short deep mahogany faced and oak lined drawers, over a shaped apron, on later splayed ogee feet, some variations in the construction, the reverse of each commode with a late 19th century printed paper label which reads: 'M. BUTLER, Chippendale, "Adams" and Sheraton Furniture etc... 26, 126 & 127 Upper Abbey St., Dublin', 101cm wide x 54cm deep x 88cm high, (39.5in wide x 21in deep x 34.5in high) (2)
Footnotes
An idiosyncratic 18th century interpretation of the French form and aesthetic, indicated in this instance by the late Louis XV or 'Transitional' style of the offered commodes, seems reminiscent of the output of a certain small group of Swedish émigré cabinet makers operating in London during the latter part of the 1760s and early 1770s. In particular the trellis inlay throughout is redolent of the trellis work appearing on many pieces made by Christopher Fuhrlohg (1740-1787), mostly those produced in circa 1770.
Since its origins were in French furniture produced during the middle and third quarter of the 18th century, such trellis (or lattice) work is rarely seen on English contemporary pieces. However, this type of marquetry can be seen on commodes executed in circa 1770 by the Swedish émigré Fuhrlohg, who had initially trained and worked as a cabinet maker in France before moving to London in the late 1760s. During 1767-1768, Fuhrlohg served in the employ of the renowned figure of John Linnell (1729-1796) at the latter's workshop, which was located at 28 Berkeley Square.
A similar type of trellis inlay to that on the present lot features on a Fuhrlohg commode housed in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool whilst a group of three related models are at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. All of these appear in L. Wood, Catalogue of Commodes, 1994, London, No. 9 and fig.'s 105-110, pp.'s 106-113; Accession no. 66.64.2-4.
A drawing by John Linnell for a table designed to incorporate comparable 'lattice' marquetry is housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum (E.256 1929). Further versions of this type of inlay appear on a pair of side tables supplied by Linnell for Inveraray Castle, Scotland, which is the historic home of the Dukes of Argyll. Other related furniture include a pair of tables attributed to Linnell which were made on behalf of the 2nd Earl of Ashburnham for 19 Dover Street, London. The latter are illustrated in H. Hayward, P. Kirkham, William and John Linnell, 1980, London, fig.'s 307-311, pp.'s 161-163.
A further maker, John Cobb (1715-1778), also used trellis marquetry on some of his pieces at roughly the same time. In fact it is interesting to note that a pair of commodes inlaid with this similar lattice work is connected by Lucy Wood to a group of other related examples of this kind in her aforementioned publication, Catalogue of Commodes, 1994, London, op. cit., p. 94, fig.'s. 84-85.
An area of notable similarity to the work of two contemporary cabinet makers based in London at this time is the beautiful floral marquetry featuring on the door panels of the present lot. There are clearly affinities between the high quality execution, attractive colouration and even composition of these ribbon tied flowers with the type of floral marquetry incorporated by both John Linnell and John Cobb into their respective creations from approximately the same period.
Saleroom notices
Please note that there is a difference of approximately 5cm in height between the two commodes which comprise this lot.
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