Thomas Moore
Head of Department
Lot 8TP
A George III gilt brass mounted walnut and tulipwood serpentine commode in the manner of Pierre Langlois
25 October 2017, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £11,250 inc. premium
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A George III gilt brass mounted walnut and tulipwood serpentine commode
in the manner of Pierre Langlois
Circa 1765, of bombe form, the top with projecting rounded angles, inlaid with a central star motif within a shaped tablet, above two short drawers and one long drawer, over a further long drawer with a shaped lower edge, each drawer with a brass mounted surround, flanked by keeled angles with fruiting foliate, floral and scroll mounts, each side inlaid with a conforming star within a circular medallion, on splayed feet mounted with bifurcating scrolled acanthus sabots, 159cm wide x 77cm deep x 89cm high, (62 1/2in wide x 30in deep x 35in high)
Circa 1765, of bombe form, the top with projecting rounded angles, inlaid with a central star motif within a shaped tablet, above two short drawers and one long drawer, over a further long drawer with a shaped lower edge, each drawer with a brass mounted surround, flanked by keeled angles with fruiting foliate, floral and scroll mounts, each side inlaid with a conforming star within a circular medallion, on splayed feet mounted with bifurcating scrolled acanthus sabots, 159cm wide x 77cm deep x 89cm high, (62 1/2in wide x 30in deep x 35in high)
Footnotes
Provenance
Probably supplied to Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk.
Thence by descent to the 16th Duke of Norfolk, Arundel Castle, Sussex.
Sold at Christie's, London, 1 June 1961, lot 120.
Sold at Sotheby's, London, 15 November 1996, lot 37.
Purchased at Sotheby's, Important English Furniture, 3 July 2003, lot 125.
The offered lot was most likely originally supplied to Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk (1686-1777) since the provenance, when this commode was last offered for sale, refers to the fact that it had previously formed part of the collection of the Dukes of Norfolk. And during the mid 18th century it was the 9th Duke who amassed a vast quantity of furniture for both his primary property, Norfolk House, St. James's square in London, as well as for his country estate in Worksop Manor, Nottinghamshire.
It seems that Edward Howard who certainly favoured the French Rococo style would have probably commissioned the present piece due to its serpentine outline, shaped apron and scrolled foliate and floral mounts, which are all typical characteristics of the Rococo. In fact its appearance follows the overall French look of the Music Room at Norfolk House which is currently located at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The offered commode is comparable to numerous variant models produced by the renowned emigre, Pierre Langlois, a cabinet maker who in his own words supplied: 'Fine.. commodes.. inlaid in the Politest manner.' Among these similar examples associated to Langlois are a commode sold at Sotheby's, New York, 22 January 1994, lot 272, along with an assorted group of furniturewhich feature in P. Thornton and W. Rieder, Pierre Langlois Ebeniste, Connoisseur, February, March, April 1972, and December 1974.
