A George III marquetry, padouk and mahogany serpentine commode, circa 1770, attributed to Mayhew & Ince

with an curved back to the top, the single fitted frieze drawer with a ratcheted mirror and various lidded compartments, above cupboard doors opening to reveal three long drawers, the bracket feet possibly shortened with concealed brass castors

The distinctive profile of the present commode places it firmly among a group of commodes attributed to the Golden Square firm Mayhew and Ince. The serpentine form, shallow frieze drawer, rounded corners and bracket feet, and deeply etched foliate decoration all feature on other examples long associated to Mayhew and Ince. An idiosyncratic feature on the present commode is the curved rear edge of the top, presumably a quirk dictated by the space the piece was originally designed for.

For related examples employing a yewwood ground see those sold Christie’s New York, Property from a Sutton Square Residence, 18 October 1997 and Christie’s New York, The Connoisseur’s Eye, 7 June 2013.