A Fine George III satinwood marquetry breakfront bookcase attributed to Thomas Chippendale Circa 1775

in two sections, the upper section centred by a cabinet fitted with a pair of glazed doors opening to three adjustable shelves and surmounted by an inlaid fan cresting above a tablet centered by ribbon-tied husk swags flanked by a fluted frieze, flanked by a pair of cupboard doors with guilloche-carved cresting, the conforming projecting lower section with an inlaid Vitruvian-scroll frieze and centered by a secretaire drawer opening to an arrangment of pigeon holes and small drawers before a leather-lined writing surface above a pair of cupboard doors opening to three sliding shelves fitted with marblized paper and flanked by a bank fo four graduated drawers.  Tops of the upper sections each fitted with an electric light.

Mallett, London
Sold, Christie's London, June 25, 1981, lot 112

Lanto Synge, Mallet's Great English Furniture, Toronto, 1991, p. 130, fig. 147

Overall good condition; the tops of the upper sections each fitted with electric lights; the silk lined interior later; some sun-fading to the front of the bookcase with losses to the pen-lined engraving of Vitruvian scrolls; some minor veneer patches to corners of frieze to lower section; some restorations to cross-cut moldings above plinth; some minor nicks and chips to extremities; the molding beneath the Vitruvian scroll frieze to the left side of the bookcase is off, but present in a bag; the molding just beneath the upper three drawers is possibly replaced and with some inpainting; the back left corner of the lower section with a chip; small loss to veneer of drawer divider to right side between the upper two drawers and lower two drawers.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present bookcase conceived in Chippendale’s developed neoclassical style, making use of the fan, husk swags, urns, Vitruvian scrolls all executed in beautiful satinwood marquetry.  This bookcase shares similarities to other documented Chippendale pieces such as a commode which he supplied to Harewood Hall, circa 1772 which has almost identical husk swags tied with ribbons and centered by a central husk wreath (op. cit. p. 129); another commode, part of a suite of furniture Chippendale supplied to Denton Hall circa 1778, also makes use of this same motif (ibid. pp. 230, 274).  Another interesting feature, which is not unique to Chippendale’s work, is the use of marblized paper to line the sliding shelves to the lower section which is also seen on a ‘commode clothes press’ which he supplied to Nostell Priory, circa 1766 (ibid. p. 137).

See:
Christopher Gilbert, The Life and Works of Thomas Chippendale, New York, 1978