A pair of George IV ormolu-mounted rosewood marble top side cabinets in the manner of Morel and Seddon circa 1825

The first cabinet: in good condition, with some pitting and minor tarnishing to the lacquered brass throughout. Nicely cast and chased. Nice color and surface to rosewood. The gadrooned toes with wear and rubbing. The front left gadrooned toe with a large chip. Side panels with hairline vertical age cracks consistent with age and use. Marble tops possibly associated and with minor small chips and wear to edges and light scratches to tops.
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.

These cabinets bear similarity to the work of Morel and Seddon executed for George IV at Windsor Castle in the late 1820s.  Conceived in the antique manner, the cabinets incorporate features found on many of the pieces at Windsor including the stylized flower heads, acanthus leaves, and honeysuckle flowers.  The ormolu mounts to the doors are almost identical to the design for the marquetry of panels of two bedsteads (account nos.768 and 831) and a dwarf wardrobe (account no. 779) made by Morel and Hughes for a suite of bedrooms (rooms 227-231) at Windsor, circa 1828 which make use of maple and purplewood marquetry influenced by the Parisian designs of Jacob-Desmalter (Hugh Roberts, For the King’s Pleasure, London, 2001, pp. 288-309, figs. 368 and 369).  Likewise the scrolled feet are identical to the design of the scrolling foliage of the friezes found on this suite of furniture.  Interestingly, the elongated S-scrolled supports to the ends of the cabinets appear to be an updated version of those on a set of commodes attributed to Pierre Langlois originally made for Princess Amelia, daughter of George II, and purchased by Lord Yarmouth for George IV in 1818.  The four commodes were then incorporated into the decoration scheme by Morel and Seddon in 1827 (Ibid., p. 332, note 1027, p. 334, fig. 419).  It may be that the Langlois commodes may have inspired some of Nicholas Morel’s designs.  It is also reasonable to assume that the present cabinets were either made by Morel and Seddon or a cabinet-maker working in their oeuvre.