A fine George III white-painted breakfront bookcase in the manner of Mayhew and Ince circa 1760

Overall good condition; decoration refreshed; some old restorations to corners and tips of cornice; small loss to the tip of the laurel carving to the bottom of the right glazed door to upper section; overall with some nicks and wear to the paint of extremities.
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.

This bookcase with its whimsical Chinoiserie design is similar to the work and designs of Matthias Darly, William and John Linnell as well as John Mayhew and William Ince.  The pagoda form top of the bookcase is very similar to designs by Darly for a tester bed and a canopy circa 1754, (fig. 1) particularly to one with the icicle moldings found in his New Book of Chinese Designs (illustrated, C. Gilbert, ‘The Early Furniture Designs of Matthias  Darly’, Furniture History, 1975, figs. 80, 82).  It is interesting to note that Darly engraved 98 out of the 147 signed plates in Thomas Chippendale’s Director.  Gilbert notes that it is likely the two men became personal friends, Darly having taken over the tenancy of Chippendale’s lease on a house.  Records show that the Darly and Chippendale families shared the same house whilst the Director was being engraved.  Gilbert suggests that ‘it is not fanciful to suppose that a spirit of goodwill and mutual self-help existed between the two designers’.  It is also interesting to note that Mayhew and Ince commissioned Darly to engrave many of the designs in their Universal System, 1759-60.  (Ibid. p. 34) One of these designs is nearly identical to the overall profile of the present cabinet and is titled ‘Gentleman’s Repository’, plate XXI (fig. 2) showing a breakfront bookcase with pagoda top.  One of options for the cupboard doors to the base is similar to the present bookcase with icicle embellishments and elongated columns.  The present cabinet also relates to the work of William and John Linnell, particularly to the fanciful bed Linnell supplied to the 4^th Duke of Beaufort at Badminton House and now in the Victoria & Albert Museum. (illus. H. Hayward and P. Kirkham, William and John Linnell, Eighteenth Century Furniture Makers, New York, 1980, p. 1, fig.1)  The foliate-carved laurel glazing bars to the upper section are also reminiscent of foliate bandings used by Linnell in his mirrors and girandoles.  A sconce which Linnell supplied to Richard Hoare at Stourhead has similar entwined carved foliage as well as a girandole, designed by Robert Adam and supplied to Robert Child for Osterley Park (Ibid, pp. 86-87, figs. 164, 167).