A George III serpentine mahogany commode, circa 1760, in the manner of Vile & Cobb

with three graduated long drawers

Sotheby's London, Important English Furniture, 22 May 1992, lot 252 (£28,000)

The chest of drawers is in good conserved condition, with minor marks and scratches consistent with age and use. There are two minor losses to the veneer to the drawers. One repaired crack to the left return. It is ready to be placed. A handsome piece, with good colour and finely carved.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present commode forms part of a large and widely regarded group of furniture associated with the esteemed Georgian cabinet-makers William Vile and John Cobb. Their commission for George III and Queen Charlotte at Buckingham Palace was perhaps the firm’s greatest and it is within the pieces supplied at this time that similar styles and motifs can most clearly be seen when compared with the present lot. The finely carved scrolls to the apron, the carved acanthus to the legs and unusual square pads to the feet all relate to a Jewel Cabinet supplied to Queen Charlotte in 1761, illustrated in Anthony Coleridge, Chippendale Furniture, Glasgow, 1968, fig. 12. Another Vile and Cobb hallmark is the use of richly carved floral swags and garlands as seen on the protruding support below the canted corners. This technique lightens the often imposing architectural feel of Vile and Cobb’s furniture, softening the overall aesthetic. One can see this employed on a grand scale on a bookcase supplied to Queen Charlotte in 1762 (op. cit., fig. 14) and a kneehole desk at The Mansion House, London (op. cit., fig. 19), both of which share stylistic similarities with the present lot.