A George III satinwood, tulipwood and mahogany commode, circa 1770, attributed to Pierre Langlois

By Repute formerly in the collection of the Earls of Carnarvon at Highclere Castle, Berkshire, Hampshire;
Acquired by Partridge Fine Arts;
Acquired by Hotspur Antiques in 1988;
Private Collection Switzerland;
Until purchased by the present owner.

An elegant commode in good conserved condition. There are minor repaired patches to the veneer of the top surface. The uprights have further repaired patches and some scattered minor losses to the left hand side. This commode has a fine colour throughout. With some old marks and scratches commensurate with age and use.
"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."

This elegant marquetry commode can be attributed to the French born cabinet-maker Pierre Langlois (d.1767) based on a number of comparable commodes discussed and illustrated in P. Thornton and W. Rieder, 'Pierre Langlois, Ebéniste', Parts I-V, Connoisseur, December 1971, February, March, April & May 1972, pp. 105-112, 178, 283-88. It shares features with documented commodes by Langlois including the bombé serpentine form, shaped apron and double doors. During the early years of King George III's reign, the Tottenham Court Road ébéniste and specialist 'inlayer', Pierre Langlois – who had established himself in England by 1759 – introduced the fashion for this style of serpentined commode.

One of the rarest pieces of furniture in the collection at Highclere Castle - occasionally featured on the television series Downton Abbey - is a large armoire secrétaire attributed to Langlois. Although as yet no documentary evidence of Langlois working at Highclere has been uncovered in the Carnarvon papers, the extraordinary quality and unusual scale of the piece would point to a specific commission. It is likely therefore that both this secrétaire and the present lot would have been commissioned at the same time by the Henry Herbert (1741–1811), 1^st Earl of Carnarvon. Known as Lord Porchester until 1793, Herbert served as a whig politician under George III eventually rising to be Master of the Horse in 1806. The 1^st Earl inherited Highclere from his uncle the Honourable Robert Sawyer Herbert in 1769 whereupon it became the seat of the Earls of Carnarvon as it has remained to this day.

Highclere Castle sits proudly in its own landscaped parkland in the country of Hampshire. Home to the Earl’s of Carnarvon and their forebears since 1679 the house has played host to Royalty, military and celebrity for the last three centuries. Remodelled in the 19^th century by Sir Charles Barry (architect of the House of Commons) the house is instantly recognisable for its Jacobean exterior reflecting the Victorian passion for English architecture of the 16^th and early 17^th centuries. As Downton Abbey, both the beauty grounds and more pertinently the interiors of the castle have been shown to great effect.

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