A George III satinwood, rosewood, tulipwood and marquetry demi-lune commode, circa 1775

The honey tones of satinwood formed the ideal background for the graceful marquetry that was popular on the furniture of the late 18^th century. The marquetry’s motifs were typical of the restrained, elegant first wave of Neoclassicism in Europe: these included urns as on the present example, but also figures in classical drapery and imitations of architectural details like fluting. This particular form, a demilune commode with panel doors instead of drawers, is present in the published designs of the greatest names of the era, including Robert Adam¹ and George Hepplewhite.² In their comprehensive recent study of Mayhew and Ince, arguably some of the period’s leading furniture makers in this style of rich marquetry, Hugh Roberts and Charles Cator dedicate several pages to commodes similar in style to the present lot.³

Outstanding examples of this form can be found in public collections like the V&A and the Lady Lever Gallery,⁴ as well as numerous country houses like Osterley Park and Stourhead.⁵ A truly exceptional pair of satinwood marquetry demilunes sold at Sotheby’s New York for $425,000;⁶ other examples more specifically centred with urns as on the present lot have also been at Sotheby’s and Christie’s on numerous occasions.⁷

¹ R. Oresko (ed.), The Works in Architecture of Robert & James Adam, London, 1975, p.107 (vol.II, pl.VIII)

² G. Hepplewhite, The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide, New York, 1969 [facsimile of the 1794 edition], pl.78.

³ H. Roberts and C. Cator, Industry and Ingenuity: The Partnership of William Ince and John Mayhew, London, 2022, pp.294-308, of which p.301 (figs. 131-132) is closest in style to the present lot.

⁴ Examples in the V&A include CIRC.2-1957, CIRC.1-1957 and W.56:1 to 3-1925. The commodes of this form in the Lady Lever gallery are in L. Wood, Catalogue of Commodes, London, 1994, nos.12, 23, 29, 30, 31, 37, 38, 39.

⁵ The examples at Osterley are NT 771768 and NT 771769; the examples at Stourhead is NT 731559.

⁶ Sotheby’s New York, 11^th December 2014, lot 9

⁷ See Christie’s London, 23^rd June 1994, lot 167; Christie’s London, 9^th July 1992, lot 111 and Sotheby’s New York, 24^th October 1992.