A fine George III mahogany secretaire bookcase in the manner of Gillows circa 1765

the upper section with leaf tip-carved and dentil-molded cornice above a pair of gothic-arched glazed doors opening to adjustable shelves, the projecting lower section with a flower head- and ribbon-carved edge above a fall-front secretaire drawer faced to simulate two drawers, the center divide carved with pendent husks, the astragal moldings with concave corners and carved with foliage, opening to a polished surface and an ogee-arched fielded panel prospect door flanked by pilaster-fronted secret drawers and an arrangement of short drawers and pigeonholes, all over a pair of cupboard doors opening to three sliding shelves, the first with a paper label bearing the name John Hoby Mill Esq^r. beneath a cartouche with the arms of Mill-Hoby impailing Comyn, raised on bracket feet.

John Hoby Mill, Esq.

Sold, Christie's, New York, April 22, 1989, lot 52 ($49,500)

Sold, Christie's, New York, October 23, 2002, lot 72 ($50,190)

Overall good condition; the upper section with very tiny hairline crack to bottom left pane of left door approximately 1 ½ inches long; some mullions with slight separation at lines of construction; very small crack to base of central glass panel of left cupboard door approximately ½ inch in length; the lower section with minor inpainted stress cracks to top at front corners along lines of construction; very small chips and losses to molded edge beneath secretaire drawer; chip to front right corner of front left foot; slight sun fading to veneers of both sections especially to the front; the underside with some age cracks to baseboard and with some old nails possibly for packing purposes; secret drawers flanking the central cupboard door with the red pencil letter L and R respectively to the backs; one small drawer with later compartment for ink; overall with old marks, scratches, scuffs, and bruises consistent 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.
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.

Of imposing height and constructed of highly figured and carved mahogany, the present secretaire bookcase was possibly made by the Lancaster firm of Gillows.  An attribution to the earlier work of Gillows is difficult as there are fewer drawings or sketches of the firm's designs from this period than those detailed drawings found in the Estimate Sketch Books starting in 1784, but there are characteristics found on documented pieces that are seen on this piece.  These include the exceptional quality and figure of the mahogany or 'fine birchings' (see: Lindsay Boynton, Gillow Furniture Desgins 1760-1800, 1995, p. 30), book-matched veneers, the somewhat conservative or retardataire carving to the edges, the foliate clasps to the 'hollow corners' of the secretaire drawer and doors of the lower section and the garrya carving to the center of the secretaire drawer.  A clothes press made for Richard Clowes in 1772 has related carving; (see Susan E. Stuart, Gillows of Lancaster and London 1730-1840, Antique Collectors' Club, 2008, vol. II, p. 61, pl. 607).   There is also a rather unusual feature shared with a bookcase made by Gillows in 1772 for Mrs. Mary Hutton Rawlinson recently acquired by the Lancashire County Museum Service for the Judges' Lodgings Museum, Lancaster: the Gothic-arched glazing bars to the doors have fret-carved cusps to the sides of the upper section (see: The Furniture History Society Newsletter, May 2008, 'The Rawlinson Bookcase by Gillows of Lancaster Successfully Acquired', pp. 1-4); the present bookcase has fan-shaped fret-carved cusps to the glazing bars at the bottoms.  As with the Rawlinson bookcase, the edges of the projecting lower section and its base are carved with foliage and/or flower heads.  The lower sections often had 'either sliding or fixed shelves to hold wine, sugar ". . . or anything else by want of a store closet"' (see Stuart, op. cit., vol. I, p. 357-358).  Finally, Boynton, op. cit., p. 26, notes 'the swelled ogee foot long remained a Gillow feature'.

The arms are those of John Hoby-Mill and his wife Elizabeth Comyn.  John Mill (b.1719) inherited the surname Hoby and the Hoby estates from his cousin Sir Philip Hoby in 1766 becoming John Hoby-Mill Esq.  He then inherited the baronetcy of Mill in 1770 from his brother Sir Richard Mill, who had been M.P. for Southampton, thus becoming Sir John Mill-Hoby of Camois Court. He died without issue and was succeeded by his younger brother Sir Henry Mill in 1790.  The baronetcy expired with Sir Charles Mill who died in 1835 without issue, his surname and estates being inherited by his nephew the Rev. John Barker, becoming Sir John Barker-Mill of Mottisfont, Hampshire.