A pair of George III rosewood, harewood, mahogany and satinwood marquetry commodes circa 1770

in the manner of John Cobb, with applied gilt-metal mounts, the serpentine tops inlaid with to the centre with an oval panel depicting an urn, within  foliate arabesques and  border of meandering foliage, the conforming front inlaid with trellis and inlaid to the corners with a slender twin handled urn on a shaped socle, the sides each fitted with a door enclosing on one commode a shelf on each side and on the other three drawers, on fluted turned tapering supports

These are both in `Country house ' condition. Both could benefit from re-polishing according to taste. Both have losses to veeners and mouldings throughout which could easily be restored. The metal work is tarnished and needs to be cleaned according to taste. Both rather sun bleached. There are some minor differences to the construction of the supports immediately above the twist carved legs.
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The present pair of commodes relates closely to a group of furniture attributed to the great 18^th century cabinet-maker John Cobb and discussed in Lucy Wood, The Lady Lever Art Gallery, Catalogue of Commodes, 1994, pp. 88-97.  In particular the parquetry inlaid decoration to the top has close affinities with a commode attributed to John Cobb and supplied to Thomas Villiers ( 1709-1786), Baron Hyde of Hindon ( cr. 1786) and 1^st Earl of Clarendon ( cr. 1776), illus. Lucy Wood, op. cit. pl. i-ii, p.88. Comparisons can also be made to another commode with a similar trellis design seen on the front and sides of the present commodes, illus. op. cit. pl. 84, p. 94 and also  a Bonheur du jour,  illus. op. cit. pl. 92 which combines  the geometric designs seen on the top of the present commodes with the trellis designs, seen on the front and sides. For further comparison see The Journal of Furniture History, Colin Streeter, Marquetry Tables from Cobb`s Workshop,  Vol. X, 1974, pp.52-53, pl.28a- 30b.   

The present commodes can be said to be in a transitional style which is typical of Cobb`s work. The form shows both a strong French influence in the serpentine outline and in the  style of some of the inlay but also shows neo-Classical influences as evidenced by the urn motif to the top and front styles and also the leaf-carved supports. 

Very little is known of the early life of  the Royal cabinet-maker John Cobb ( circa 1715-1778), until he entered into partnership with the elder William Vile in 1751. Shortly after this, on 31^st May 1755, he married Sukey Grendey and became the son-in-law of the celebrated cabinet-maker Giles Grendey. Cobb continued in business for thirteen years after Vile`s retirement in 1764, during which time he produced the documented inlaid commode and two pedestals for Paul Methuen ( 1772) which have become seminal to the construction of his identity as a producer of high quality furniture often incorporating a variety of exotic timbers ( cf. Anon., Corsham Court, 1993, p.11, fig.111).

The present commodes also have affinities with furniture known to have been supplied by the prominent firm of London cabinet-makers, Mayhew and Ince, (a partnership which flourished between 1758 and 1804), suggesting that this firm may have also supplied them.

It is noted that in the Dictionary of English Furniture Makers that amongst `the diverse forms' of furniture produced by Mayhew and Ince was the `highly proficient and adventurous use of marquetry, distinguished by a variety of techniques and pointing to a significant number of specialist marqueteurs in the firm`s employ,' continuing that their work was distinguished by the use of `large scale  Antique motifs.. derived from engravings, simply coloured and boldly inlaid on a contrasting ground; extensive and delicate surface engraving to achieve the illusion of depth; and subtle inlaying ( usually of foliate designs), differentiated from the ground wood only by the natural colour and figure of the inlay'.

Clearly neo-classical inlay deriving from the Antique can be seen in the present commodes but more specifically the inlaid urns on the stiles of the present commode can be closely compared with a commode attributed to Mayhew and Ince, illustrated in Lucy Wood, op. cit. p. 203.  A similar motif also appears on a commode designed by Robert Adam for Lord Derby and supplied by Mayhew & Ince in 1775, again illustrated, Lucy Wood, op. cit. p.207. It is interesting also to note that the form of the commode with doors to each end enclosing shelves and drawers compares with another commode of the same form, also attributed to Mayhew and Ince, probably supplied to Archibald Douglas ( later 1st Baron Douglas) at 104 Pall Mall, London, circa 1773 and illustrated Lucy Wood, op. cit., pp 195-197.