A George III mahogany serpentine commode circa 1760

the quarter-veneered shaped rectangular top above a drawer fitted with a baize-lined slide enclosing an interior, with a hinged central mirror flanked by trays and lidded caddies, above three graduated long drawers, on bracket feet with brass cappings and castors

Percival D. Griffiths, Sandridgebury, Kent, England;
Geoffrey Blackwell, O.B.E.;
Christie's London, 9 July 1992, lot 143 

R. W. Symonds, 'Furniture in the Collection of Geoffrey Blackwell', Part I, Apollo, vol. xxiii, 1936, p. 198, fig. viii

An attractive and commanding piece in good conserved condition. The top has a good colour and the quarter veneers with typical small splits in some areas consentient with age. Both returns have some vertical age cracks along the lines of construction which have been filled and are secure. The boldly carved corners possibly with some replaced sections. The panels to the reverse with some movement along joints which has been secured with tape. The mirror plate of the fitted interior replaced. The gilt-brass handles possibly original, but the apertures arounds the nuts to inside of the drawer fronts have be cut away and filed back. With old marks and scratches throughout 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 commode was part of two highly important 20th century collections of English furniture, those of Percival D. Griffiths and Geoffrey Blackwell. The former’s interest in furniture began in the early 1900s and his collection was extensively published by the eminent furniture historian R. W. Symonds, whose English Furniture from Charles II to George III remains a pioneering work on the subject to this day and shaped the collecting tastes of generations to come. In the foreword to Symonds' seminal text, Griffiths extols the virtues of good collecting stating ‘the real collector is one who buys a piece, not for its utilitarian purpose but because it has intrinsic merit’. The present lot is a testament to this philosophy, where the quality of the design, construction, colour and carving come together in a quintessentially English piece of mid-18^th century case furniture.

Geoffrey Blackwell was one of Symonds’ most important clients and became one of the preeminent collectors of his generation. Indeed, his collection formed the basis of Symonds' article for Apollo magazine (op. cit., p. 198) which illustrates the present lot.  Blackwell built up a unique collection, combining modern British pictures and fine Georgian furniture to adorn the interior of his Berkhamsted home. Symonds also advised several other prominent collectors such as J. S. Sykes, James Thursby Pelham, E. B. Moller and Frederick Poke, but Blackwell was one of the most enthusiastic. Family legend has it, that one of Blackwell's sons was on a fox hunt with the Whaddon when Griffiths was killed. Without hesitation, he dashed home to inform his father, who leapt from the bath and called upon Symonds in order to ascertain exactly which pieces would be available for sale. A zeal that Griffiths would no doubt have admired.