ALBANY: An Important Private Collection

A George III mahogany, satinwood, marquetry and kingwood serpentine commode, Circa 1770 in the manner of John Cobb

Restricted SpeciesUK: Greenford Park Warehouse

Auction Closed

December 6, 03:29 PM GMT

Estimate

20,000 - 30,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

A George III mahogany, satinwood, marquetry and kingwood serpentine commode, Circa 1770 in the manner of John Cobb

the serpentine-shaped cross-banded top with a central oval reserve inlaid with a posy of flowers within a trellis and rosette parquetry surround, the doors similarly inlaid with oval panels enclosing a mahogany shelf, the plain oval panels to the side with foliate-cast brass carrying handles, all between shaped uprights on splayed feet, the reverse bearing a depository label WHITE & CO., LTD., FURNITURE DEPOSITORIES 126, HOLDENHURST ROAD, BOURNEMOUTH and inscribed JFF WALKER ESQ 21

92.5cm. high, 115cm. wide, 60cm. deep; 3ft., 3ft. 9 1/4in., 1ft. 11 5/8in.

This lot contains endangered species. Sotheby’s recommends that buyers check with their own government regarding any importation requirements prior to placing a bid. For example, US regulations restrict or prohibit the import of certain items to protect wildlife conservation. Please note that Sotheby’s will not assist buyers with the shipment of this lot to the US. A buyer’s inability to export or import these lots cannot justify a delay in payment or sale cancellation.

Anonymous sale, Christie’s London, 23 May 1968;
The Collection of Michael p. Knapp, London until sold Sotheby’s London, 11 April, 1975, lot 142 (illus.);
Private Collection, UK;
Acquired from Ronald Phillips Ltd., London.

Ronald Phillips Ltd., catalogue, London, 2017, p.208.

The present commode relates closely to a group of furniture attributed to the great eighteenth 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 and the sprays of flowers to the ovals of the doors 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 trellis design illus. op. cit. pl. 84, p. 94 and also another with similar floral inlay illus. op. cit. pl. 90. 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 documented work of Cobb shows a close understanding of French prototypes, not only in marquetry decoration, but also in construction techniques. It is perhaps notable that in 1772, he was implicated in smuggling French furniture into England through the use of Italian diplomatic bags in an attempt to avoid import duty (cf. Geoffrey Beard and Christopher Gilbert, Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, 1660-1840, 1986, p.182).