ATTRIBUTED TO MAYHEW & INCE, CIRCA 1775

Establishing their workshop in 1759 in Broad Street, Mayhew and Ince produced furniture for the next forty years. Although records exist of their commissions, it is often difficult to firmly attribute their works to them owing to the unpredictable variations in style, construction and quality of workmanship. However, the use of natural colored woods enhanced with engraving and inlaid to produce a striking visual effect is often a signature of their work. This is most certainly apparent on the present lot. The use of a fine quality satinwood, crossbanded in tulipwood with a rich mahogany edge, all enhanced by a bold harewood and fruitwood conch-shell medallion and berried-garlands flanked by ribbon-tied bellflower swags to the leaves, which disappear into the crossbanding, would all point to the above. The marquetry, and in particular the medallions which hang beneath the ribbon-tied bellflowers relate to a commode attributed to Mayhew and Ince, and illustrated in L. Wood, Catalogue of Commodes, London, 1994, p. 210, No. 24, pl. ii.