A NEAR PAIR OF GEORGE III ROSEWOOD SERPENTINE COMMODES

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GEOFFREY BLACKWELL, COLLECTOR Geoffrey Blackwell, O.B.E. (1884-1943) was unusual amongst the leading collectors of English furniture of the first half of the twentieth century in combining modern British pictures and Georgian furniture, with which he furnished his Berkhamsted house. He was friendly with artists such as Henry Tonks and was an unofficial member of the New English Art Club. Quite possibly inspired by the seminal publication of Macquoid & Edwards Dictionary of English Furniture in 1924, Blackwell entered into the world of Georgian furniture collecting. In this, as with several other notable collectors of the day, he sought the wise counsel of the connoisseur and advisor R. W. Symonds and his collection was clearly deemed important enough to form the subject of two articles by Symonds in Apollo in 1936 (vol. XXIII). Symonds was behind the formation of several other prominent early twentieth century collections such as those formed by Percival Griffiths, J. S. Sykes, James Thursby-Pelham, E. B. Moller and Frederick Poke and often acted as intermediary between collectors when they decided to 'refine' their collections. One Blackwell family story goes that one of Blackwell's sons was out fox-hunting with the Whaddon when Griffiths was killed. Returning home, he informed his father who was taking a bath. He immediately leapt out of the bath and telephoned Symonds to see which pieces would be available. A group of furniture from Blackwell's collection was sold by members of the Blackwell family, in these Rooms, 9 July 1992, lots 137-146 which included the splendid burr-walnut dressing-table that belonged to Lord Byron, Newstead Abbey, Nottingham and carved walnut mirror, reputedly from the same source (both illustrated below). Each of the examples illustrated here were sold at Christie's by a descendant of Geoffrey Blackwell. Furniture belonging to Blackwell that has appeared at auction in recent years have achieved strong prices. A tripod table with 'piecrust' top, cabriole legs and claw-and-ball feet, that had once belonged to Percival Griffiths and then Geoffrey Blackwell, was sold by a descendant of Blackwell, Christie's, London, 14 June 2001, lot 35 (£135,750). In the same sale, a George II burr-walnut and parcel-gilt mirror was sold by the late John Blackwell, son of Geoffrey Blackwell, as lot 30 (£80,750). Another tripod table, but with a plain moulded top was also sold by a descendant of Blackwell, Christie's, London, 24 November 2005, lot 10 (£102,000). THE PROPERTY OF DESCENDANTS OF GEOFFREY BLACKWELL

A NEAR PAIR OF GEORGE III ROSEWOOD SERPENTINE COMMODES

THIRD QUARTER 18TH CENTURY

Details

A NEAR PAIR OF GEORGE III ROSEWOOD SERPENTINE COMMODES
THIRD QUARTER 18TH CENTURY
Each with shaped rectangular top inlaid with a chequerband and stars at the front corners, above a slide, one lined with green baize the other with tan leather, above four graduated drawers between cluster column angles, on bracket feet, handles on one commode original
36 in. (91.5 cm.) high; 44½ in. (113 cm.) wide; 22 in. (56 cm.) deep (2)

Provenance

Geoffrey Blackwell, Esq., O.B.E. (1884-1943), by family descent.
One bought from Lionel Harris, Jr., Kent House, 1B King Street, St James's, 21 September 1933 for £105.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Blackwell owned a related serpentine commode, in mahogany and also with inlay on its top. This inlay took the distinctive form of an 'Orb and Sceptre'. It was sold by members of the Blackwell family, Christie's, London, 9 July 1992, lot 141.
It is highly unusual to find a serpentine commode of this form executed in rosewood. A mahogany serpentine commode with ribbon-tied reeded columnar angles was supplied in the eighteenth century to Thomas Howarth, Esq., for Whittington Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale, Lancashire and sold by a descendant, anonymously, Sotheby's, London, 3 July 2003, lot 47 (£86,240). Another mahogany serpentine commode with related cluster-column angles was sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 8 July 1999, lot 131 (£122,500).

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