IN THE MANNER OF MAYHEW AND INCE, LATE 19TH / EARLY 20TH CENTURY

This pair of marquetry commodes is closely modelled on a pair of George III commodes, circa 1775, supplied to Robert Birch M.P. (d. 1810) of Turvey House, Donabate, co. Dublin, and attributed to the Golden Square cabinet-makers, John Mayhew (d. 1811) and William Ince (d. 1804). The similarity is such that virtually identical veneers of satinwood and harewood have been used, the marquetry is a faithful interpretation of the 18th century example, and even includes the same arms of Birch impaling Ryves that were displayed on the prototype. Though the 19th century history of the Birch commodes is unknown, they were with the New York dealer Arthur S. Vernay in the early 20th century and were sold most recently at Christie’s, London, The Exceptional Sale, 5 July 2012, lot 33 (£746,850 inc. premium) (see Christie's sale catalogue).

The inspiration for these commodes is the elegant ‘antique’ style established by the country’s leading Neo-classical architect Robert Adam (d. 1792), popularised in a drawing of January 1773 for an ‘Etruscan’ commode for the Duke of Bolton and published in Adam’s Works in Architecture (1773-77). The semi-elliptical pattern was to become the basis for one of Mayhew and Ince’s most long-lived and popular furniture models of the 1770s and 80s.

The paper label applied to the underside of one of the commodes offered here confirms that they were in the collection of Colonel Frank Shuttleworth (d. 1913) at Old Warden Park, Bedfordshire. In 1875-78, Colonel Shuttleworth’s father, Joseph (d. 1883), founder of the engineers Clayton & Shuttleworth, commissioned the renowned architect, Henry Clutton (d. 1893) to design a substantial ‘Elizabethan’ mansion modelled on 16th century Gawthorpe Hall, the seat of the eminent but unconnected Lancashire Shuttleworths. Joseph Shuttleworth seemingly aimed to play upon the ancient heritage of his namesakes and to create a similarly distinguished family seat. The prolific acquisition of furniture and paintings by both Joseph, and later Frank, was part of this process to invoke a history and ancestry for their own family. The image of a gloved hand holding a shuttle was adopted as the family crest; the same device appears in the coat of arms of the Tudor Shuttleworths of Gawthorpe.

The second label for 'The Great Northern Railway’ (Frank was a Director of the company) and 'Parcel from King’s Cross’ implies the commodes were supplied by a London firm. Furniture for Old Warden was acquired from the leading dealers of the period including Mallett & Son, established from 1865 at the Octagon Chapel, Bath, and from 1908 in New Bond Street (compiled by Princess von Croy, Old Warden Park, Bedfordshire, A Brief Guide, n.d.). Furthermore, many of the interior furnishings of Old Warden were supplied by Gillows of Lancaster and London, and the carved swags of fruit in the Dining Room were acquired from Strong of Riding House Street, London (ibid.). Given the Irish heritage of the Birch commodes, it is possible that this pair are the product of one of the Dublin cabinet-makers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, perhaps M. Butler, recorded at various addresses in Upper Abbey Street between 1886 and 1912. Butler specialised in restoring and retailing Georgian furniture, as well as producing furniture inspired by the 18th century. One of Butler's labels refers to himself as a 'Collector and Restorer of "Chippendale", "Adams" and "Sheraton" Furniture, Etc'. (The Knight of Glin, 'Dublin Directories and Trade Labels', Furniture History, 1985, p. 262).