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Lot Essay
WRIGHT AND ELWICK
The design of these splendid ‘pier commode tables’ can be attributed to the London-trained 'Upholders' Richard Wright and Edward Elwick, who traded at the 'Glass & Cabinet Ware House' in Wakefield, Yorkshire. The partnership lasted between 1747 and 1771. Much of the furniture attributed to Wright and Elwick shares similar traits including a close adherence to designs by Thomas Chippendale; both Wright and Elwick subscribed separately to the 1754 edition of Chippendale's Director.
These commodes reflect Chippendale’s promotion of novel ‘modern’ architecture fusing various different architectural styles. Its doors are embellished in the Gothic manner with reeded mouldings cusped in arched tablets; while the drawers’ reed-banding frames golden bas-relief cartouches of richly-sculpted ormolu escutcheons that reflect the French ‘picturesque’ fashion lauded in William Hogarth’s, Analysis of Beauty, 1753. Their reed-banded rectangular top is elegantly curved above a central nest of drawers in an elliptic bay that echoes the triumphal-arched recess incorporated in its drawer-fitted base.
A distinct group of commodes of this design is known, including:
1. A commode sold by the Earl Fitzwilliam from Wentworth Woodhouse; Christie's at Spencer House, London, 15 July 1948, lot 110, later sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 18 November 1982, lot 174, and again Bonhams, New York, 4 March 2015, lot 1200 ($13,750 including premium). This commode and one of the present matched pair share identical mounts.
2. A commode sold anonymously, Sotheby's New York, 27 January 1996, lot 318 (reputedly from J. P. Morgan, illustrated in F. Lewis Hinckley, A Directory of Queen Anne, Early Georgian and Chippendale Furniture, New York, 1971, p. 238, pl. 429). The mounts on this commode are of a mid-18th century rococo-chinoiserie pattern; it also features carrying-handles at each side.
3. A commode sold ‘The Property of the late Anne, Lady Hollenden’, Christie’s, London, 23 November 2006, lot 10 (£48,000 including premium). This commode and one of the present matched pair share identical mounts.
4. A pair sold from the estate of William C. Reilly, Christie's, New York, 11 June 2010, lot 429 ($40,000 including premium).
5. Most recently, a commode with neo classical drawer handles, was sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 19 May 2016, lot 173 (£13,750 including premium).
A further variation of this model but on shaped bracket feet was at Nostell Priory, Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1906 and is illustrated in P. Macquoid, The Age of Mahogany, 1906, fig. 135. Another in sabicu but with `Chinese' pattern bracket feet was sold at the Wentworth sale, Christie's, London, 8 July 1998, lot 69 (£29,900 including premium).
The design of these splendid ‘pier commode tables’ can be attributed to the London-trained 'Upholders' Richard Wright and Edward Elwick, who traded at the 'Glass & Cabinet Ware House' in Wakefield, Yorkshire. The partnership lasted between 1747 and 1771. Much of the furniture attributed to Wright and Elwick shares similar traits including a close adherence to designs by Thomas Chippendale; both Wright and Elwick subscribed separately to the 1754 edition of Chippendale's Director.
These commodes reflect Chippendale’s promotion of novel ‘modern’ architecture fusing various different architectural styles. Its doors are embellished in the Gothic manner with reeded mouldings cusped in arched tablets; while the drawers’ reed-banding frames golden bas-relief cartouches of richly-sculpted ormolu escutcheons that reflect the French ‘picturesque’ fashion lauded in William Hogarth’s, Analysis of Beauty, 1753. Their reed-banded rectangular top is elegantly curved above a central nest of drawers in an elliptic bay that echoes the triumphal-arched recess incorporated in its drawer-fitted base.
A distinct group of commodes of this design is known, including:
1. A commode sold by the Earl Fitzwilliam from Wentworth Woodhouse; Christie's at Spencer House, London, 15 July 1948, lot 110, later sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 18 November 1982, lot 174, and again Bonhams, New York, 4 March 2015, lot 1200 ($13,750 including premium). This commode and one of the present matched pair share identical mounts.
2. A commode sold anonymously, Sotheby's New York, 27 January 1996, lot 318 (reputedly from J. P. Morgan, illustrated in F. Lewis Hinckley, A Directory of Queen Anne, Early Georgian and Chippendale Furniture, New York, 1971, p. 238, pl. 429). The mounts on this commode are of a mid-18th century rococo-chinoiserie pattern; it also features carrying-handles at each side.
3. A commode sold ‘The Property of the late Anne, Lady Hollenden’, Christie’s, London, 23 November 2006, lot 10 (£48,000 including premium). This commode and one of the present matched pair share identical mounts.
4. A pair sold from the estate of William C. Reilly, Christie's, New York, 11 June 2010, lot 429 ($40,000 including premium).
5. Most recently, a commode with neo classical drawer handles, was sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 19 May 2016, lot 173 (£13,750 including premium).
A further variation of this model but on shaped bracket feet was at Nostell Priory, Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1906 and is illustrated in P. Macquoid, The Age of Mahogany, 1906, fig. 135. Another in sabicu but with `Chinese' pattern bracket feet was sold at the Wentworth sale, Christie's, London, 8 July 1998, lot 69 (£29,900 including premium).