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Lot Essay
This elegant commode is part of a small and distinguished group attributed to the London cabinet-makers William Vile and John Cobb, and discussed in depth by Lucy Wood in her Catalogue of Commodes, London, 1994, pp. 43-53. The commodes are characterized by their serpentine form, lustrous mahogany and rich ormolu mounts which copy French Régence patterns produced some thirty years earlier.
There are subtle variations within this group including a variation in the drawer arrangements, a less pronounced serpentine front, a straight sided instead of a molded top (as seen on this commode), ebony around the edges of the tops and cock-beading as well as the presence of ormolu carrying handles. Notable examples include:
-A celebrated group supplied to Burghley House, Lincolnshire, one with two short over two long drawers from the Blue Silk Dressing Room, which most closely resembles the present commode, and two further pairs of this same basic model, one exhibiting further elaborate rococo mounts, from the Brown Drawing Room and Pagoda Room.
-Two pairs from Blickling Hall in Norfolk (one pair sold in 1933), with straighter sides and without the molded edge to the tops.
- A pair purchased by Lord Lever, later created Viscount Leverhulme, in 1914 and now in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, previously in the collection of Sir Lionel Phillips, Tylney Hall, Hampshire.
-Two pairs supplied to John, 2nd Earl Ashburnham and sold from Ashburnham Place, Sussex; Sotheby’s House sale, 7-9 July 1953, lots135-6; lot 135 was subsequently sold at Christie’s, New York, 13 October 2020, lot 14 ($300,000) and lot 136 reappeared at Christie's London, 14 June 2001, lot 140 (£421,750).
- A single example of slightly smaller scale, supplied to the 5th Duke of Bolton for Hackwood, Hampshire sold Christie's London, 8 July 1999, lot 62 (£199,500).
- A single example with carved lambrequin apron possibly supplied to Richard Grenville, Earl Temple for Wotton House, Buckinghamshire, and subsequently sold from the collection of Simon Sainsbury; Christie’s, London, 18 June 2008, lot 50 (£193,250).
These commodes can be confidently attributed to the acclaimed Royal cabinet-makers William Vile and John Cobb based on their association with other related models recorded by the firm and a known working relationship between the cabinet-makers and the houses to which these various commodes were supplied. Most notably, at Blickling there is a payment by the 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire to 'Vile & Cobb cabinet-makers' in August 1762 for £86.5s.9d which is sufficient to account for the four Régence pattern commodes and a further related example. This additional single commode at Blickling shares the same mounts and other distinguishable features with a documented example supplied by Cobb to James West at Alscot Park in 1966 for £16. Although Vile and Cobb are not documented at Burghley, Lucy Wood suggests they may have been made by Vile and Cobb but subcontracted to them by another firm such as Ince and Mayhew. The six commodes at Burghley have considerable variations in construction and a former apprentice of Cobb's (Henry Tatham) was based nearby in Stamford and employed at Burghley from at least 1772.
WILLIAM VILE AND JOHN COBB
After Thomas Chippendale, Vile and Cobb were arguably the most accomplished cabinet-makers of the mid-Georgian period, a golden age of carved mahogany furniture. Their work is characterized by confident lines, well-chosen, high-quality timber and beautifully detailed carving. William Vile (d.1767) worked initially with the celebrated cabinet-maker William Hallett (d.1773) before setting up in partnership with John Cobb (17815-1778) in 1751 and establishing their workshop in St. Martin’s Lane. They were appointed 'cabinet-makers' to George III in 1761 and supplied a series of superb and celebrated pieces to several Royal residences, including Kensington Palace, St. James's Palace and the Queen's House, now Buckingham Palace.
There are subtle variations within this group including a variation in the drawer arrangements, a less pronounced serpentine front, a straight sided instead of a molded top (as seen on this commode), ebony around the edges of the tops and cock-beading as well as the presence of ormolu carrying handles. Notable examples include:
-A celebrated group supplied to Burghley House, Lincolnshire, one with two short over two long drawers from the Blue Silk Dressing Room, which most closely resembles the present commode, and two further pairs of this same basic model, one exhibiting further elaborate rococo mounts, from the Brown Drawing Room and Pagoda Room.
-Two pairs from Blickling Hall in Norfolk (one pair sold in 1933), with straighter sides and without the molded edge to the tops.
- A pair purchased by Lord Lever, later created Viscount Leverhulme, in 1914 and now in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, previously in the collection of Sir Lionel Phillips, Tylney Hall, Hampshire.
-Two pairs supplied to John, 2nd Earl Ashburnham and sold from Ashburnham Place, Sussex; Sotheby’s House sale, 7-9 July 1953, lots135-6; lot 135 was subsequently sold at Christie’s, New York, 13 October 2020, lot 14 ($300,000) and lot 136 reappeared at Christie's London, 14 June 2001, lot 140 (£421,750).
- A single example of slightly smaller scale, supplied to the 5th Duke of Bolton for Hackwood, Hampshire sold Christie's London, 8 July 1999, lot 62 (£199,500).
- A single example with carved lambrequin apron possibly supplied to Richard Grenville, Earl Temple for Wotton House, Buckinghamshire, and subsequently sold from the collection of Simon Sainsbury; Christie’s, London, 18 June 2008, lot 50 (£193,250).
These commodes can be confidently attributed to the acclaimed Royal cabinet-makers William Vile and John Cobb based on their association with other related models recorded by the firm and a known working relationship between the cabinet-makers and the houses to which these various commodes were supplied. Most notably, at Blickling there is a payment by the 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire to 'Vile & Cobb cabinet-makers' in August 1762 for £86.5s.9d which is sufficient to account for the four Régence pattern commodes and a further related example. This additional single commode at Blickling shares the same mounts and other distinguishable features with a documented example supplied by Cobb to James West at Alscot Park in 1966 for £16. Although Vile and Cobb are not documented at Burghley, Lucy Wood suggests they may have been made by Vile and Cobb but subcontracted to them by another firm such as Ince and Mayhew. The six commodes at Burghley have considerable variations in construction and a former apprentice of Cobb's (Henry Tatham) was based nearby in Stamford and employed at Burghley from at least 1772.
WILLIAM VILE AND JOHN COBB
After Thomas Chippendale, Vile and Cobb were arguably the most accomplished cabinet-makers of the mid-Georgian period, a golden age of carved mahogany furniture. Their work is characterized by confident lines, well-chosen, high-quality timber and beautifully detailed carving. William Vile (d.1767) worked initially with the celebrated cabinet-maker William Hallett (d.1773) before setting up in partnership with John Cobb (17815-1778) in 1751 and establishing their workshop in St. Martin’s Lane. They were appointed 'cabinet-makers' to George III in 1761 and supplied a series of superb and celebrated pieces to several Royal residences, including Kensington Palace, St. James's Palace and the Queen's House, now Buckingham Palace.