This commode was conceived during the last phase of the development of Dutch marquetry furniture, between circa 1780 and 1795. Whereas marquetry furniture produced in the preceding period - with naturalistic marquetry and picturesque ormolu mounts - attempted to emulate French examples, this later phase demonstrates a mixture of influences, whereby English influences gradually overshadowed those from France. This influx from England was probably stimulated by the spread of printed furniture designs, such as Hepplewhite's The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide (1788) and Sheraton's The Cabinet-Maker's and Upholsterer's Drawing-Book (1794), which almost certainly became an important source of inspiration for furniture-makers in Holland.(R.J. Baarsen, Meubelen en Zilver op de tentoonstelling 'Edele Eenvoud, Neo-classicisme in Nederland in 1765-1800', Frans Halsmuseum, Haarlem, 1989, p. 119)

A much-favoured motif during this period was the so-called paraplu or fan motif, which features on the doors of the present commode. This motif features on a pair of snakewood tabacco boxes, which was supplied by Johan Gottfried Fremming (1753-1809) to the Regents' Chamber of Teylers Hofje in Haarlem in 1789. Fremming invoiced the boxes as 'twee tabaak kissies van slangenhout met een rosett ingelijd ...' for which he received 10 florins. (J.R. ter Molen, 'De regentenvertrekken van Teylers Hofje te Haarlem', Antiek 15 (1980-'81), p. 339)