POSSIBLY BY THOMAS CHIPPENDALE OR JOHN COBB

The S-pattern keyhole features almost exclusively on furniture by Thomas Chippendale (d. 1779) or John Cobb, such as the pair of bookcases supplied by Chippendale to Sir Penistone Lamb for the Library at Brocket Hall in 1772-1775 (C. Gilbert, The Live and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. II, figs. 77, 80 and 267). They also appear on a drum table almost certainly supplied by Chippendale for Brocket Hall and sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 9 July 1998, lot 80. A commode attributed to John Cobb, and sold anonymously, Christie's New York, 19 April 2001, lot 148, had S-pattern locks, which included a serpentine-headed key.
A commode of identical timber and with S-pattern keyholes, formerly in the collection of Sir Timothy Eden, Windlestone, Northumberland, was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 29 November 2001, lot 107. Lot 115 in this sale, from the same collection as the present lot, also has S-pattern keyholes.