BY WILLIAM INCE & JOHN MAYHEW, 1792

Details

A GEORGE III SATINWOOD-CROSSBANDED MAHOGANY CHEST
BY WILLIAM INCE & JOHN MAYHEW, 1792
The canted top above six cedar-lined formerly fitted drawers, the lower two drawers each faced with two simulated drawer fronts, on tapering square feet, stamped twice and stencilled '1861'
48 1/4 in. (122.5 cm.) high; 42 in. (107 cm.) wide; 20 1/4 in. (51.5 cm.) deep

Provenance

Supplied to Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford (1765-1802), for Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire in 1792, either for the Cabinet or for the Duke's bedroom and dressing room - 'a high Mahogany Chest containing six drawers with Canted Corners the two at bottom made to shew as four each drawer divided in four with Cedar insides the whole neatly cross banded with satinwood strong black & white beads finishd extra good full warded locks made on purpose to Your Graces own key & wrought brass furniture' (£19 16s).

Literature

H. Roberts and C. Cator, Industry and Ingenuity - The Partnership of William Ince and John Mayhew, London, 2022, p. 113.

Special notice

Following the auction, this lot will be stored at Crozier Park Royal and will be available for collection from 12.00pm on the second business day after the sale. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Crozier Park Royal. All collections from Crozier Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 I Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Amelia Walker Director, Specialist Head of Private & Iconic Collections

awalker@christies.com +44 20 7389 2085

Lot Essay

This beautifully made dressing-chest was supplied to the 5th Duke of Bedford by the cabinet-making partnership of William Ince and John Mayhew as part of the extensive works undertaken at Woburn (as well as the Duke of Bedford's London properties) over a period of thirty years, between 1767 and 1797. It was very precisely described in a bill of 1792, including the provision of the locks 'made on purpose to Your Graces own key'. It shares many features - the use of mahogany with satinwood crossbanding, cedar linings to the drawers, and the same design of drop handle - with a side table also attributed to Ince and Mayhew and sold by the Duke of Bedford, 'Property from two Ducal Collections, Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire', Christie's, London, 20-21 September 2004, lot 75 (£16,730).

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