ATTRIBUTED TO WILLIAM VILE AND JOHN COBB, CIRCA 1755

This extraordinary commode, with its rich mounts, exotic timbers, and subtle serpentine shape is a fascinating addition to the body of work attributed to the Royal cabinet-makers William Vile and John Cobb. The distinctive handle pattern in the form of berried vines encircling a leafy cabochon and with ribbed handle appears on other commodes in the Aitken collection as well as documented Cobb commodes. Most notable is the one supplied in 1766 to James West for Alscot Park, Warwickshire, (L. Wood, Catalogue of Commodes, London, 1994, p. 51, fig. 35), another at Burghley House, Lincolnshire (ibid, fig.36) and the pair of lacquer-veneered commodes supplied to the Earl of Shaftesbury for St. Giles's House, Dorset (later sold by the Earl of Shaftesbury, Christie's, London, 11 November 1999, lot 100 (£276,500). Other attributed Cobb commodes featuring this metalwork pattern include two marquetry examples, one from the Lords Tweedmouth (later in the Mulliner and Leverhulme collections) and the other from the A.C.J. Wall collection (ibid., figs. 82-85). A further example in exotic padouk from the Scottish Gowan family was sold Christie's, London, 1 July 2004, lot 100.

An ormolu-enriched commode featuring similar scallop-veneered cartouches was thought to have been supplied to 2nd Viscount Barrington (d. 1793) around the time of his appointment as Master of the Great Wardrobe in 1754 and Secretary of War in 1755 (offered, The Property of a Lady, Christie's, London, 27 November 2003, lot 110). Vile and Cobb, in partnership until 1764, enjoyed Royal patronage and were recorded in the Great Wardrobe accounts at that time. As such, it would have been a natural choice for Viscount Barrington to commission the commode from their workshop.