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Lot Essay
This neoclassical commode in the French 'Antique' style has a central 'tablet' door with a Roman medallion framed by a triumphal laurel wreath, while the surrounding panels are centred by further medallions with palm-flowered spandrels. It belongs to a group of commodes of almost identical form, although with trompe l'oeil floral marquetry, sold Christie's, London, The Collection of the Duke of Leinster at Carton, Maynooth, 13 May 1926, lot 107; another, with the trade label of the 19th century Dublin cabinet-maker and retailer 'P. J. Walsh & Sons' of 20, Bachelor's Walk, Dublin, sold Christie's, London, 21 May 1970, lot 113; a matched pair, sold Christie's, London, 8 July 1971, lot 117; one sold by an Irish family, Christie's, London, 11 November 1999, lot 160. The Irish connections conceivably suggest a Dublin source.
This group does however relate stylistically to the slightly more full-blown neoclassicism of the immigré Swedish cabinet-maker Christopher Furlohg (d. after 1787). With his brother-in-law George Haupt (d. 1784), Furlohg trained under Oeben in Paris and William (d. 1763) and John Linnell (d. 1796) at his workshop in Berkeley Square, London. An executed design for a related commode, supplied to the 5th Earl of Carlisle and inscribed 'Christoph Furlohg fecit 1767' is illustrated in H. Hayward and P. Kirkham, William and John Linnell, London, 1980, vol. II, p. 53, figs. 108 and 109. A more elaborate 'Transitional' commode, inspired by the commode attributed to Furlohg at Ham House (see: 'The Furnishing and Decoration of Ham House', Furniture History, 1980, figs. 185 and 186) was sold in Christie's, London, 10 April 1986.
This group does however relate stylistically to the slightly more full-blown neoclassicism of the immigré Swedish cabinet-maker Christopher Furlohg (d. after 1787). With his brother-in-law George Haupt (d. 1784), Furlohg trained under Oeben in Paris and William (d. 1763) and John Linnell (d. 1796) at his workshop in Berkeley Square, London. An executed design for a related commode, supplied to the 5th Earl of Carlisle and inscribed 'Christoph Furlohg fecit 1767' is illustrated in H. Hayward and P. Kirkham, William and John Linnell, London, 1980, vol. II, p. 53, figs. 108 and 109. A more elaborate 'Transitional' commode, inspired by the commode attributed to Furlohg at Ham House (see: 'The Furnishing and Decoration of Ham House', Furniture History, 1980, figs. 185 and 186) was sold in Christie's, London, 10 April 1986.