Dreweatts Donnington Priory Salerooms
Lot 299
A George III mahogany and crossbanded serpentine fronted chest of drawers, circa 1770, in the manner of Thomas Chippendale, with a baize lined brushing slide, above four graduated drawers flanked by scrolling ourswept corners with carved acanthus, trailing bellflower and fluting, on bracket feet, 83cm high, 121cm wide, 61cm deep. Bearing retailer’s ivorine plaque for ‘M. Harris & Sons, 44/52 New Oxford Street, London, WC1. This dressing chest of drawers relates to a design for a ‘French Commode Table’ in Thomas Chippendale’s The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director, 1754, pl. XLVIII. A further device characteristic of his work is the use of paneled pilasters invariably headed by scrolled brackets above pendent strings of finely carved and detailed husks or bell flowers. Related pilasters are found on documented examples of mahogany case furniture dating from the 1760s, such as the pair of Library Bookcases supplied to Sir Lawrence Dundas for 19 Arlington Street in 1764, and the Library Table and Commode Clothes-Press, both commissioned for Nostell Priory in 1766. The design of handle used for this commode was much used by Chippendale at Nostell Priory, including on a green and gilt japanned clothes-press (C.Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London 1978, vol. II, p146, fig. 263). For a closely related chest of drawers see Masterpieces of English Furniture, The Gerstenfield Collection, Edward Lennox-Boyd, Christie, Manson and Woods Ltd, 1998, page 191, Pl. 2. This chest with similar outswept front corners, by repute from Lyme Park, Cheshire condition report:** Marks, scratches and abrsasions consistent with age and use. Some old closed splits, minor repairs and restorations to feet .Cleaned restored condition overall
