Commode
1770-1780 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Commode of transitional form, raised on short, cabriole legs, the body with three cupboards below a long frieze drawer giving the appearance of three drawer fronts. The commode is in the style of David Roentgen, with floral marquetry on a ground of harewood, veneered onto a carcase of oak. The central motif in front shows a wreath of roses surrounding a parrot perched in a hoop hanging from a ribbon bow.The top is set with a slab of grey-green marble, within a band of gilt-brass.
The backboard is of oak, with a single, heavily-fielded horizontal panel. The central cupboard is set with a single shelf. The side cupboards and the drawer are locked.
The carcase is rectangular, with a central section that is very slightly breakfront, with rounded vertical edges to the door. The inner edge of the outer doors are correspondingly concave and dip very slightly on their lower edges to meet the serpentine line of the lower edge of the central door. The divisions between the doors and the edge of the top of the commode are cross-banded in tulipwood. The front of the dustboard between the frieze drawer and the doors is set with a cavetto moulding in cross-grained tulipwood above a plain, rounded moulding in in lacquered brass. The drawer is inlaid with crossed palms tied with ribbons on the sides and two bird motifs flanking an oval lacquered brass keyhole mount in the centre. The three doors below repeat the keyhole escutcheon and the base of the central door is set with large lacquered-brass mount showing a seated putto (male child) holding the ends of a laurel swag, this leading out almost to the edge of the door at each side. The marquetry on the central door shows a wreath of roses surrounding a parrot perched on a ring hanging from a ribbon bow. The whole wreath is framed with a ribbon, tied at the centre top and possiing through rings to left and right and hanging down the sides of the panel. The side doors show birds perched on tree stumps, a crested bird (hoopoe?) on the PR and parrots on the PL. The sides of the commode are inlaid with pruning knifes hanging from ribbons. The cabriole legs are set at an angle on the front edge and inlaid with a panel of cross-banding. At the drawer height the front corners are set with lacquered brass mounts of rams' heads against an elongated scroll with pendants of laurel and a pendant of husks below. The top is in grey-green marble edged with a plain band of lacquered brass, with a matted front face and a moulded top edge.
The doors are lined with harewood veneers, the grain set vertically. The carcase is of oak, with a single, fixed. shelf. The drawers are of oak, dovetailed, the tops of the side and back rounded, the boards of the bases set laterally.
All three front doors show vertical tears from shrinkage of the boards of the carcase. Some of these cracks have been filled in old conservation.
The backboard is of oak, with a single, heavily-fielded horizontal panel. The central cupboard is set with a single shelf. The side cupboards and the drawer are locked.
The carcase is rectangular, with a central section that is very slightly breakfront, with rounded vertical edges to the door. The inner edge of the outer doors are correspondingly concave and dip very slightly on their lower edges to meet the serpentine line of the lower edge of the central door. The divisions between the doors and the edge of the top of the commode are cross-banded in tulipwood. The front of the dustboard between the frieze drawer and the doors is set with a cavetto moulding in cross-grained tulipwood above a plain, rounded moulding in in lacquered brass. The drawer is inlaid with crossed palms tied with ribbons on the sides and two bird motifs flanking an oval lacquered brass keyhole mount in the centre. The three doors below repeat the keyhole escutcheon and the base of the central door is set with large lacquered-brass mount showing a seated putto (male child) holding the ends of a laurel swag, this leading out almost to the edge of the door at each side. The marquetry on the central door shows a wreath of roses surrounding a parrot perched on a ring hanging from a ribbon bow. The whole wreath is framed with a ribbon, tied at the centre top and possiing through rings to left and right and hanging down the sides of the panel. The side doors show birds perched on tree stumps, a crested bird (hoopoe?) on the PR and parrots on the PL. The sides of the commode are inlaid with pruning knifes hanging from ribbons. The cabriole legs are set at an angle on the front edge and inlaid with a panel of cross-banding. At the drawer height the front corners are set with lacquered brass mounts of rams' heads against an elongated scroll with pendants of laurel and a pendant of husks below. The top is in grey-green marble edged with a plain band of lacquered brass, with a matted front face and a moulded top edge.
The doors are lined with harewood veneers, the grain set vertically. The carcase is of oak, with a single, fixed. shelf. The drawers are of oak, dovetailed, the tops of the side and back rounded, the boards of the bases set laterally.
All three front doors show vertical tears from shrinkage of the boards of the carcase. Some of these cracks have been filled in old conservation.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Oak, veneered with harewood and other woods |
| Brief description | Commode of transitional form, raised on short, cabriole legs, the body with three cupboards below a long frieze drawer giving the appearance of three drawer fronts. The top is set with a panel of grey-green marble within a framing mount of gilt-brass. The commode is in the style of David Roentgen, with floral marquetry on a ground of harewood, veneered onto a carcase of oak. The central motif on the front shows a wreath of roses surrounding a bird perched on a hoop suspended from a ribbon bow. The top is set with a slab of grey-green marble, within a band of gilt-brass. |
| Physical description | Commode of transitional form, raised on short, cabriole legs, the body with three cupboards below a long frieze drawer giving the appearance of three drawer fronts. The commode is in the style of David Roentgen, with floral marquetry on a ground of harewood, veneered onto a carcase of oak. The central motif in front shows a wreath of roses surrounding a parrot perched in a hoop hanging from a ribbon bow.The top is set with a slab of grey-green marble, within a band of gilt-brass. The backboard is of oak, with a single, heavily-fielded horizontal panel. The central cupboard is set with a single shelf. The side cupboards and the drawer are locked. The carcase is rectangular, with a central section that is very slightly breakfront, with rounded vertical edges to the door. The inner edge of the outer doors are correspondingly concave and dip very slightly on their lower edges to meet the serpentine line of the lower edge of the central door. The divisions between the doors and the edge of the top of the commode are cross-banded in tulipwood. The front of the dustboard between the frieze drawer and the doors is set with a cavetto moulding in cross-grained tulipwood above a plain, rounded moulding in in lacquered brass. The drawer is inlaid with crossed palms tied with ribbons on the sides and two bird motifs flanking an oval lacquered brass keyhole mount in the centre. The three doors below repeat the keyhole escutcheon and the base of the central door is set with large lacquered-brass mount showing a seated putto (male child) holding the ends of a laurel swag, this leading out almost to the edge of the door at each side. The marquetry on the central door shows a wreath of roses surrounding a parrot perched on a ring hanging from a ribbon bow. The whole wreath is framed with a ribbon, tied at the centre top and possiing through rings to left and right and hanging down the sides of the panel. The side doors show birds perched on tree stumps, a crested bird (hoopoe?) on the PR and parrots on the PL. The sides of the commode are inlaid with pruning knifes hanging from ribbons. The cabriole legs are set at an angle on the front edge and inlaid with a panel of cross-banding. At the drawer height the front corners are set with lacquered brass mounts of rams' heads against an elongated scroll with pendants of laurel and a pendant of husks below. The top is in grey-green marble edged with a plain band of lacquered brass, with a matted front face and a moulded top edge. The doors are lined with harewood veneers, the grain set vertically. The carcase is of oak, with a single, fixed. shelf. The drawers are of oak, dovetailed, the tops of the side and back rounded, the boards of the bases set laterally. All three front doors show vertical tears from shrinkage of the boards of the carcase. Some of these cracks have been filled in old conservation. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 155
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| Credit line | Part of the Arthur James Collection, bequeathed by his wife |
| Object history | Mrs Arthur James bequeathed 52 pieces to the V&A including French and English 18th century furniture, mirrors, ceramics and silverware which were received by the museum in July 1948. The bequest was conditional on the collection being called ‘The Arthur James Collection, bequeathed by his wife. Acquisition RP (Nominal File, James, Mrs Arthur, MA/1/J150) records negotations over the bequest, which include 9 pieces of furniture, W.36 to W.43A-1948. Mrs James lived at Coton House, Rugby and 3 Grafton Street, London. See Registered File 80/2 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.37:1 to :3-1948 |
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| Record created | September 28, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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