Mallett catalogue 2013_DEF_Q9_new Mallett catalogue design 19/04/13 10:08 Pagina 41
M A L L E T T LO N D O N
A PAIR OF BRASS ANDIRONS
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N E W YO R K
› A PAIR OF GEORGE III MARQUETRY
COMMODES A pair of 19th century brass andirons of magnificent proportions, the central column with foliate decoration adorned with braziers and flames all supported on lions paw feet. England, circa 1880 Height: 37½in/95cm Width: 22½in/57cm O3C0202
A highly important pair of semi-elliptical marquetry and ormolu commodes, each with a central drawer and two hinged, sprung quadrant drawers in the frieze, over three graduated front drawers and two quadrant cupboards enclosing shelves, standing on four short legs with vaseshaped feet. Each commode is veneered with panels of harewood and West Indian satinwood, with tulipwood cross-banding, purplewood banding, and ‘white’ and ‘black’ stringing and cockbeads. The harewood and satinwood serve as dark and light grounds to the marquetry decoration of each commode, which centres on a coat of arms on the top (Birch impaling Ryves), surrounded by ribbon-tied husk festoons, crossed palms and foliate trails, with urns, semi-paterae, acanthus and further ribbon-tied husks on the frieze, the cupboard doors and the ‘pilasters’ that divide the cupboards from the front drawers. The lower drawers (veneered without marquetry) are each mounted with a pair of ormolu ring handles with pierced patera back-plates; and the architectural form is further defined by three horizontal ormolu mounts – gadrooning around the top, rosettes and ribbon beneath the frieze, and reed and ribbon at the bottom. The legs have shallow blocks of marquetry fluting above ormolu-mounted vase-shaped feet, clad in acanthus with ball terminals. Attributed to Ince & Mayhew. England, circa 1775 Height: 34½in/87cm Width: 59in/150cm Depth: 24½in/62cm F3C0206
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