Skip to main content

Commode: M.6-1953

An image of Commode

Terms of use

These images are provided for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons License (BY-NC-ND). To license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who will discuss fees, terms and waivers.

Download this image

Creative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.

Alternative views

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Maker: Vile, William (Probably)

Entities

Categories

Description

Mahogany commode, veneered in rosewood, with applied pinewood decoration. The lifting top with moulded border enclosing a recess. Serpentine shaped front and curved sides, the front with panelled doors enclosing two long drawers. The canted angles with corbels and moulded columns on shaped bracket feet. The panels to the doors are decorated with applied carved and gilt berried foliage, and wheat ears tied by ribands in moulded scroll and foliage borders. The sides with moulded foliage, and oval borders to the panels, the angles with pendant foliage and husks to the corbels and acanthus leaves. The frieze with wave ornament, the lower border egg and tongue ornament, and the bracket feet with foliage and wave ornament.
The top is inset with Chinese black lacquer decorated in gold and colours with pagoda buildings, trees, and rockwork in a river landscape. The angles have fan pattern medallions. The border has a vandyck and floral design on a gold ground. Mounted with ormolu rope pattern loop handles at the sides, suspended from berried laurel foliage bosses

Notes

History note: The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Shaftesbury, KP, PC, GCVO; sold Christies' 22 October 1953, lot 101; sold for 1200 guineas to F. Partridge, 144 New Bond Street, W1.

Legal notes

Purchased with the Marlay Fund

Measurements and weight

Height: 35 in
Width: 44 in

Place(s) associated

  • London ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bought (1953-11-26) by Partridge, Frank

Dating

18th Century, Mid-Late
George II
Production date: circa AD 1750

Note

Made for St Gile's House, Dorset, the home of 4th Earl of Shaftesbury.

School or Style

Rococo

Components of the work

Top composed of lacquer ( Chinese)
Moulding composed of gilding pine
Handles composed of ormolu
Cabinet composed of mahogany
Doors And Sides composed of rosewood
Decoration, Columns
Decoration
Rosewood

Techniques used in production

Applied
Carving

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.6-1953
Primary reference Number: 95789
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 16 August 2023 Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Commode" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/95789 Accessed: 2024-11-02 16:29:21

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/95789 |title=Commode |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-02 16:29:21|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-95789

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:

<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa20/M_6_1953_282_29.jpg"
        alt="Commode"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Commode</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>
    

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...