ATTRIBUTED TO HENRY HILL OF MARLBOROUGH, CIRCA 1770

THE ATTRIBUTION
This handsome serpentine marquetry commode can be firmly attributed to Henry Hill of Marlborough (1741-78) based on a number of the key design and constructional features identified and discussed in detail by Lucy Wood in Catalogue of Commodes, London, 1994, pp. 64-71. Whilst Hill's furniture commissions were largely from Wiltshire families for their country seats, they were among some of the most sophisticated patrons of the era, and included the Duke of Somerset at Maiden Bradley, the Earl of Radnor at Longford Castle and Lord Methuen at Corsham Court. One exception was the commission for Sir John, later Lord Delaval, who was also a patron of the Royal cabinet-marker, John Cobb. This commission was unique in that furniture made by Hill was for Lord Delaval’s London house.
This commode is one of a particular group of marquetry commodes that relate to the Doddington Commode, supplied to Sir John Delaval in 1775 - which sold for £181,250 (including premium) at Bonhams, London, 19 October 2011, lot 98. Similar in most respects with the exception that they are a more conservative serpentine form, rather than bombé. The group comprises both documented and attributed commodes including: commode ‘No. 4’ in the Lady Lever Collection at Port Sunlight, which entered the collection in 1915 (Ibid, p. 64, fig. 4ii); another probably made for the 9th Duke of Somerset at Maiden Bradley circa 1770; a commode sold from Treago Castle, Christie’s, London, 15 July 1937, lot 75 (and resold at Sotheby’s, London, 18 March 1966, lot 154); another example sold Christie’s, London, 24 June 1976, lot 116; and a further example sold Christie’s, London, 19 April 1990, lot 133.
Although all display different marquetry designs they share a common distinct form, with their keeled angles and scalloped apron; all have three graduated drawers and a brushing slide, and the deal or pine drawer bases are generally covered in pale blue lining paper, as seen in this lot. Another indicative Hill feature seen in the present lot is the use of a deep cockbead moulding for the drawer fronts to conceal the front dovetails. Finally the pierced and berried angles mounts and feet used are identical to examples found on other Hill commodes - including the plain serpentine example, attributed to Hill offered Christie’s, London, 10 November 2021, lot 129 - albeit common stock models found on much London furniture of this date.

BUXTED PARK, SUSSEX
This commode is seen to the right of the chimneypiece in photographs of the reconfigured Saloon, formerly the Library, at Buxted Park, Sussex, taken in 1950 for Country Life following renovations after fire devastated the house in February 1940. The house was purchased in 1931 by The Hon. Nellie Ionides (1883-1962) and her second husband Basil, the Art Deco architect and interior designer responsible for the Savoy Theatre and Claridges, who together had saved it from dereliction and filled it with paintings, furniture and works of art sourced with their shared passion for collecting. The house was sold upon Mrs. Ionides' death, and whilst the majority of works were sold in a two-part sale at Sotheby's in 1963, a number of lots were inherited by Mrs. Ionides' children from her first marriage to Major Walter Henry Levy. The Hon. Nellie Ionides' eldest daughter, Mary Levy (d. 1996), married Stuart Montagu, later 3rd Baron Swaythling (1898-1990) and the commode passed by descent to David Montagu.