A Pierre Langlois Commode
Height: 32" 81cm
Width: 49" 125cm
Depth: 18.5" 47cm
A George III rosewood, kingwood and ormolu mounted commode of superb colour and patination and of excellent design. Of serpentine shaped with chevron bandings, the top with an oval central panel with an inlaid basket of fruit above three graduated drawers each similarly inlaid with floral sprays. The shaped sides having oval panels with inlaid flowering urns and the commode with ormolu mounts to the edge of the top, the sides and standing on ormolu sabot feet. The drawers retaining their original ormolu handles and escutcheons.
English, Circa 1765
The fashion for inlaid and ormolu enriched furniture was accentuated by the French ebeniste, Pierre Langlois. Based in Tottenham Court Road, London, from the 1750's, Langlois specialised in furniture which, according to his trade advertisement, 'enjolivee de ornement de bronze doree'.
Langlois, became the most renowned Cabinet maker of his time, bringing quality and Parisian style to English furniture. His business flourished and he enjoyed enormous success. Commissions enjoyed by Langlois included work supplied to the Royal Family, the Dukes of Northumberland and Bedford; The Earl of Coventry and the Marquis of Zetland.
Langlois's pieces differed from his French counterparts in the finish. Whereas the exterior was all important on the Continent, Langlois also treated the interiors of his pieces with pride. Hence on this example the use of expensive mahogany to line the drawers. The quality and detail of the mounts were rarely found on English furniture prior to Langlois's arrival. His use to accentuate and reflect bath the movement of the piece and the floral inlay is finely observed on this example which also benefits from the shallowness and softened serpentine front.
The superb shield-centred handles on this commode also feature on a pair of commodes which Langlois is believed to have supplied to the Earl of Shaftesbury in 1766 for the Vyne (Hampshire). Langlois shared his workshops with a metal caster and gilder named Dominique Jean and it is most likely that he supplied the metalwork for the commodes.
Literature:
Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840 Catalogue of Commodes, Lucy Wood.
Pierre Langlois, Ebeniste, Connoisseur 1972
 "An Outstanding Pierre Langlois Commode")
