A George III satinwood serpentine commode or 'Sheveret' by Gillows

A George III satinwood serpentine commode or 'Sheveret' by Gillows, with amaranth banding and inlaid with boxwood and ebonised stringing, the shaped suprastructure with a shelf above a frieze drawer stamped 'GILLOWS, GILLOWS LANCASTER' with cast gilt brass foliage handles above a pair of cupboard doors enclosing a shelf, on square tapering legs and block feet, 133.7cm high, 105.5cm wide, 40.4cm deep.

See Lindsay Boynton, Gillow Furniture Designs 1760-1800, pl.122 (dated 1789) for a design for a similar commode. Also see the collection of the Egerton family at Tatton Park, Cheshire, for an almost identical pair of 'Sheverets'. A Gillows estimate dated 31st July 1790 shows they cost £5 10s. 101/2d each to make and they were made by James Burton. They are in the Yellow Drawing Room.

Provenance: Purchased from Trevor, Mount Street, London, 1989.