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Cherry, basswood, and aspent or cottonwood
Arbalète façade with a conforming top, three faux paneled drawers, shaped panel ends, and a rococo-carved skirt and resting on ball and claw feet.
35.25" high, 42.125" wide, 22.25" deep.
Condition:Good; replaced hardware
Morton's Auctions, with a tradition of residing in the Upper Valley
French rococo-style commodes in North America can be challenging to locate more specifically without solid provenance. Here, the use of cherry suggests a Mississippi Valley origin, rather than French Canadian. The inclusion of an English ba-lal nd-claw foot on a French-style commode speaks to the merging of cultures on the North American continent. This commode is one of only three Mississippi Valley examples that combine the French arbalète (crossbow) form and the English bal-land-claw foot. This commode is illustrated and discussed in Holden et al,Furnishing Louisiana, p. 439.
Value Support
Such commodes were rare in the period and are even moreso today, with no examples appearing on the market in recent decades. The closest comparables that could be found are French rococo- style commodes made in Canada. Set against these three Canadian counterparts, the subject commode exceeds all in design and quality of execution, and its Mississippi Valley origins place a significant premium on it.
Quebec commode. Sold at Pridham's Auction House, Vankleek Hill, Quebec, Canada, 04/08/2017, lot 121. Estimate: CA$9,000- CA$12,000. Realized: CA$16,217.50
Quebec commode. Sold at IEGOR Auctions, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 10/19/2016, lot 14. Estimate CA$20,000-CA$30,000. Realized: CA$43,050 (US$32,870).
Jack and Pat Holden
Fair Market Value for Non-Cash Charitable Contribution Appraisal Report
Effective Valuation Date: 00/00/00
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Andrew Richmond PO Box 2199 Marietta, OH 45750 740.760.1788 andrew@wipiak.com