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Lot Essay
THE STONELEIGH ABBEY COMMODES
Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire, has a long history dating back to 1154 when it was founded as a humble Cistercian monastic house. After the Dissolution, it was converted into a family home, and became a seat of the Leigh family after it was acquired by Sir Thomas Leigh in 1561. A significant phase of modernization began in 1763 when Edward Leigh, 5th Lord Leigh, came of age. To furnish the newly updated rooms, he employed the London cabinet-making firm William Gomm & Son (circa 1697-1780) of Clerkenwell Close, London.
THE GOMM COMMISSION
The firm’s commission, spanning from 12 May 1763 to October 1764, totaled £8 18s 9d and included six ‘Exceeding fine Serpentine Commode Dressing Tables,’ with five priced at 12 guineas each and one at 15 guineas (ed. G. Beard, C. Gilbert, Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660–1840, 1986, p. 350).
The present pair of commodes, along with a further single example, were later removed from Stoneleigh and sold by the Right Hon. Lord Leigh at Christie’s, London, on 3 May 1962 (lots 53 and 54, respectively). Given their distinctive serpentine form and finely carved scrolling angles, they must certainly be among the original pieces commissioned for Stoneleigh Abbey. Lot 54 was later sold again, anonymously, at Christie's, London, 5 July 1990, lot 149.
QUEEN VICTORIA’S ROYAL VISIT
The beautiful and distinctive ormolu scroll and foliage handles on the present pair of commodes have evidently been re-positioned, or more likely, replaced at some point. Interestingly, identical handles were also on the similarly designed serpentine mahogany commode by Gomm, as well as on a white-painted and parcel-gilt mahogany winged cabinet when they were sold from Stoneleigh Abbey in the 1962 Christie's sale (lots 54 and 55, respectively). This shared feature strongly suggests a broad and coordinated moment of redecoration at Stoneleigh Abbey.
Indeed, in June 1858, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert embarked on a three-day tour of Warwickshire. Initially, the royal couple intended to reside at Warwick Castle; however, due to Prince Albert's declining health, they sought a more tranquil setting and opted to stay at the nearby Stoneleigh Abbey, hosted by Lord and Lady Leigh. In preparation for the royal visit, the Leigh family undertook extensive and costly renovations to the estate, aligning its interiors with the Queen’s personal tastes. A suite of five rooms was prepared for her stay, and the mahogany furniture in these rooms was painted white and parcel-gilt, a transformation that included the aforementioned winged cabinet.
Given the extent of these renovations, it is highly plausible that many of the decorative elements throughout the estate, including the handles on much of the furniture, were similarly updated. The more elaborate ormolu handles on the present commodes, replacing the simpler drop-handles typical of 18th-century design, would have been fully consistent with the broader effort to elevate the furniture’s aesthetic, aligning it with Queen Victoria’s refined tastes and the grandeur expected for her visit.
Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire, has a long history dating back to 1154 when it was founded as a humble Cistercian monastic house. After the Dissolution, it was converted into a family home, and became a seat of the Leigh family after it was acquired by Sir Thomas Leigh in 1561. A significant phase of modernization began in 1763 when Edward Leigh, 5th Lord Leigh, came of age. To furnish the newly updated rooms, he employed the London cabinet-making firm William Gomm & Son (circa 1697-1780) of Clerkenwell Close, London.
THE GOMM COMMISSION
The firm’s commission, spanning from 12 May 1763 to October 1764, totaled £8 18s 9d and included six ‘Exceeding fine Serpentine Commode Dressing Tables,’ with five priced at 12 guineas each and one at 15 guineas (ed. G. Beard, C. Gilbert, Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660–1840, 1986, p. 350).
The present pair of commodes, along with a further single example, were later removed from Stoneleigh and sold by the Right Hon. Lord Leigh at Christie’s, London, on 3 May 1962 (lots 53 and 54, respectively). Given their distinctive serpentine form and finely carved scrolling angles, they must certainly be among the original pieces commissioned for Stoneleigh Abbey. Lot 54 was later sold again, anonymously, at Christie's, London, 5 July 1990, lot 149.
QUEEN VICTORIA’S ROYAL VISIT
The beautiful and distinctive ormolu scroll and foliage handles on the present pair of commodes have evidently been re-positioned, or more likely, replaced at some point. Interestingly, identical handles were also on the similarly designed serpentine mahogany commode by Gomm, as well as on a white-painted and parcel-gilt mahogany winged cabinet when they were sold from Stoneleigh Abbey in the 1962 Christie's sale (lots 54 and 55, respectively). This shared feature strongly suggests a broad and coordinated moment of redecoration at Stoneleigh Abbey.
Indeed, in June 1858, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert embarked on a three-day tour of Warwickshire. Initially, the royal couple intended to reside at Warwick Castle; however, due to Prince Albert's declining health, they sought a more tranquil setting and opted to stay at the nearby Stoneleigh Abbey, hosted by Lord and Lady Leigh. In preparation for the royal visit, the Leigh family undertook extensive and costly renovations to the estate, aligning its interiors with the Queen’s personal tastes. A suite of five rooms was prepared for her stay, and the mahogany furniture in these rooms was painted white and parcel-gilt, a transformation that included the aforementioned winged cabinet.
Given the extent of these renovations, it is highly plausible that many of the decorative elements throughout the estate, including the handles on much of the furniture, were similarly updated. The more elaborate ormolu handles on the present commodes, replacing the simpler drop-handles typical of 18th-century design, would have been fully consistent with the broader effort to elevate the furniture’s aesthetic, aligning it with Queen Victoria’s refined tastes and the grandeur expected for her visit.