ITALIAN BAROQUE WALNUT & WALNUT BURL COMMODE
17TH CENTURY
What we see in this commode, entombed before now, is a striking amount of versatility, secret spaces- a mesmerism at every nook and cranny. It's comprised of magnificent old-growth walnut and walnut burl, pure through and through, dating between 1660-1670, and has an anatomy of function that we rarely see so eloquently expressed.
The pulls with a burled walnut background and even the keyholes have an inlay of burl. High relief carving of a floral motif brings nature inside, again (can there ever be too much?), with the lip and base in a wave motif and florals in between. The seeming heft is made light by the canted corners, yielding an attractive silhouette for a piece of such decorative and utilitarian depth. The escutcheons appear as butterflies, lending even more naturalistic delicacy.
There is a character of the old growth you just don't see in today's design and veneered landscape. And that's just the outside. Inside, we unexpectedly access a desk, and associated cavities for an inkwell (or today, for a phone). The front section has a hidden trunk, each function created for a specific purpose. Flanking on the sides and the bottom, there are two little drawers that also come out.
This piece is not available on our website,
but is available for private view.
If you are curious about this pristine piece,
please email us directly at info@philipstites.com.