Vintage French floral marquetry marble topped bombe commode, 83…
click the photo to enlarge
Vintage French floral marquetry marble topped bombe commode, 83 cm high, 101 cm wide, 48 cm deep

You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.

Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item

When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
  • Marquetry - In marquetry inlay, contrasting woods, and other materials such as ivory, shell and metal are inlaid either as panels or in a single continuous sheet over the surface of the piece. The design may be straightforward, such as a shell pattern or a basket of flowers, or it may be infinitely complex, with swirling tendrils of leaves, flowers and foliage, such as one finds, for example, in the "seaweed" patterns on longcase clocks of the William and Mary and Queen Anne periods.
  • Bombe Front - More commonly associated with a dome shaped dessert, "bombe" in furniture parlance means "puffed out". In profile the piece is serpentine shaped, narrow at the top, swelling out towards the middle and continuing to the floor, though sometimes it narrowed again at the foot. Drawer fronts are curved in section. Bombe pieces are often highly decorated with marquetry inlay, or veneered and set with brass or ormolu mounts. The most common use of the word, is in the description of the 'bombe commode'.

    The bombe design was particularly popular in the 18th century, during the reign of Louis XIV, when it was used to create furniture pieces with a curved, rounded bulging shape. This design was used on furniture in many styles, including Baroque, Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. The bombe chest is one of the most iconic furniture piece featuring this design. They were usually made of precious woods like mahogany, rosewood, and walnut, and feature elaborate inlay, gilded ornaments and ormolu. Other items of furniture where the bombe design can be seen include cabinets, commodes, and desks.
  • Commode - The word "commode" when used to describe an item of furniture, has three usuages:

    1. As used to describe an item of English furniture, it refers to what is euphemistically called a 'night table', that is a small cabinet concealing a chamber pot.

    2. In its 18th century French usuage it describes a low and highly decorated chest of drawers for salons and reception rooms. A bombe commode is a commode with rounded sides and front, giving the chest a somewhat swollen look.

    3. It is also used to denote a half round or serpentine shaped cabinet, with panelled doors, standing on legs. They were pieces on which the cabinetmaker lavished his most accomplished art, with rich veneers, marquetry inlays, gilt mounts and other ornamentation.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

A French Louis XV style kingwood and inlaid bombe shaped two drawer commode with shaped marble top. 83 cm high, 93 cm wide, 43 cm deep

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A French Louis XV style kingwood commode. Bombe shape, with a marble top, above drawers with floral marquetry decoration, on tapering supports, with ormolu sabots.

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A Louis XV-style marble-topped marquetry-inlaid bombe commode, the variegated cream and brown marble top above two drawers between canted sides, on cabriole legs flanking a shaped apron, the front and the sides with floral marquetry, with foliate-cast bras

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

Small French parquetry commode with marble top, approx 90 cm high, 74 cm wide, 40 cm deep

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.