A kingwood and floral marquetry bombé commode with the maker's stamp WW (or MM) and stamped JME Louis XV, circa 1750

with a serpentine brèche d'Alep marble top, above two long drawers inlaid sans traverse with asymMetricas l scrolls, birds and plants, within a large banded cartouche framed with gilt-bronze, the splayed legs with scroll and bullrush chutes and sabots, the top with the inventory number in ink `no. 7'



marble top restored, the 18th century mounts on the front, handles and feet associated at a later date 

Probably acquired by Sir William Fowle Middleton, 2nd Bt., for  Shrubland Park, Suffolk circa 1830
Thence by descent

Possibly the commode referred to in the Inventory, Shrubland Park, 1860 (Vol. 1), p. 117, in the State Drawing Room: `Shaped marquetry chest of drawers headed and mounted with designs in ormolu with a sienna marble top 4 feet 8 inches long 2 feet 1 inch wide and 2 ft 10 inches.
Sotheby's Inventory, Shrubland Park, 1958, p. 16, The Drawing Room: 3,000.0.0. 
Illustrated in the photograph of  the Music Room,  from the Family Album by Palmer & Clarke, circa 1890-see fig. 1.

Comparative Literature:
Sophie Mouquin, Pierre IV Migeon, Paris, 2001, p. 80, fig. 28.
Alexandre Pradère, French Furniture Makers, The Art of the Ebéniste  from  Louis XIV to the Revolution, Tours, 1989, p. 222, fig. 221.

This fine commode is intriguing as it is inlaid with floral marquetry in the manner of Migeon and the stamp could indeed be his on this commode although it is partly illegible. Furthermore, the 18th century mounts on the front seem to be very much in the manner of Criaerd. Due to the similarity  of the marquetry with the work of other makers such as Latz, it is not possible to give a definitive attribution to this commode. 

Also see Mouquin, op. cit., p. 80, fig. 28, for a commode with similar reserves on the front enclosing floral marquetry and rocaille conceived in a similar vein to those on this commode. 

The central cartouche mounts are very characteristic of Criaerd's work and can be seen on many of his commodes especially lacquer commodes, see for  example, Pradère, op. cit.,  p. 222, fig. 221.

Pierre II Migeon (1701-1758):
The Migeon family were one of the most important Parisian ébénistes consisting of three generations who succeeded each other in the Rue de Charenton. Pierre II Migeon was a dealer as well as an ébéniste selling pieces made by his colleagues-and a list of amounts paid to his suppliers between 1740 and 1760 mentions more than two hundred and fifty artisans and traders such as Topino, R.V.L.C., Criaerd, Dautriche and Macret.

Mathieu Criaerd received Master 1738.