Would you say £2,729,250 is too much for a vintage piece of English furniture? Just wait till you find out more. The piece – a George II Parcel-Gilt Padouk Cabinet-o-Stand – was sold at Christie’s in 2008 and it used to be the most expensive piece of English furniture ever to be sold at an auction.
But since December 7 we have a new record holder: the Harrington Commode which sold for a whooping £3,793,250. That is 5,980,438 in our money. The commode was sold at Sotheby’s London and it is believed to have been crafted by Thomas Chippendale around 1770.
Made of gilt-lacquered rosewood, tulipwood and fustic, and mounted with brass, this piece exceeded everyone’s expectations when it sold for the immense price. Five bidder fought fiercely over it for 15 minutes. Finally four of them gave up and a new rich collector went home proudly with his newest (or oldest?) acquisition.
