Bombe Commode

French mid 19th century two drawer commode with excellentoriginal and stunning escutcheons, handles and mounts.

The commode has a gorgeous grey Italian marble(original) with thumbnail moulding.

I look at a lot of bombe commodes - I try and buy 19th century (or 18th century) commodes with good drawer liners, good proportion and good bronzes - this commode has all three attributes.

The Btonze is by G Nicol - In relation to the figure holding an apple, there are a number of stories from Greek mythology which involve golden apples from the Tree of Life, which grows at the centre of The Garden of the Hesperides; - The Judgement of Paris,  the Twelve Labours of Herecles  (Hercules) and  the story of Atalanta are some. So, an ancient  Greek or  Roman  figure may be identified as Aphrodite or Venus by the attribute of an apple.

It seems that when the Aphrodite of Milos, or “Venus de Milo” was delivered to the Louvre, (in several parts), fragments of an arm and a left hand holding an apple were included. 

 A number of Renaissance and neo-classical figures follow this tradition.

In art, the apple became used as a symbol of love, often associated with Venus.