£3.7m paid for commode

An ornate chest of drawers thought to be crafted by Thomas Chippendale has sold at auction for more than £3.7 million, setting a new world record.

By The Newsroom

Published 8th Dec 2010, 14:38 BST

Updated 8th Dec 2010, 21:17 BST

The serpentine-shaped Harrington Commode, dating from approximately 1770, went under the hammer for 3,793,250 during a sale at Sotheby's in London on Tuesday, more than three times its estimate.

The final price exceeded the previous world record for a piece of English furniture sold at auction by more than 1m. That was held by a George II Parcel-Gilt Padouk Cabinet-on-Stand attributed to Chippendale which sold for 2,729,250 at Christie's in June 2008.

The George III commode was housed at Elvaston Castle, Derbyshire, and sold by order of the Trustees of the 10th Earl of Harrington's Will Trust. Auctioneer Henry House said: "The final price demonstrated true demand for items of quality. It has been an honour to sell it."