A REGENCE ORMOLU-MOUNTED AND BRASS-INLAID BROWN TORTOISESHELL AND BOULLE MARQUETRY TOILET MIRROR**

CIRCA 1715

Details

A REGENCE ORMOLU-MOUNTED AND BRASS-INLAID BROWN TORTOISESHELL AND BOULLE MARQUETRY TOILET MIRROR**
Circa 1715
The later arched cartouche-shaped plate within a raised, moulded frame inlaid with Brainesque scrolling foliate marquetry edged with strapwork and floral borders interspersed with female-mask clasps, centered by a portrait bust to the base, the arched top surmounted by a Mercury mask foliate-spray cresting, the back frame replaced and lacking its adjustable arm, with indisinct chalk inscription 'E9545/BERENDT'
27in. (69cm.) high, 22in. (56cm.) wide

Lot Essay

Embellished with arabesque marquetry in the Louis XIV style popularised by Jean Brain (1640-1711), who succeeded as dessinateur de la Chambre et du Cabinet du Roi in 1674, this mirror relates to an engraved design for a toilet-mirror after Andr-Charles Boulle (1642-1732)(A.-C. Boulle, Nouveaux Deisseins de Meubles et Ouvrages de Bronze et de Marqueterie, n.d., pl. 5). A similar mirror, attributed to Boulle and inlaid en premire partie, supplied by the marchand-mercier Alexis Delaroue to the duchesse de Berry at Versailles in 1713, is in the Wallace Collection (P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection: Catalogue of Furniture, London, 1996, vol. II, cat. no. 151 (F50)). Further related mirrors with Boulle marquetry backs are discussed in the catalogue note for lot 123.

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