CIRCA 1760

Details

A PAIR OF GEORGE III GILTWOOD PIER GLASSES
CIRCA 1760
Each with a rectangular plate in a pierced C-scroll and rockwork frame with foliate cresting, the sides with palms, the apron centred by confronting C-scrolls, one plate replaced, refreshments to the gilding
62½ x 36½ in. (159 x 93 cm.) (2)

Provenance

Supplied to the 5th Duke of Bolton (d. 1765) for Hackwood Park, Basingstoke, Hampshire and by descent until sold in 1935 with Hackwood to
William Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose (d.1954) and by descent to the
2nd Viscount Camrose (+), Hackwood Park, sold by his Executors, Christie's house sale, 20-22 April 1998, lot 118.

Literature

The 1765 Inventory, The Duchess's Dressing Room: 'A pr of fine Pier Glasses in carv'd and gilt frames'. In 1795 the room had been renamed the East Bow Bedchamber and renumbered no. 16. The entry was annotated 'Plates 3.3 x 2' (feet).
In the 1905 inventory they could be those split between the North and South Libraries.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The mirror plates were no doubt re-used from a pair of early 18th century pier glasses, reflecting the high value of the plates themselves in the 18th century. Their 1760 frames are flowered and serpentined in the French 'picturesque' manner popularised by Thomas Chippendale's Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director, 1754-1762. Celebrating the triumph of the nature goddess, the fret-ribboned frames unite water-scallops with Roman acanthus and display Venus's shell badge flanked by reeds and bull-maces, sacred to the Arcadian deity Pan. The frames, while harmonising with furnishings introduced into the main rooms of Hackwood under the direction of John Vardy, are also conceived in a lighter manner appropriate to the bedroom apartments.
The mirror that has the original plate, at the time of the Hackwood sale, had the same coarse paper backing as the mirror that was lot 42 in the sale, suggesting that they came from the same workshop.

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