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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)). Another example of this form, but inlaid en premire partie and of smaller proportions, was in the collection of the 12th Duke of Hamilton at Hamilton Palace, Lanarkshire and was sold at Christie's House Sale, 17 June-20 July 1882, lot 998. The catalogue entry described:
A TOILET GLASS, in shaped Louis XIV. frame, by Buhl, designed by Berain, the border inlaid with flowers and foliage in brass and mother-o'-pearl, mounted with ornaments of chased ormolu, and surmounted by a female mask, the back of tortoiseshell, inlaid overall with figures, birds, and ornaments of engraved brass 23in. by 19in.
Another mirror of related form was probably acquired by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild for Waddesdon (G. de Bellaigue, The James A. De Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Fribourg, 1974, no. 74, pp. 370-71).
A TOILET GLASS, in shaped Louis XIV. frame, by Buhl, designed by Berain, the border inlaid with flowers and foliage in brass and mother-o'-pearl, mounted with ornaments of chased ormolu, and surmounted by a female mask, the back of tortoiseshell, inlaid overall with figures, birds, and ornaments of engraved brass 23in. by 19in.
Another mirror of related form was probably acquired by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild for Waddesdon (G. de Bellaigue, The James A. De Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Fribourg, 1974, no. 74, pp. 370-71).