Property of an EASTERN MUSEUM
A PAIR OF GEORGE I GILT-GESSO PIER MIRRORS
Details
A PAIR OF GEORGE I GILT-GESSO PIER MIRRORS
CIRCA 1720, ATTRIBUTED TO JOHN BELCHIER
Each with divided bevelled arched rectangular plate within a molded frame headed by gadrooned scrolls, the scrolling arched cresting centered by a dolphin crest and winged putto head, the sides with scrolling foliage and eagle's heads on a pounced ground carved with strapwork and foliage - 88in. (224cm.) high, 34in. (86cm.) wide
PROVENANCE
Christie's London, 7 April 1983, lot 51
The nascent dolphin crest is borne by a number of families including the Kennedys (Ailsa) of Culzean and Cassilis, the Courtenays (Devon) of Powderham and the Godolphins of Rialton and Helston, Cornwall. By virtue of their position at court, the Godolphins are perhaps the most likely contenders; the 2nd Earl Godolphin (1678-1766), Cofferer to Her Majesty, was appointed Groom of the Stole and First Gentleman of the Bedchamber in 1723 and Governor of the Scilly Isles in 1733. His only surviving daughter and eventual sole heiress Mary married the 4th Duke of Leeds of Hornby Castle, Yorkshire in 1740. The contents of Hornby were dispersed between 1920 and 1930.
Apart from the crestings these pier-glasses are almost identical to the two supplied by John Belchier to John Meller in 1723 and 1726 for the two best bedchambers at Erddig Park, Denbighshire (now in the Saloon) at a cost of #36 and #50 respectively (M. Waterson, Erddig Guidebook, 1977, p. 18). The gadrooned frames, birds' masks and the distinctive broad scrolls are all directly paralleled on the Erddig mirrors (illustrated in R. Edwards and M. Jourdain, Georgian Cabinet-Makers. rev. edn. 1955, fig. 36). Another mirror from the collection of Judge Irwin Untermyer and now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art also shares these characteristics (illustrated in The Untermyer Collection, MMA, 1977, p. 73. pl. 126). (2)
CIRCA 1720, ATTRIBUTED TO JOHN BELCHIER
Each with divided bevelled arched rectangular plate within a molded frame headed by gadrooned scrolls, the scrolling arched cresting centered by a dolphin crest and winged putto head, the sides with scrolling foliage and eagle's heads on a pounced ground carved with strapwork and foliage - 88in. (224cm.) high, 34in. (86cm.) wide
PROVENANCE
Christie's London, 7 April 1983, lot 51
The nascent dolphin crest is borne by a number of families including the Kennedys (Ailsa) of Culzean and Cassilis, the Courtenays (Devon) of Powderham and the Godolphins of Rialton and Helston, Cornwall. By virtue of their position at court, the Godolphins are perhaps the most likely contenders; the 2nd Earl Godolphin (1678-1766), Cofferer to Her Majesty, was appointed Groom of the Stole and First Gentleman of the Bedchamber in 1723 and Governor of the Scilly Isles in 1733. His only surviving daughter and eventual sole heiress Mary married the 4th Duke of Leeds of Hornby Castle, Yorkshire in 1740. The contents of Hornby were dispersed between 1920 and 1930.
Apart from the crestings these pier-glasses are almost identical to the two supplied by John Belchier to John Meller in 1723 and 1726 for the two best bedchambers at Erddig Park, Denbighshire (now in the Saloon) at a cost of #36 and #50 respectively (M. Waterson, Erddig Guidebook, 1977, p. 18). The gadrooned frames, birds' masks and the distinctive broad scrolls are all directly paralleled on the Erddig mirrors (illustrated in R. Edwards and M. Jourdain, Georgian Cabinet-Makers. rev. edn. 1955, fig. 36). Another mirror from the collection of Judge Irwin Untermyer and now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art also shares these characteristics (illustrated in The Untermyer Collection, MMA, 1977, p. 73. pl. 126). (2)