In apartments where an extensive view offers itself, these Glasses become an elegant and useful ornament, reflecting objects in beautiful perspective on their convex surfaces; the frames...form an elegant decoration on the walls; in general, they will admit of being executed in bronze and gold, but will be far more elegant if executed wholly in gold. George Smith, A Collection of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration (London, 1808), Plates 135 A and 136 B.

This elegant mirror of imposing size and fine carving , presented a fashionable vocabulary of Greco-Roman motifs, such as the greek-key and laurel leaf borders, that were easily recognizeable to clients eager to decorate their interiors with refernces to Classical anitiquity.