A GEORGE I GILTWOOD OVERMANTEL MIRROR
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A GEORGE I GILTWOOD OVERMANTEL MIRROR

CIRCA 1715

Details
A GEORGE I GILTWOOD OVERMANTEL MIRROR
CIRCA 1715
With six divided shaped and scrolled bevelled plates fastened with studs in narrow rectangular giltwood frame, the three upper plates and central lower plate replaced with 19th Century glass, the top cross-piece to the reverse changed at a later date to accomodate a cornice, with traces of the probably original red and gilt-Japanned decoration over water-gilding visible beneath the oil gilding on the slip frame
61 in. (155 cm.) high; 56½ in. (144 cm.) wide
Provenance
Mr and Mrs Roger Vestey, Parkgate House, Park Gate, Ham, Surrey; sold Christie's, 19 June 1980, lot 66.
Acquired from Christopher Gibbs, 23 June 1980.
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

With its arched central plate this overmantel betrays the influence of Daniel Marot, such as featured in his Nouveaux Livre de Cheminées a la Hollandaise published in 1712. Initially rectilinear in form, such as those supplied by Gerrit Jensen for the King's Apartments at Hampton Court Palace, circa 1700, the Sainsbury overmantel's more sinous shaped plates recall the walnut-framed overmantel supplied to Edward Dryden for Canons Ashby circa 1710 (A. Bowett, English Furniture from Charles II to Queen Anne, London, 2002, pl.9.51).

In view of the red and gilt-japanned decoration to the slip frame, it is interesting to note the Royal 'glass-grinder' John Gumley's advertisement in John Houghton's A Collection for the Improvement of Husbandry and Trade, 6 April 1694; this announced At Salisbury-Exchange in the Strand, when the manufactory was kept, by John Gumley, cabinet-maker, at the corner of Norfolk-street.... is a sale of all sorts of Cabinetwork, as Japan cabinets, Indian and English, with looking-glasses. A pair of japanned sconces, almost certainly supplied by Gumley, are in the Communication Corridor at Hampton Court Palace.

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