A PAIR OF GILTWOOD MIRRORS

OF GEORGE III STYLE, ONE EARLY VICTORIAN, THE OTHER OF A LATER DATE

Details

A PAIR OF GILTWOOD MIRRORS
Of George III style, one early Victorian, the other of a later date
Each with a central shaped plate surrounded by further small reserves with an asymmetrical frame of flowers, branches, balustrades, fretwork, scrolling foliage and staligtites, the cresting in the form of a pagoda, one centred by a Chinese man, the other with a Chinese woman, each flanked by a ho-ho bird on opposing sides, the apron with a foliate S-scroll, three plates cracked, the earlier mirror with three layers of gilding
75½ in. x 36 in. (192 cm. x 91.5 cm.) (2)

Provenance

Possibly given by either Lord Rothermere or Lord Northcliffe to their sister Violet Harmsworth.
Thence by descent to the present owner.

Lot Essay

John Weale, republished Thomas Chippendale's designs in books such as Chippendale's Designs for Sconces, Chimney and Looking glass frames in the Old French Style and Old English and French Ornament by Chippendale, Johnson, Inigo Jones, Lock and others, around 1834. These were partly responsible for the revival in popularity of the 'Chippendale Style'. The skilled Victorian cabinet-makers imitated these designs, which lead to many erroneous attributions to Thomas Chippendale later on in the 19th Century. (M. Aldrich, 'Looking Glasses in the Chippendale Style', Antique Collecting, October 1986, p.77-79).
The design for this pair of mirrors originates from T. Johnson, Twelve Girandoles, London, 1755, pl. 11.

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