Large Antique Early 19th Century Federal Period Giltwood Convex Girandole Mirror
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:30495 | Style: Federal |
| Original/Reproduction: Original | Age: 1800-1820 |
| Color: Gold | Primary Material: Wood (pine) / Glass |
| Country/Region of Origin: America or England | Maker: Unknown |
Here for your consideration is the largest, finest, and most exceptional Federal/Regency period convex girandole "looking glass" mirror that I have come across to date. This exquisite piece dates to the golden era of decorative arts and mirror/frame crafting in early America or England; 1800-1820, and is of a size and sculptural quality you scarcely find. Perched atop a gilded plinth of classical influence, with claws clenching stone and cannonball, sits a large fully-formed and beauti...fully carved eagle with spread wings and two gilt cannonball decorations suspended from a chain connected to a loop through the beak. Two carved organic acanthus leaf decorations sit symmetrically to the sides of the plinth's base, and attached to the top of the main circular frame. The bottom crest balances the upper with additional carved and gilded acanthus foliage and pineapple decoration.
The central circular frame is decorated with a total of 50 gilded spheres (representing cannonballs) within the inner scalloped portion, with decorative carved or molded patterning leading around the inside edge where the separate ebonized and reeded slip (the thin round frame holding the mirror glass inside of outer giltwood frame) meet each other. I believe the mirror glass is likely original to the frame, but does have a re-silver date of 1886 stamped on back. There are a some spots in the silver due to age and the natural environmental deterioration, and minor age cracks (please see photos).
The mirror measures a total of 47.5" in length, 25.5" in width, 8.25" in depth (eagle), with the main circular frame having a depth of 3.5", with mirror glass exposure measuring approximately 17.25" in diameter. The eagle has a wingspan of 15.25", and at it's highest point measures 13.5" up from the top of the central frame.
PLEASE SEE VIDEO OF MIRROR AT THIS LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53mGVRntqQM&t=4s
The mirror can be picked up or shipped through a carrier of your choosing, otherwise I will have our local Rancho Mirage or Palm Desert, CA UPS Store professionally pack and ship the piece. Full insurance for the purchase price will be included.
These mirrors represent a deep history in classical Roman architecture that dates back over two millennia, with conceptual roots derived from the Pantheon's central dome oculus, and earlier in the frame design that was taken from 18th century European Grand Tour engraved renderings of the upper view (looking down from above) of the Temple of Vesta. The decorative spherical representations of cannonballs for the frames were originally two-dimensional circular forms in print that artists used to represent the surrounding outer corinthian columns.
If you have any questions or would like additional photos, please feel free to contact me. If interested, here is an appraisal of one very similar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6-dgd5bZeE
The central circular frame is decorated with a total of 50 gilded spheres (representing cannonballs) within the inner scalloped portion, with decorative carved or molded patterning leading around the inside edge where the separate ebonized and reeded slip (the thin round frame holding the mirror glass inside of outer giltwood frame) meet each other. I believe the mirror glass is likely original to the frame, but does have a re-silver date of 1886 stamped on back. There are a some spots in the silver due to age and the natural environmental deterioration, and minor age cracks (please see photos).
The mirror measures a total of 47.5" in length, 25.5" in width, 8.25" in depth (eagle), with the main circular frame having a depth of 3.5", with mirror glass exposure measuring approximately 17.25" in diameter. The eagle has a wingspan of 15.25", and at it's highest point measures 13.5" up from the top of the central frame.
PLEASE SEE VIDEO OF MIRROR AT THIS LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53mGVRntqQM&t=4s
The mirror can be picked up or shipped through a carrier of your choosing, otherwise I will have our local Rancho Mirage or Palm Desert, CA UPS Store professionally pack and ship the piece. Full insurance for the purchase price will be included.
These mirrors represent a deep history in classical Roman architecture that dates back over two millennia, with conceptual roots derived from the Pantheon's central dome oculus, and earlier in the frame design that was taken from 18th century European Grand Tour engraved renderings of the upper view (looking down from above) of the Temple of Vesta. The decorative spherical representations of cannonballs for the frames were originally two-dimensional circular forms in print that artists used to represent the surrounding outer corinthian columns.
If you have any questions or would like additional photos, please feel free to contact me. If interested, here is an appraisal of one very similar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6-dgd5bZeE
