17th Century, Tortoiseshell Framed Mirror

A carved wood and faux tortoiseshell eight sided mirror with ripple frame and brass accents. Italy, circa 1900. Numbered on back. With hook for hanging.

Ebonized and burl walnut 18th century style secretary with panel doors that are mirrored inside and out so can display open or closed. The upper cabinet has been lined with fabric wh...

Dutch tortoiseshell mirror Ebonised ripple moulded frame of concave form, the old mirror plate with blemishes. Dutch, late 19th Century 56.5cm H, 48.5cm W, 6cm D.

This monumental 17th-century Flemish mirror is crafted in the grand Baroque style. The magnificent frame is veneered in exquisite tortoiseshell with wave-moulded bands of ebony providing a flawless accent. Tortoiseshell and ebony were both among the most precious and coveted materials of the 17th century, and are used to their utmost effect in this exceptionally rare looking glass. Flemish glassworkers enjoyed a reputation of excellence beginning in the 16th century. These skillful craftsmen are credited with the invention of the tin-mercury method of mirror-making, a process that made polished metal mirrors obsolete. They employed and excelled in a number of decorative techniques in creating the frames, including marquetry, japanning (Dutch and Flemish japanning was of the highest quality, surpassing even the English), and the use of tortoiseshell veneering...