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Antique Large Monumental gold leaf gilt French ornamented Louis Philippe Mirror
About the Item
This monumental and richly ornamented mirror was crafted in southern France in the early 19th century, around 1830. The mirror frame features the characteristic rounded top corners typical of the Louis Philippe style. The exceptionally lavish crown atop it is a prime example of baroque design, adorned with a centrally placed bunch of grapes flanked by c-scrolls, acanthus leaves, and grapevines. Mirrors like this adorned the finest castles and palaces of France.
This rare and early mirror boasts an immense length of 106 inches and is adorned with its original mercury-gilded mirror glass. The mirror frame has a base of solid linden wood, smoothed with gesso. The fine detailing in the mirror frame contributes to its exquisite coloration. The ornaments were crafted from a mixture of ground cattle bones, hide glue, and plaster, internally reinforced with steel. This composition indicates its early origin, as in the latter half of the 19th century, ornaments were primarily cast in plaster reinforced with steel wire.
The mirror frame was partially colored with red bole. The variation in color of the ground layer was done to achieve a subtle difference in the eventual gold hue. The mirror was gilded using a combination of gold leaf and powdered gold. The gold leaf was burnished, allowing the color of the underlying surface to shine through lightly. Working with different substrates yielded various shades of gold. This, combined with the powdered gold and the patina, resulted in a rich array of gold tones and significant definition in the mirror frame.
Considering the age of the piece, the gold is in good condition. While the gold has faded somewhat in places and accumulated additional patina over the years, it has weathered beautifully. The somewhat weathered gold hue complements the aged mirror glass well. This plate is authentic and, given its size at the time, a true work of art. The plate was gilded using a mercury process. The mirror displays the beautiful mercury mist and numerous spots evenly distributed across it. There is a significant scratch in the mirror layer at the bottom left.
The mirror glass was removed in our workshop and carefully cleaned. The mirror frame was repaired in our workshop, with the lower left ornament being recut and several minor repairs made to the crown. The entire piece was gently cleaned, and the mirror plate was reinstalled. A solid pitch pine back cladding was added to protect the glass.
This rare monumental mirror is now in very good antique condition, clean, undamaged, and ready for use.
- Dimensions:Height: 106.3 in (270 cm)Width: 49.61 in (126 cm)Depth: 9.85 in (25 cm)
- Style:Louis Philippe (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1830
- Condition:Repaired: see description. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Casteren, NL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU970939379132
About the Seller
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Established in 1975
1stDibs seller since 2013
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Typical response time: <1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Casteren, Netherlands
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
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