Italian 18th Century Hand Carved Giltwood Mirror with Scallop Shell
Italian 18th Century Hand Carved Giltwood Mirror with Scallop Shell
Italian 18th Century Hand Carved Giltwood Mirror with Scallop Shell
Italian 18th Century Hand Carved Giltwood Mirror with Scallop Shell
Italian 18th Century Hand Carved Giltwood Mirror with Scallop Shell
Italian 18th Century Hand Carved Giltwood Mirror with Scallop Shell

Italian 18th Century Hand Carved Giltwood Mirror with Scallop Shell

Regular price
- $1,275.00
Sale price
$1,275.00

 

Do you know why 18th century and earlier mirrors are so small……

“Though glassblowing was well developed in the earliest recorded Egyptian cultures, it was largely confined to the making of vessels. Early glass mirrors were made of glass tiles cut from blown glass forms giving them a sort of convex shape and were exorbitant in price. Venetian guildsmen perfected the making of flat mirrors with glass/mercury/tin, e.g. mercury glass, with ornate frames and beveled edges.”

DESCRIPTION: Italian, circa 1780, hand carved Neoclassical giltwood mirror with original mercury glass mirror. This mirror being from the later part of the Georgian Period shows an example of Classical style. The scallop shell at the top to the assorted leaves along the sides, the scallop means symbol of light and mirrors were used to reflect and bring in more light. This mirror contains the original silver mercury glass with some foxing, foxing is a term when the silvering in antique mirrors goes misty and sometimes looks missing.

 

CONDITION: The gold leaf has rub as seen in the pictures but that just gives the mirror more charm and authenticity. The mirror frame has also been repaired at one time as evidenced from two corners and the stabilized wood on the backside all commensurate with the age being in the 1700’s.

 

Height Width  Depth
18 1/2  in 18 1/2 in 2 in