MIRRORS  wall and pier, including girandoles

The Victorians were rather fond of somewhat florid mirrors and over-mantels, mostly made by building up gesso or plaster on a wood frame and subsequently gilding the surface. Some carved wood mirrors were made as well and these are, obviously, the most expensive type. Overmantels of the very large type are now difficult to place and require large walls with high ceilings, but the oval and circular wall mirrors, or girandoles, are being re-appreciated now that it is possible to touch up the faded or discoloured gilding with one of the many proprietary types of gold waxes and paints available for the purpose.
‘Girandoles’ from Shoolbred’s catalogue of 1876. The decoration is made of plaster, subsequently treated with gesso and gilded. Until comparatively recently these ornate pieces were considered somewhat vulgar but prices have been mounting steadily in the last few years.
A small Victorian gilt circular mirror or girandole of a type illustrated by Shoolbred and other furnishers in catalogues of the 1870s and 1880s. Based on rococo designs and ‘naturalistic’ motifs. Made of plaster on a
wooden frame and about two feet (60 cm) in diameter.
An oval gilt mirror of the gesso and plaster type with 18th century rococo styling. Mirrors of this type appear to have been popular in the later 19th century, when many reproductions of 18th century types were featured
in furnishers’ catalogues
A really ornate rococo mirror with great depth to the frame which is surmounted by a cherub figure of Cupid, holding a bow. The depth is remarkable and the shape of the oval mirror is elegant. 1900-1920
A carved rococo mirror, with scroll and leaf forms, which is again an imitation of an eighteenth century style.
Early 20th century
A rococo oval wall mirror in emulation of mid-18th century carved mirrors incorporating similar birds and decoration. Made of giltwood and plaster. Very decorative and of good quality. 1900-1925
An oval gilded mirror of ‘Empire’ design with seated griffins on either side of a classical urn with Olympic torch as a decorative cresting. The solid frame to the bevelled mirror has gilded edges and gilded classical motifs on a painted background.
A carved oval mahogany mirror frame with bevelled-edge mirror. The scrolled carving is slightly coarse and the shape a little too elongated for elegance. It is a Victorian or Edwardian oval, not an 18th century one.
A straightforward ‘picture frame’ mirror in which a mirror has been fitted into a moulded gesso picture frame with a gilded finish. It is now very popular to fit mirrors into pine frames, obtained by stripping the gesso off
frames such as this.
A reproduction of a Georgian mahogany wall mirror with carved gilded cresting rail with a gilded bird. A good imitation of an 18th century piece.
Early 20th century
Walnut wall mirrors, of early 18th century design, from a manufacturer’s catalogue of the 1920s. They have bevelled plate mirrors but not the gilded inner moulding to the frame which is an adjunct to value. 1910-1930
Reproductions of early 18th and late 17th century wall mirrors. The left-hand two mirrors are walnut-framed versions of simple Queen Anne styles, whilst the two on the right, with their deep ‘cushion’ moulded surfaces around the mirror and shaped cresting boards, are more sophisticated reproductions of walnut-veneered and moulded ‘cushion’ mirrors of the 1680-1720 period.
Early 20th century
MIRRORS  cheval
A satinwood cheval glass in the highest ‘Edwardian Sheraton’ manner, with its accompanying dressing table and (separate) dressing mirrors. The decoration is painted and gilded with classical motifs in the French
Empire manner, and the whole effect is one of great elegance.
A walnut `cheval’ mirror in the ‘Queen Anne’ style. Actually cheval mirrors date back to the start of the 18th century, but to find an original one like this would be a very rare event. Mirrors of this type can be safely
recognised as reproductions. 1910-1930
MIRRORS  dressing
A circular dressing mirror on a segmented pumpkin-style base. Similar designs occur in Smee’s catalogue of 1850 and as far back as King’s of 1830. 1840-1865
A typical mahogany dressing mirror of a design made from 1845 until the 1880s. The scrolled supports and rather heavy flat base with semi-circular plinths at each end are characteristic. 1850-1890
Three typical early 19th century designs of dressing mirrors made in the early 20th century. The central mirror is a shield-shaped ‘Hepplewhite’ design which has been much reproduced; it has three small drawers in the serpentine-fronted base. 1910-1930
Central mirror
Three more reproduction mirrors, copying early 19th century designs, of a very popular type.

English, French and Italian Toilet Mirrors

The antique toilet mirror, or dressing glass was introduced in England after 1700 and was fairly rare up to about 1740. Early examples, like that shown above, had a shaped mirror similar to wall mirrors, frequently with a gilt edging around the bevelled glass. The uprights could be turned or straight and the mirror could be tilted by a screw action. Under the mirror was either a shaped box made of deal and veneered in walnut, with tiered small drawers, or a miniature bureau with a fall, also veneered in walnut or possibly of a jappaned type like that above of c.1710 date. They are very charming miniature pieces with all the characteristics of larger furniture as far as mouldings, matched veneers and shaping is concerned. Price Range: Japanned and Walnut.
A mahogany French toilet mirror of c.1750 with a rectangular mirror, having a shaped moulding  or inward point  at the top corners similar to wall mirrors of the period. The supports are straight and tapering with turned finials at the top and there is a gilt surround to the glass. The top of the base shows an ovolo edge moulding and the drawer fronts are concave. The whole mirror stands on ogee bracket feet. Note that the key plate of the centre drawer is a replacement but that there is no pull, whereas the outer drawers each have a small pull or drop handle. This is a normal characteristic of these toilet mirrors. Usually the base box is made of pine with mahogany veneer on the outer surfaces.
When there is no box of drawers beneath the English toilet mirror, it is known as a cheval glass, as above. This example of c.1750 again has straight tapering uprights with turned brass finials at the top. Note that the mirror’s top corners are a simple curve in this case, without the inward point of the preceding example and that there is no gilt edging.
A plain Italian rectangular mahogany cheval glass of c.1780 veneered across the mirror frame with a boxwood stringing line around it. The square tapering uprights have no finials and it is probable that these were originally  fitted and have been lost. Good reproduction replacements are easily obtained. Where the uprights are square, the cross stretcher on the base, between them, also follows this shape.
An oval mahogany ‘Hepplewhite’ toilet mirror of a type which, with the shield back, has been much reproduced. This one is of c.1785 date and has a mirror frame faced with cross-banded mahogany. The box stand is veneered in figured mahogany and has a serpentine front as well as cross banding around the top. The feet are of the ogee bracket type. The drawers are edged with boxwood stringing and the inset keyhole and outer drawer knobs are ivory. The drawer linings are thin oak. This shape and the shield shape, deriving from chair back shapes of the period, are the most popular of late Georgian toilet mirror purchasers
Serpentine front
Figured woods and inlays
A rectangular French mahogany toilet mirror of c.1780 with reeded uprights ending in turned finials. The mirror frame is cross-banded with mahogany veneer and has a boxwood stringing line inlaid around the edge. The front of the box is slightly bowed and has the same boxwood stringing line around it, as have the drawers. The bracket feet are of a fairly sophisticated shape associated with the later eighteenth century.
A later Georgian mahogany toilet mirror of c.1810 with turned uprights to the rectangular mirror. The turning shows the double-beaded or `bamboo-ed’ effect beloved to the period. The front is bowed in a later shape from that originally introduced c.1780 and the ivory inlaid keyhole has been replaced later, due to damage, by another wood. Although the box carcase remains deal, the drawer linings are mahogany of a plain grain.
The veneers are highly figured and there is a dark stringing line around the drawers and top edge. The frame is again cross-veneered in mahogany and the mirror stands on ball feet.
Value points: Figured woods and inlays
N.B. It is interesting to note that turned uprights are not popular in the trade. Many a quick transition to square uprights has been made in order to enhance price.