Gilt Arched Overmantel Mirror 19th Century

Name: A Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Gilt Overmantel Mirror.
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1201212
Price: 1995 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing

ObjectOvermantel Mirrors
Period19th century
StyleVictorian
MaterialWood, Gesso, Gold Leaf, Glass
ColourGold
MotifsArched top, Acanthus leaf scrolls, Beaded moulding
SizeH 165 cm (65 in) x W 149 cm (59 in) x D 6 cm (2 in)

This Victorian overmantel mirror dates from 1860 and follows a traditional English Country House style. The piece uses a wooden and gesso construction finished in gold leaf, framing a reflective glass mirror plate complete with original backboards. Detailed elements include an arched top, classical beaded moulding along the frame, and ornate acanthus leaf scroll carvings positioned at the base above turned feet. The design also incorporates sweeping decorative scrollwork that anchors the large rectangular body. Practical dimensions measure 165 cm high, 149 cm wide, and 6 cm deep. In a modern home interior, this large overmantel mirror is designed to hang directly above a mantelpiece in a living room, drawing room, or dining space. The generous proportions reflect ambient light and create an expansive visual sense of space against a chimney breast or feature wall. The traditional gold finish complements both period properties and contemporary settings seeking a touch of nineteenth-century decorative character.

FAQs

An overmantel mirror, also known historically as a chimney glass, is a specialized mirror designed to sit directly above a fireplace mantelpiece. Popularized in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, these architectural frames were proportioned to fill the chimney breast, maximising natural light and creating a focal point in reception rooms.

Nineteenth-century gilt frames were typically constructed using a carved softwood or hardwood base layered with gessoa mixture of chalk and binder. Intricate decorative elements were moulded in gesso or carved wood, coated with clay bole, and finished with fine gold leaf using water or oil gilding techniques.

Authentic period gilt mirrors show natural signs of age, such as subtle cracking (craquelure) in the gesso, rubbing that reveals the reddish or dark clay bole underneath the gold leaf, and original pine backing boards. Original mirror glass often exhibits light oxidisation, known as foxing, rather than a uniform modern reflective surface.

A large gilded mirror creates visual contrast when paired with contemporary minimalist furniture or placed against dark, dramatic paint shades. Beyond mounting above a traditional fireplace, it can be styled leaning against a living room wall or positioned above a hallway console table to reflect light and add architectural depth.

To preserve delicate gilding and gesso, remove dust using a soft dry brush or feather duster without liquid cleaners, which dissolve water-gilded gold leaf and soften gesso. Glass surfaces should be cleaned carefully using a damp cloth, ensuring liquid does not seep under the edges into the frame moulding.

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