61,440  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 225 ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAYNEW ARRIVALS
GIFTS
225 ITEMS ADDED TODAY
Sort Order
Items Per Page
Browse Categories
Sort order
Relevant Links
Items per page
ID #SA1229757
FOR SALE
£2,490
Email Phone Buy
Save
Large 18th Century French Gilt Mirror - Foxed Mercury Glass
For sale by French Antique Company
for sale €2,913     $3,162
£2,490
French Antique Company

French Antique Company

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2019
Browse dealers 25 items
  • About Us
    Specialising in french antique mirrors and chandeliers.
Id #SA1229757
PDF SHARE
SAVE

Large 18th Century French Gilt Mirror - Foxed Mercury Glass

18th century
Description

Dimensions:W: 140cm (55.1")H: 227cm (89.4")

Late 18th century French gilt leaner mirror in excellent condition.

It dates from the late 1700s.

It has its stunning original real gilt (gold leaf) on gesso frame with impressive and unusual (53cm) floral, leaf and shell crest, all in exception condition with no chips.

It has its original heavily foxed mercury glass with no scratches. Mercury glass was not made after 1840 and gives a beautiful sparkle in sunlight.

It has all its original backboards.

It is so difficult to find mirrors of this size in exceptional original condition.

It would have been used as an overmantel mirror in a large room but would also look incredible as a freestanding leaner mirror in a hallway, bedroom or living room perhaps.

Physical Dimensions
Height
227cm (89.37")
Width
140cm (55.12")
Declaration

French Antique Company has dated this French Gilt Wall Mirror to the 18th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1229757
Dealers Internal Reference
11232
Dealers Notes

Delivery £65 to most of mainland UK using a trusted, specialist antiques courier.

Description
Dimensions:W: 140cm (55.1")H: 227cm (89.4")

Late 18th century French gilt leaner mirror in excellent condition.

It dates from the late 1700s.

“
It has its stunning original real gilt (gold leaf) on gesso frame with impressive and unusual (53cm) floral, leaf and shell crest, all in exception condition with no chips.
French Antique Company
fig 1. A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate.
fig 1. Large 18th Century French Gilt Mirror - Foxed Mercury Glass

It has its original heavily foxed mercury glass with no scratches. Mercury glass was not made after 1840 and gives a beautiful sparkle in sunlight.

It has all its original backboards.

It is so difficult to find mirrors of this size in exceptional original condition.

It would have been used as an overmantel mirror in a large room but would also look incredible as a freestanding leaner mirror in a hallway, bedroom or living room perhaps.

Height
227cm (89.37")
Width
140cm (55.12")
Date of Manufacture

French Antique Company has dated this French Gilt Wall Mirror to the 18th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1229757
Dealers Internal Ref
11232
French Antique Company
French Antique Company
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2019

Specialising in french antique mirrors and chandeliers.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the French Antique Company Profile Page

PDF SHARE
SAVE
A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate.
1 / 15
Archive I A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate.

Large 18th Century French Gilt Mirror - Foxed Mercury Glass

Archive II A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View II
Archive III A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View III
Archive IV A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View IV
Archive V A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View V
Archive VI A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View VI
Archive VII A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View VII
Archive VIII A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View VIII
Archive IX A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View IX
Archive X A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View X
Archive XI A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View XI
Archive XII A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View XII
Archive XIII A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View XIII
Archive XIV A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View XIV
Archive XV A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate. View XV
FURTHER BROWSING

Visitors also looked at these ⇣

Enlarged Archival View
Telephone 07899 864960
Location
Hove
East Sussex
United Kingdom

By appointment only.
Verified Since Oct 2019
Items For Sale 25
Items Sold 690
French Antique Company
French Antique Company
Verified Since Oct 2019
View Dealer Info
Location: Hove, East Sussex, United Kingdom, , By appointment only.
Verified
Oct 2019
For Sale
25
Sold
690
A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate.
Large 18th century French gilt mirror - foxed mercury glass
Ref: SA1229757
A large 18th century French giltwood mirror featuring an ornate floral shell crest and visible foxing on the mercury glass plate.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Detail View 8
Detail View 9
Detail View 10
Detail View 11
Detail View 12
Detail View 13
Detail View 14
Archival Detail
Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.
Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.
Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.
Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectWall Mirrors
  • Period18th century
  • StyleFrench Rococo
  • MaterialGiltwood, Mercury Glass, Gesso
  • ColourGold
  • MotifsCrested shell motif, Foliate scrolls, Beaded inner border, Acanthus leaf carving
  • SizeH 227 cm (89 in) x W 140 cm (55 in)

This large late 18th century French gilt leaner mirror belongs to the Rococo style and stands 227 cm high and 140 cm wide. The timber frame is coated in gold real gilt leaf over gesso, finished in a bright gold colour. The ornate crest features a shell motif flanked by foliate scrolls and acanthus leaf carving, with a beaded inner border running along the perimeter of the frame. The glass plate is original mercury glass displaying heavy foxing and dark spotting across its surface, housed within original backboards. In a contemporary home, this mirror functions effectively as a freestanding leaner piece in a hallway, bedroom or living room, or placement above a mantelpiece in a large room. The construction includes a substantial carved floral and leaf crest measuring 53 cm high, while the frame remains free of chips and the glass plate contains no scratches.

During the 18th century, French artisans crafted gilded mirrors characterised by hand-carved timber frames featuring rococo and neoclassical cresting, shell motifs, acanthus leaves, and foliate scrolls.

These mirrors were constructed using timber frames, usually pine or lime, coated with multiple layers of gesso and finished with gold leaf applied over a clay bole base, framing hand-blown mercury glass plates.

Authentic period mercury glass exhibits distinct greyish speckling, sparkling metallic depth, or dark oxidisation patches, whilst period gilding demonstrates subtle wear showing the underlying red or yellow clay bole base.

A large gilt mirror works as a primary focal point when positioned above a mantelpiece, anchored above a console table, or rested leaning against a wall in a neutral contemporary room to maximize reflective light.

Gently clean the carved frame using a dry soft feather duster or camel hair brush, avoiding water or solvents that dissolve gesso; glass plates should be wiped carefully using a damp lint-free cloth without contacting the gilded border.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Period
Style
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Recently Added
Online Payments
Categories