Large French Antique Gilt Mirror C1880 19th Century

Name: Large French Antique Gilt Mirror C1880
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1176683
Price: 1350 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing

ObjectWall Mirrors
Period19th century
StyleFrench / 19th Century
MaterialGiltwood, Gesso, Glass
ColourGold
MotifsCrested pediment, arched top, beaded moulding, floral swags
SizeH 184 cm (72 in) x W 130 cm (51 in)

This large nineteenth-century French wall mirror dates to approximately 1880 and exemplifies the French Chateau style. The piece comprises a giltwood frame finished in gold water-gilding, encompassing a later glass mirror plate and an original panelled backing. Notable visual details include an arched top, an elaborate central cartouche cresting, floral swags on the pediment, beaded moulding along the inner borders, and ornate foliate carving down the vertical sides. The object measures 184 cm high by 130 cm wide at the top and 124 cm wide at the base. In a modern home, this substantial mirror hangs securely above a drawing room mantelpiece or serves as a striking statement piece on a principal living room wall.

FAQs

French giltwood mirrors from the late 19th century, particularly during the Louis Philippe and Napoleon III periods, are defined by structural rectangular or arched frames, ornate floral cresting, and refined plaster or carved wood detailing finished with gold leaf.

These mirrors were constructed using timber sub-frames coated with layers of gesso plaster. Gold leaf was applied using water or oil gilding techniques, often over a clay base known as bole, and fitted with silvered glass plates.

Authentic period pieces often show red or grey bole clay peeking through worn areas of gilding, known as rub-through. Additional indicators include hand-carved timber backboards, fine surface crazing in the gesso, and slight oxidisation or foxing in the original mirror glass.

Position the mirror above a fireplace mantelpiece or a hallway console table to anchor the space. Placing a large framed mirror opposite windows maximizes light reflection and provides an architectural focal point in neutral or modern schemes.

Dust the frame regularly using a soft, dry feather duster or dry painters brush. Never use chemical cleaners, damp cloths, or liquid sprays on gold leaf or gesso, as water and solvents dissolve water-gilded surfaces.

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Large French Antique Gilt Mirror C1880