Description
Extremely rare dressing table mirror of the William and Mary-period, ca 1690.
An English late-17th century japanned and painted dressing table mirror – remarkable to survive in its original state – retaining floral decoration throughout.
The fall front reveals a concave, fitted, stepped interior of drawers and pigeon holes. A conforming long drawer beneath the fall has six compartments, one of which conceals a secret recess.
All fully poly-chrome painted in the manner of the 17th-century Netherlandish flower painting school.
A fine and rare museum quality piece of unusually large scale. This antique may well be unique.
Nb. Also referred to as a ”toilet mirror” or ”vanity”.
Nnb. Sometimes japanning is confused with lacquer, but this antique is japanned.
References:
An important flower-painted lacquer cabinet sold Sotheby’s, New York, 21st October 2000, lot 294.
Vis. Leverhulme sale, 26-28 June 2001, lot 220.
Vis. Sotheby’s sale of the estate of Christian Lady Hesketh, Easton Neston, London, 7th March 2007, lot 25.
Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_and_Mary
