THE HAWARDEN CASTLE MIRROR

Date	1750
Period	1750-1850, 18th century
Origin	England
Medium	Carved giltwood
Dimensions	158 x 96 cm (62¹/₄ x 37³/₄ inches)
Gallery	Ronald Phillips Ltd

Description
Technical

A highly important George II giltwood pier mirror, in a virtually untouched state of preservation and retains almost all the original oil gilding and the original mercury silvered mirror plate. The crispness of the carving relates to work by Luke Lightfoot for Claydon House in Buckinghamshire.

A rare and possibly unique mid 18th century carved giltwood mirror in the manner of Matthias Lock, retaining its original oil gilding and large original rectangular mirror plate, having arched cresting with pierced foliate carving around a rocaille cartouche flanked by large scrolls to the sides surmounted by chinoiserie heads, both wearing hats, a male to one side, a female to the other, the apron flanked by gothic follies with descending stylised staircases within pierced foliate carving. Note: This amazing mirror survives in an unbelievable state of preservation. Retaining the original oil gilding and wonderful original plate.

Date: 1750
Period: 1750-1850, 18th century
Origin: England
Medium: Carved giltwood
Dimensions: 158 x 96 cm (62¹/₄ x 37³/₄ inches)
Provenance: Almost certainly commissioned by Sir John Glynne, 6th Baronet (1713-1777), and his wife Honora Conway (d. 1769) for either the newly rebuilt Broadlane House, Flintshire, (now named Hawarden Castle) or their house in Berkeley Square, London.
by family descent to; Sir Stephen Glynne, 9th Baronet (1807-1874), and by descent to his sister; Catherine (d. 1900), wife of Sir William Gladstone, Prime Minister.
By descent within the Gladstone family at Hawarden Castle until sold 2007.
Literature: Matthias Lock, Six Sconces, 1744, title page, pl. 4.
Matthias Lock and Henry Copland, A New Book of Ornaments for Looking Glass Frames, 1752, pl. 3.
Thomas Chippendale, The Gentleman and Cabinet-maker’s Director, 1754, pl. CXLII.
Thomas Johnson, One Hundred and Fifty New Designs, 1761, pl. 7.
Terence Davis, Rococo: a Style of Fantasy, 1973, pp. 28-9, figs. 14, 16, 17 & 18.
Ronald Phillips Ltd., ‘Mirrors’, catalogue, 2010, pp. 114-15.

Categories: Furniture