Beschreibung:

Pair of George I Gilt-Gesso Pier Mirrors In the manner of John Belchier circa 1725 Each scrolled pediment centered by a cherubim's head and foliate carved cresting above beveled divided mirror plates, with outset rounded corners, the scrolled apron centered by a foliate carved spray and fitted for candle arms, now lacking; appearing to retain their original backboards, one with penciled 19th/20th century inscription 2 Right side of window above an 18th century chalked inscription Tapestry Room/over P... (arlour?) Between Windows/Left. Height 55 inches (1.39 m), width 34 1/4 inches (87 cm). The present mirrors are of a form described as a 'sconce' in the 18th century, which differed from that of a candle branch because of its decorative backpiece, often made of lacquered brass, silvered brass, and carved and gilded wood; see Adam Bowett, Early Georgian Furniture 1715-1740, Woodbridge, 2009, pp. 277-283. Mirrored glass sconces began to be produced in the early 18th century and are found at Boughton House and Drayton Hall, Bowett, ibid., pp. 278-9. Their popularity was probably due to the 1720s fashion for using them instead of candle stands between windows. For a related sconce with mirrored borders and supplied for Erddig, Wrexham, Wales, by John Belchier in 1724 see Bowett, ibid., p. 281, pl. 6:29. John Belchier (d. 1753) is listed in 1717 as a cabinet maker at 'The Sun' on the south side of St. Paul's Churchyard. His most major commission was for John Mellor at Erddig, Wales, a commission that included a State bed, pier tables, pier mirrors and a japanned desk and bookcase. Because of his ability to use glass, his labeled desks and bookcases have mirrored doors to the cabinet sections. Belchier's work at Erddig is discussed by Martin Drury, Early Eighteenth-Century Furniture at Erddig, Apollo, July 1978, pp. 46-48, where many of the pier mirrors areillustrated. The crestings are similar to a pair of mirrors attributed to Belchier with a similar cherub's head and ruffled scrolls, possibly supplied to the Godolphin family of Helston, Cornwall, illustrated G. Beard and J. Goodison, English Furniture 1500-1840, Oxford, 1987, p. 67, fig. 4. A very similar cherub's mask appears to the cresting of a group of George I mirrors formerly in the collections of Percival D. Griffiths and J.S. Sykes and illustrated, R.W. Symonds, Masterpieces of English Furniture and Clocks, London, 1940, pp. 59-60, figs. 38-39. One of the pairs of mirrors with a similar cherub's head from the Percival Griffits and J.S. Sykes collections was sold, Christie's, London, November 16, 1995, (34,500). C Property from the Estate of Kathleen Harriman Mortimer
Losses, chips and replacements to gilt gesso decoration throughout, #1: Repaired breaks to cresting, left side of pediment lacking paper scroll, central mirror plate replaced, brass candle arm holders later #2: Losses to cresting and pieces lacking, some mirror plate dividers replaced