Antique Oval Gilded Mirror | Louis Philippe

• Structurally inspected
• Adjusted and reinforced where necessary
• Treated against wood-boring insects and free of woodworm
• Furniture ready for use

A new mirror reflects a room. A vintage one, moreover, illuminates it: the gold reflects a warm light that glass alone does not have.

This antique oval gilded mirror was made in France in the second half of the 19th century, following the Louis Philippe model: a molded wooden frame with a deep cove, without exterior carving, with all decoration reserved for the fillet surrounding the glass.

The gilding is water-gilding, with gold leaf over red bole. The reddish clay base shows through in the wear, and this glimpse is the proof: this is how it was gilded back then, layer by layer on stucco, and this is how it is distinguished today from gilded paint. The inner fillet has a molded stucco ribbon, and the gesso shows the fine craquelure of gilding that has worked with its wood for a century and a half. The glass is original, with the pitting and spots characteristic of period silvering.

82 cm wide and 100 cm high. Hung vertically, it dresses up an entryway, presides over a chest of drawers or a sideboard, and works in a bathroom with period furniture. It's a versatile size: alone on a wall or in a composition with paintings and other mirrors.

WHAT ISN'T MADE TODAY

→ The red bole under the gold. The clay that shows through in every bit of wear is the base of traditional water-gilding. Current reproductions imitate this effect with patinas; here, it's the real material doing its job.

→ The original glass. It retains the pitting and spots of 19th-century silvering. This is the mottling that current decor brands imitate in vinyl, and the reason why an antique mirror doesn't reflect like a new one: it reflects a home better.

→ The stucco fillet. A molded ribbon runs along the inner edge of the oval, with minimal losses that have not been concealed. This is the detail that sets this frame apart from a plain, mass-produced molding.

RESTORED IN OUR WORKSHOP IN NAVALCARNERO, MADRID

The frame structure and the fastening of the back panels were checked, the seating of the glass was verified, and the wood was treated against wood-boring insects. The gilding was gently cleaned, without redoing it: no bronze powder, no touch-ups to cover the bole or the craquelure.

The gold, the glass, and the stucco are original, with their corresponding patina. It arrives ready to take its place.

Style: Louis Philippe (French)
Material: Molded wood with stucco ground; original period mirror glass
Technique: Water gilding with gold leaf on red bole; inner fillet molded in stucco
Finish: Original period gold with wear, craquelure, and patina, not restored
Layout: Oval wall mirror, hung vertically
Measurements: 82 cm (Width) × 100 cm (Height)
Condition: Very good condition, original gilding and glass with period patina
Period: Second half of the 19th century (c. 1850-1880)

82 cm (Width) × 100 cm (Height)

Free shipping to mainland Spain. Includes indoor delivery with packaging removal.