19th Century Giltwood Overmantel Mirror

A large carved giltwood overmantel mirror, 19th century, the…
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A large carved giltwood overmantel mirror, 19th century, the oval plate surmounted by a pierced and carved foliate cresting flanked by conforming supports, 192 cm high

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  • Giltwood - Giltwood is used to describe a gold finish on furniture and other decorative wooden items, whereby a thin sheet of gold metal, called gold leaf, is applied to the surface for decorative purposes.

    Unlike gilding, where the gold leaf is applied over a coating of gesso, with giltwood the gold leaf is applied direct to the surface, or over a coat of linseed oil gold leaf adhesive.

    Most gold-finished mirrors will be gilded, whereas furniture with gold highlights will have the gold applied through the giltwood method.
  • Cresting - The decorative carving at the top of a piece of furniture, such as a sideboard back, a mirror, or a chair back.
  • Foliate - Decorated with leaves or leaf-like forms.
  • Pierced Decoration - Ornamental woodwork with part of the background cut through and removed to produce an open-work pattern.

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