A Louis XV style gilded salon mirror, 20th century, 126 cm high,…
click the photo to enlarge
A Louis XV style gilded salon mirror, 20th century, 126 cm high, 61 cm wide

You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.

Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item

When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
  • Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.

    For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.

    Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

A Trumeau mirror in Louis XV style, with a painted panel of 18th century figures above a rectangular plate within a gilt frame surmounted with carved ribbon decoration, 120 cm high, 61 cm wide

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

Vintage French Tapestry of a garden scene, approx 120 cm high, 210 cm long

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

Antique 18th century French school portrait of a lady, oil on board, unsigned, approx 39 cm x 30 cm

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A walnut framed pier glass mirror, with bevelled edge and gilded decoration. Height 117 cm, width 50.5 cm

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.