Huge antique French gilt mirror with undulating frame

Code: 5303

Dimensions:

Very large antique French mirror, circa 1840, with narrow, undulating, watergilt frame decorated with a delicate etching of leaves. Where the mirror has been cleaned for almost 200 years, the gold leaf has thinned along the inside edge of the frame, ocasionally revealing the cream gesso beneath the gilding. The original mercury glass is in superb, original condition and sparkles beautifully, especially along the bottom edge and it is rare to see such a large piece, which would have been very expensive to make at the time. The gilding wraps around the outside edge of the mirror which also shows no expense was spared.  This mirror can be hung portrait, or landscape.