Wide antique French overmantel with shell cartouche

Code: 5394

Dimensions:

Unusually wide, but not too high, antique French overmantel mirror with re-entrant upper corners, circa 1890.   The watergilt frame is decorated on each of the vertical sides with diagonal floral sprays and has beautifully modelled curling acanthus leaves at each corner. The gently curving top of the mirror has a classic floral and foliate cartouche with central shell supported by elongated acanthus leaves and the bottom edge of the mirror is simply watergilded to allow objects to be placed in front of the mirror when it rests on a mantelpiece. The original glass has some age in the form of dark freckling as well as a few areas which look like frost flowers where the mirror backing has reacted with changes in temperature and damp during its life. None of this ageing will continue when the mirror is kept in a modern home environment.