Tall French Art
Deco Wall Mirror Trumeau
Egyptian Theme
Gilded with 12 kt white gold
Circa 1920’s, France
Stunning
French Art Deco Decorative Wall Mirror.
Hardwood with several
layers of gesso and water gilded with genuine 12 carat white
gold leaf.
Original beveled mirror intact.
Beautiful solid mahogany hardwood, hand carved frame with
elegant French Art Deco
Lotus flower and circular geometric designs. The design on this
mirror is quite unique and reflects the Egyptian influence that
was popular during the Art Deco era, thanks to the discovery of
King Tut's tomb.
A beautiful mirror to hang in an entry foyer, over a ladies
dressing table or in a dining room
over a sideboard (feng shui enthusiasts use mirrors here to
reflect the bounty
of a beautiful meal served on the dining table).
Use an elegant
mirror such as this in a powder room for a touch of personal
extravagance.
The 12 carat
white gold leaf was painstakingly applied with the old world
methods rarely used today, such as water gilding. The 12 carat gold leaf has a
soft patina and warmer cast than the silver or metal leaf
finishes that are more common.
Water gilding is a more elaborate process requiring greater preparation,
but its elegance and refinement of finish are unsurpassed. Water gilding is used
mainly for picture frames, furniture,
religious artifacts, sculpture, objects d'art and also for the
embellishment of stately buildings.
The process essentially consists of applying six to twelve coats
of gesso to the substrate to
produce a very fine smooth surface, followed by four to eight
coats of bole, a refined clay available in
various colors. The bole is polished to a fine finish (any flaws
or grit would ruin the appearance of the gilding), coated with
dilute size and allowed to dry. The surface is then wetted with
water and gold leaf is laid onto it immediately; as the water
soaks into the gesso it quickly draws the gold into close
contact with the surface. When dry, any loose fragments of gold
leaf are skewed off as in oil gilding
and the surface is given a protective coat of ormolu size to
enhance the color and uniformity of the gilding. Ormolu size is
a mixture of weak size and lacquer colored with a little
orange-red resin called 'dragon's blood'. It is common for
different elements of a water-gilded piece to be given
contrasting finishes to enhance the design. This effect is
called 'bright and matt' gilding. The bright passages are
usually gilded twice but they are not ormolu sized. Instead they
are burnished with a burnishing tool, a polished rounded stone agate
set in a wooden handle, to produce a mirror finish.
This mirror
was restored employing this period appropriate, old world
tradition.
Dimensions:
Overall: 33 ” wide, 62” high.
Mirror: 27 1/2" x 39 1/2".
Condition: In
excellent condition-The gilded frame has been completely
restored ( May 2009) and the mirror is original and in very good
to excellent condition.
The mirror shows some age at the top and
side, the center is excellent.
Item # FADM137:
Price: $ 4,800.
