Diminutive Queen Anne Mirror | 18th Century

Superb original polychromatic paint decorated shell carving

Queen Anne mirrors are difficult to find, and this wonderful 15 3/4" by 9 3/4" mahogany and pine period mirror retains its orginal surface, paint decoration, and glass. Additionally, this early mirror found in southwestern Pennsylvania boasts a beautiful rare red and gold carved shell motif. The Antiques Almanac states that "the single most important decoration of Queen Anne furniture was the carved cockle or scallop shell. Often, one large shell was carved on the slant top of a desk or on the front of a highboy, lowboy, or chest. A smaller shell sometimes was carved on the knee of a leg and-with or without carving on the legs-to top the splat of a chair or daybed. The shell motif emphasized the curvilinear element. On some pieces, this carved motif is more clearly recognizable as a fan or a sunburst." This truly outstanding diminiutive 18th century mirror will hold its own, quietly and firmly, even in the most refined and advanced collections of early American antiques and Americana.