Stock Code: 2397 - SOLD

Description: A tall exquisitely detailed and beautifully carved George III giltwood girandole mirror attributed to John Linnell. The frame elaborately carved with leaves, ribbons and leaf work foliage formed around two oval plates and a pediment with elaborate ribbon carving in the form of a bow, beautifully held by entwined floral vines. The lower part of the smaller plate with a beautiful carved parrot, perched and surveying his surroundings! To each side of the larger plate a pair of bracket platforms with carved rock work detailed edges and to the lower part a pair of leaf carved candle arms with the holders in the form of an open flower.

Further Information: The son of a furniture maker, Linnell was born in 1729 and was an alumnus of St Martin’s Lane Academy. He took the skills he learnt here back to his father ‘s workshop and with the family firm well and truly thriving, the Linnell’s were soon able to move their business into Berkeley Square, where they enjoyed the patronage of some of the finest names in London.

Linnell’s furniture was notable for its ornate, Rococo design and the quality of its workmanship and in this mirror we can see that he was certainly not a man who favoured understatement. Many pieces of Linnell’s furniture were purchased by the upper classes of the day, these examples still survive and have remained in wonderfully preserved condition over 250 years later.

This girandole relates to a drawing in the Victoria and Albert Museum by John Linnell. Drawing illustrated in “William and John Linnell, Eighteenth Century London Furniture Makers” by Helena Hayward and Pat Kirkham. The carved “parrot” above the central plate is seen on a design by Linnell on a console table on the stretcher, a rarely used bird in English cabinet work.

The last image in the series adjacent shows a very similar mirror depicted in the book "William and John Linnell".

Condition: Excellent. The mirror plates apparently original, the gilding partially re-freshed.

Country of Origin: England

Origin/Age: English, George III, circa 1760.

Provenance: Private collection U.K.

Maker: Attributed to John Linnell

Dimensions: Height 58.00 inches (147.32cm) Width 31.00 inches (78.74cm) Depth 7.00 inches (17.78cm)