A rare Regency giltwood girandole wall mirror attributed to Thomas Fentham

A rare Regency giltwood girandole wall mirror attributed to Thomas Fentham, with a Chinese reverse glass plate, the circular mirror plate painted with a charming lake scene with figures and deer before a bridge leading to a pagoda, with boats and a country house in the distance, within a reeded ebonised slip and a leaf moulded and wrapped frame, with an ebonised eagle and rockwork surmount above a pair of quiver and scrolling leaf arms with brass urn sconces, the scrolling leaf base with a lion's mask and a bud pendant, 94 x 78cm.

This fine Anglo-Chinese girandole mirror has a carved giltwood frame attributable to Thomas Fentham who was a leading Regency carver, looking glass and picture frame maker based in the Strand in London. His notable clients included: the 3rd Earl of Egremont, Charles Townley and the Yorke family of Erdigg Hall, Wrexham. It is highly unusual for a convex style girandole mirror to have a Chinese reverse glass painted plate. The fashion for Chinese interiors was popularised at this period by the Prince Regent, later George IV, initially with his Chinese drawing Room at Carlton House and later at the remarkable Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

For a similar pair of Regency convex mirrors with Chinese reverse glass mirror plates see Bearne's, Hampton and Littlewood, Exeter, 23rd October 2013, lot 1150, which sold for £17,500.