Fine George III Giltwood Oval Mirror Attributed to John Linnell

English (circa 1770-1780) fine George III 18th Century period carved giltwood oval mirror attributed to John Linnell. The carved and well-drawn oval medallion mirror with pearled and reed-gadrooned borders and a beaded slip, is below a surmounted carved urn with protruding wheat sheaf. The crisply carved swaggered urn has a fluted border centralised bow and flanked by ram-masks, issuing husk trails. The urn is supported on an 'Ionic' scrolled and fluted capital pedestal adorned with a shell and a beaded base. The trailing husks that flank the mirror are complemented with a vase-capped medallion apron with a pearled framed border and six carved flowered paterae. A vase-capped medallion frame with a pearled border framed by six flowered patterae features on a design by John Linnell, dated 1774 (H. Hayward and P. Kirkham, William and John Linnell, London, 1980, vol. II, fig. 196). A mirror with an identical carved apron was supplied to Sir Penistone Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne (1748-1819) for Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, or Melbourne House, Piccadilly, London. Possibly by descent to Admiral of the Fleet Lord Walter Kerr, G. C. B., Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, sold Mssrs. Foster house sale, 9 March 1923, lot 944, 'An oval mirror, in carved and gilt frame, 26 in. wide'. Possibly acquired at that sale by Sir Charles Nall-Cain, Bt., 1st Lord Brocket (d. 1934) and by descent. A closely related but pair of mirrors, with additional husk festoons draped from the rams' mouths and eight rather than six paterae, was exhibited by Edward Nield at the Antique Dealer's Fair, 1963, and advertised by Old Clock House in The Connoisseur, June 1966. These also have a finial with pineapple and palm-like foliate.