Georgian Chippendale Period Mahogany Fretwork Pier Mirror with Gilt Ho-ho Bird, c.1760 (George III, Mid-18th Century)

In good original condition, commensurate with age. The mahogany frame, carved fretwork and gilt slip are all original. The original mercury-silvered plate shows attractive age-related bloom and oxidation consistent with an 18th-century mirror. There is a small chip to the tail of the ho-ho bird crest. When acquired, the back of the mirror was covered with later brown paper; this has been removed to allow proper stabilisation. Several of the original mirror-retaining blocks had loosened and have been sympathetically re-glued. The original backboard, which had split into two sections over time, has been carefully re-secured using gummed paper tape, preserving the original timber. Most original tacks remain, with a small number of period-appropriate replacements added where required to secure the backboard. Some residue from the earlier paper backing remains around the perimeter and has been left undisturbed to avoid unnecessary intervention. Structurally sound and stable, with honest signs of age entirely in keeping with an 18th-century mirror.