November, 1910 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



437 



cerned the mirror and table In Fig. 

 7 (though of a later period than 

 Heppelwhite) are correctly placed. 

 The table is of the Empire style. 

 The mirror, with simple gilt frame, 

 is made in two sections. 



The concave and convex mirror 

 with gilt frames and branches for 

 candles became very popular in Shera- 

 ton's day and they lasted for many 

 decades. Such mirrors were fre- 

 quently framed in black, ornamented 

 with gilt balls, and surmounted by a 

 gilt eagle. Many of these are pre- 

 served in old American homes. 



Another style in great favor was 

 the long mirror. Sheraton says: 



"Glasses for chimney-pieces run 

 various, according to the size of the 

 fireplace and the height of the wall 

 above. To save expense, they are 

 sometimes fitted up in three plates 

 and the joints of the glass covered 

 with small gilt mouldings or plasters. 

 At other times with the naked joint 

 only. When they are of one plate, 

 the frame in general is made bolder 

 and more elegant." 



Sheraton also says: 



"In elegant rooms the chimney-glass is usually carried 

 to the under side of the cornice of the ceiling; but to reduce 

 the expense of the plate, sometimes a broadish panel is 

 introduced at the top of the glass with a frieze and cornice 

 above all, included in the frame of the glass." 



"The most generally approved pilasters for chimney and 

 pier-glasses are those of 3, 5, or 7 reeds worked bold; 

 but which, in my opinion, still look better by being parted 

 with a ground one-third of the width of the reed, which 

 may be matted to relieve the burnished reeds. It is not 

 unusual to have a twisting branch of flowers, or a ribband 

 round the reeds rising upwards and terminating in some 

 sort of Composite, Corinthian or Ionic capital. The 

 panel above the glass is 

 sometimes made quite plain 

 and covered with silk as a 

 ground for drapery, tacked 

 under the corner of the 

 glass to match that of the 

 windows." 



Towards the middle of 

 the Eighteenth Century 

 chimney-glasses with carved 

 walnut o r gilt frames 

 valued at from thirty to 

 eighty pounds were not 

 uncommon in rich New 

 England houses. They 

 were often supplied with 

 arms for candles. A gilt- 

 edged walnut frame in 

 1748 is valued at 120 

 pounds, and another with 

 walnut frame and brass 

 arms at 37 pounds, 10 

 shillings. All through the 

 last three-quarters of the 

 Eighteenth Century ma- 

 hogany was used for 



frames, and- also pine wood • r-- 7 «/,- •,, k 



j' 111 rig. 7. — Mjrror with gilt 



Stained to resemble mahog- f.ame and console table 



any. Walnut and gilded of the Empire style 



Fig. 6 — Eighteenth century mirror from the 

 Brice House, Annapolis, Md. 



wood was a very popular combina- 

 tion and the carved and gilded frame 

 always held Its own. 



The American colonists always 

 kept up with the latest fashions in 

 England. In the wealthy houses of 

 both North and South the newest 

 styles In silver and furniture were 

 always to be seen. In early days 

 when mirrors came into use In Eng- 

 land, the landed proprietors here had 

 them also. The old inventories are 

 full of entries of looking-glasses with 

 olive-wood frames, looking-glasses 

 with black lists, etc., etc.; and as the 

 years go on and fashions change, the 

 items In the wills and Inventories 

 show that the rich householders con- 

 stantly bought the newest and the 

 latest articles In furniture. Even if 

 this were not the case, the many ad- 

 vertisements in the current newspa- 

 pers of importations from London 

 and the many cards from carvers and 

 gilders and looking-glass makers who 

 offer to remodel old glasses, cutting 

 them into the correct shapes and sizes 

 and framing them in the newest 

 styles, show that there was a great demand for such work. 

 A glance through the old New York newspapers shows the 

 following facts: 



In 1730 "James Foddy, Citizen and Glass-seller of Lon- 

 don, who arrived here at the end of last June and brought 

 with him a parcel of very fine looking-glasses of all sorts," 

 acquainted the public that he "undertook to alter and amend 

 old looking-glasses." 



In 1735 Mr. Duyckinck, at the Sign of the Tw^o Cupids, 

 near the Old Slip Market, had new looking-glasses and 

 frames plain japan'd or flowered; and among the Items 

 advertised by various merchants we see gilt and plain 

 looking-glasses of sundry sizes, in 1745; japanned dressing- 

 glasses, in 1748; new fashion sconces and looking-glasses, 



in 1749; looking-glass 

 sconces, in 1750; sconces 

 and pier-glasses of all 

 sizes. In 1752; an assort- 

 ment of sconces, gilt and 

 carved in the newest fash- 

 ions, In 1753; newest fash- 

 ioned looking-glasses from 

 London, in 1757; a variety 

 of sconces with branches 

 in walnut frames with gilt 

 edges. In 17^7; looking- 

 glasses framed in the new- 

 est taste, £S to £30 apiece, 

 In 1761; looking-glasses 

 from 2 to 6 feet. In 1764; 

 convex and concave mir- 

 r o r s, In i 764 ; t w o 

 carved white-framed sconce 

 glasses, in 1764; handsome 

 pier-glass and two sconces 

 with gilt frame. In 1768; 

 large pier-glass In an ele- 

 gant carved frame, in 

 1769; painted frame look- 

 ing-glasses, in 1773; and 

 also in that year oval 

 glasses, pier-glasses and 

 f Continued on page 441 J 



Fig. 8 — Mirror with gilt irame and 



table of the Heppelwhite 



style 



