With a broken swan-necked pediment finishing in whorls of rosettes and acanthus with leaves along the border, centered by a crest depicting a castle and three birds, above a frieze carved with acanthus leaves and flowers, the later rectangular plate inset within a gadrooned frame with scallop shell brackets and adorned with oak leaf and acorn pendants along the edges, the apron centered with a carved scallop shell; the reverse with a partially torn paper label printed ‘G. TROLLOPE & SON,’ with 'Mr Smith' written in white chalk, and with an indecipherable ink inscription on paper to the reverse of crest
63 in. (160 cm.) high, 32¹⁄₂ in. (82.6 cm.) wide, 6 in. (15.2 cm.) deep

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Lot Essay

The present mirror relates to several Irish mirrors including a pair of pier mirrors supplied by the firm of John Booker the elder (d.1750), a Dublin ‘Looking Glass merchant’ to Gormanston Castle in 1743, which survive there together with the original bill (ill. Glin & Peill, Irish Furniture, 2007, pp. 84-5). His sons Francis (d.1772) and John Booker (d.1789) continued the family business when their father died in 1750 and were listed in premises at Essex Bridge, Dublin, the same address where their father was recorded from 1715. Another example of a mirror attributed to Francis and John Booker that shares the same broken pediment as the present lot is on display in the British Galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London [W.47-1928].

The architectural form of Booker mirrors derive from designs published by William Jones in his popular work The Gentleman’s or Builders Companion of 1739. This pattern book was imported to Dublin the same year where it was ‘sold by Robert Owen of Skinners Row for 12s.’ It is highly likely that the Bookers would have seen or owned a copy of the publication.