A Swedish first half 18th century gilt lead, giltwood and etched glass marginal mirror
in the manner of Burchard Precht
The arched cresting with an urn shaped surmount above cherub mounts, acanthus scrolls and paterae flanking central cartouches of leaves and grapes within plain border plates, the rectangular plate below, within a border of six canted, etched margin plates decorated with leafy tendrils, flowers and birds, the frame with elaborate bead mouldings including leaf and gadrooned ornament, 86cm wide; 171cm high, (33 3/4in wide, 67 1/4in high)
Footnotes:
This lot relates stylistically to a group of mirrors of an idiosyncratic Swedish 'Regence' design associated with the furniture-maker and sculptor Burchard Precht (1651-1738) who was originally from Bremen. By 1674 he is recorded as having established himself in Stockholm working at the Swedish Royal residence of Drottingholm Palace where he became 'carver to the court' in 1682. Before the end of the 17th century he broadened his experience by travelling with the court architect Nicodemus Tessin to Paris and Rome, which had a significant influence on the development of his designs as well as leading to significant ecclesiastical commissions. Burchard had two sons Christian (1706-1779) and Gustav (d. 1763), the former gaining a reputation as a leading Swedish silversmith by the mid-18th century.

Related mirrors by Precht are illustrated in T. Sylvén and E. Welander-Berggren, Speglar Speglmakare & Fabrikörer i Sverige, 1650-1850, Stockholm, 2000, pp.'s 194, 196-197 and S. Wallin, Nordiska Museets Möbler fran Svenska Herremanshem, Stockholm, 1931, vol. I, figs. 335 and 337.

Extensive re-pinning to the metal mounts. There are notable cracks to the left hand scrolls of the cresting. Predominantly oil-gilded finish which has been extensively refreshed. Overall degrading and isolated losses to the silvering of the mirror plates. There are losses to the bottom edges of the slivering to the etched cartouches in the cresting. The central plate is the worst affected around its perimeter where patchy and spidery markings most evident.