Napoleon III Period, Embossed Brass and Faux Tortoiseshell Ebonized Mirror

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French, 19th Century Embossed Brass And Faux Tortoiseshell Mirror

This striking Continental wall mirror is constructed as an architectural, stepped … Read more French, 19th Century Embossed Brass And Faux Tortoiseshell Mirror

This striking Continental wall mirror is constructed as an architectural, stepped composition in ebonized wood richly dressed with embossed brass mounts and warm red panels finished to simulate tortoiseshell, creating a high-contrast palette associated with the decorative taste of the Second Empire and the broader Napoleon III period. The frame is organized in successive registers that telescope inward: an outer dark molding edged with a continuous band of pressed, high-relief brass ornament; a broad intermediate zone of mottled red “tortoiseshell” panels divided by narrow black fillets; and an inner cove and sight edge again faced with dense embossed brass work. The brass ornament is laid on in coordinated sections—scrolling foliage, rosettes, and clustered floral sprays—applied at corners and along the rails as prominent spandrels and plaques, with repeating borders that read as repoussée or stamped sheet brass rather than carved giltwood. The overall modeling is crisp yet slightly irregular where the applied mounts meet at miters, with tiny fastener points and seams visible in raking light, consistent with period assembly methods. At center, the beveled mirrored plate adds depth and a refined finish; the glass shows scattered spotting consistent with age and oxidation to the silvering, contributing to the mirror’s period character without disrupting legibility. The reverse construction—wide joined boards with accumulated surface wear, old nail holes, and evidence of earlier backing—supports a 19th-century origin, and the combination of ebonized ground, faux tortoiseshell panels, and embossed brass enrichment points most convincingly to French production intended for richly layered interiors.

Measurements: 26.25" h x 22.75" w x 2" d. See less