A RARE WILLIAM III CARVED SILVERED WOOD AND JAPANNED PIER GLASS circa 1695

the divided upright beveled arched mirror plate engraved at the center with a stylized star form flower head above three other similar flowers over a scalloped edge, the conforming frame with an inner gadrooned border, the molded black and gold japanned border with raised decoration in the oriental manner with figures, birds, flowers and pavilions, all within a foliate and strapwork carved outer edge.

Christie's, New York, October 9, 1993, lot 358, The Property of a Lady of Title

Retaining much of its original silvered gesso decoration with some surface crackle and overall small losses with some of which have been filled in and colored silver. The japanning in overall good condition with some restoration and with in-filling and over painting particularly at the joints. Although the mirror plates are probably not original, they do have some age, with softly beveled edges and good overall distressing to the silvering.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This pier mirror, with its richly japanned frame within carved and silvered moldings, is a rare survival because of the fragile nature of its medium. The various elements of its chinoiserie decoration are derived from A Treatise of Japanning and Varnishing, published by Stalker and Parker in 1688, in which they declared in the introduction 'The Epistle to the Reader and Practitioner ',  'We have laid before you an Art very much admired, and all those who hold any commerce with the Inhabitants of Japan'. The following chapters include 'How to Make Varnishes', 'To make raised work in imitation of Japan, and of the Paste', and instructions 'To take off any Japan-patterns in this Book, upon any piece of work whatever'. The work contains some twenty three plates showing illustrations of flowers, birds, figures and pavilions, all in the oriental manner which relate to the decoration found on the present frame.       

The present mirror was possibly originally placed above a similarly decorated table, together with a pair of candle-stands, as part of a 'triad'. As Adam Bowett notes in English Furniture 1660-1714, From Charles II to Queen Anne, Woodbridge, 2001, "if the Lord Chamberlain's accounts are an accurate reflection of the general trend, then the 'triad' was the most numerous single product of the cabinet-makers workshop'. He illustrates an exceptional suite at Hopetoun House which is attributed to the Huguenot John Guillbaud. This is both japanned and gilded, although the former is in the European taste being decorated with colored flowers on a black ground. (Bowett, op. cit., p. 15, pl. 1:4)