A George I carved giltwood girandole Circa 1720, in the manner of John Belchier

with a bevelled plate above a pair of engraved gilt-brass candle arm brackets, regilded

Acquired by the current owner circa 1950

Good overall condition. MInore chips to gilding. Plate possibly resilvered.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

John Belchier (d.1753) is first listed in 1717 as a cabinet-maker at 'The Sun' on the South side of St. Paul's Churchyard and he described himself as 'a cabinett and looking glafs-maker' who '...grinds and makes all sorts of fine peer and chimney glafses and glafs sconces...at reasonable rates.'  His most major commission was for John Mellor at Erddig, Wales, a commission which included a State bed, pier tables and numerous pier glasses, along with an impressive japanned bureau-cabinet. Significantly it is his bureau-cabinets that are most frequently labelled, and due to his ability to work with glass all have mirrored doors to the cabinet sections. His work at Erddig is discussed by Martin Drury, ' Early Eighteenth-Century Furniture at Erddig', Apollo, July 1978, pp. 46-48, in which many of the pier-mirrors are illustrated. A pair of closely related mirrors was sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 21 November 1985, lot 111. Another pair, attributed to John Belchier, is illustrated in Ronald Phillips Ltd , catalogue April 2005, pp. 90-93. A further similar mirror was sold, The Property of a Gentleman, Christie's London, 22 November 2007, lot 652, £42,500.