Small French Ebonized Guilloché Mirror w/ Foxed Mercury Glass, 17th Century - 17" x 15"

A small 17th-century mirror from southeastern France, with a deeply molded frame in ebonized wood articulated by repeated guilloché, or ripple-cut, bands. The alternating flat and textured moldings create a strong sense of depth around the compact mercury plate, while the near-black finish gives the frame a particularly graphic presence. The original glass is attractively foxed, with scattered silvery spotting and soft losses to the mercury that create an atmospheric surface. Light wear to the frame is consistent with age and adds warmth to the otherwise restrained design.

The deep black guilloché frame gives the piece a strong graphic presence, while the softly foxed mercury glass introduces shimmer, depth and the unmistakable atmosphere of age. Chic above a small console or bedside table, layered among paintings and drawings, or used as a dark graphic accent against pale plaster, it has a versatility that belies its modest scale. Its combination of rigorous geometry, luminous old glass and compact proportions gives it a distinctly sophisticated presence.