Needlework Mirror dated 1660

A needlework mirror, English, c. 1660. A needlework mirror, English, c. 1660. Sold at Bonhams, London, in 2011.

A needlework mirror with folding shutters was auctioned at Bonhams, London, in 2011. It dates to around 1660, was made in England and measures 38 x 35 cm. It is set in a tortoise shell and ebonised frame. The ground material is made of silk. The embroidery is worked in coloured silks and metal thread, using needlelace and other forms of needlework.

The left shutter shows a man sitting under a tree with a bow and arrow beside him. The right shutter shows a black woman standing under a tree and wearing a feather skirt. She has a seed pearl necklace and bracelets and is smoking a pipe. The border shows a camel, a rose, a horse (unicorn), a carnation, a lion, a thistle, a leopard and an iris. It has a silver braid edge and is lined and backed with salmon pink silk.

The shutters of this mirror were designed to celebrate the founding of the Province of Carolina in 1663, named by King Charles II in honour of his father, King Charles I.

Digital source of illustration (retrieved 19 September 2016).

WV

Last modified on Wednesday, 15 March 2017 19:25
Published in Furnishings
More in this category: « King Charles II and Catherine of Braganza Bed cover (China/Portugal) »
back to top