Looking Glass

Public Domain

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Images(2)

CultureAmerican

Titles

Looking Glass

Datec. 1730–1760

Probable placeBoston, Massachusetts, United States

MediumEastern white pine; jappaned decoration, mirrored glass

Dimensions17 1/2 × 9 3/8 × 1 3/8 in. (44.5 × 23.8 × 3.5 cm)

Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, museum purchase funded by The Brown Foundation, Inc. in honor of David B. Warren

Object numberB.2001.5

Current Location

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

Queen Anne Bedroom

Exposé

Explore Further

Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

FURNITURE

DescriptionBecause of the difficulty in producing high quality glass suitable for silvering, colonial Americans imported the great majority of looking glasses that they purchased, mostly from England. Construction details of this example, along with its fabrication from eastern white pine, indicate that this example was made in the colonies, probably Boston. The painted surface of the looking glass frame employs a technique that was called japanning, a western imitation of Asian lacquer.
Provenance[Leigh Keno American Antiques, New York]; purchased by MFAH, 2001.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

[no inscriptions]

[no marks]

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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