THE LONDON BULLETIN

MERCREDI

Nan Mabon, 

The American owner of Antiques Resource, the enormously successful antique furniture and accessories sourcing and buying service in London for the past 17 years, is a weekly contributor to my blog; she has the most exquisite taste, she knows the London market thoroughly and will certainly dazzle us with her choices and reports from one of the most lively, most trendy cities in Europe.

Finding the right mirror

"Finding the right mirror to go above a client's fireplace can be a real challenge and getting the correct proportions and type to suit the client's taste takes patience and time. Antique dealers are usually not thrilled to lend a mirror to "try out" for fear that guilding will be damaged or worse, the glass broken. I usually ask clients to cut a newspaper template and stick it on the wall to check the size before trying it. Over the years I have discovered that the size that works well is the width of the interior "firebox" and height that leaves some breathing space at the top."

 Before: client will eventually find some interesting art so wanted to keep the mirror simple.

 Now: Mid-19th century ebonised carved English mirror.

Before: Ceiling height in this 1910 Chelsea house is low so looked for something to give height.

Now: The curves and simplicity of this 50's French mirror we found go nicely with the coffee table and circles in the carpet.

 Before: reproduction classic limestone fireplace--anything goes!
 Now: Chose an 18th century Venetian mirrored frame with replaced 19th century beveled glass.

 Before: 18th century French limestone fireplace in a small foyer. 

 Now: Found this gilt wrought iron round mirror attributed to Jean Royere, 1937 in Paris and the dealer was happy for it to go to London "sale or return"  Happily it looked wonderful in the room!

images antiques resource

  merci beaucoup, Nan.

au revoir.