Pair Of Extremely Rare Murano Mirrors With Flowers, Murano, Ca. 1730

Very few examples of three-dimensionally decorated mirrors remain from the early phase of mirror production in Murano. At the end of the 17th century, Murano began producing precision-cut flat glass mirrors, initially designed with flat glass elements assembled in a structural manner, engraved and sometimes etched, edged with thin glass rods or beads, then accented with corner rosettes, leaf cartouches, and flowers. In the 1730s, Murano also ventured into more complex structures.
Drawing on the experience of the glassworks, where three-dimensional, often polychrome elements were produced to meet the growing demand for decorative chandeliers, glass elements, and glassware, artisans also began to embellish mirrors with this type of decoration. This is how polychrome decorative mirrors came into being; they remain in high demand today and have been manufactured in Murano for nearly three hundred years.
The pair presented here, which has also undergone museum-quality restoration, is one of the few surviving examples from the early phase of this product line.
The mirrors are mounted on their original wooden frames and are generally lined with silver leaf.
We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have about the restoration.
HD photos are available