This is a very elaborate antique gilded wood Florentine mirror , from the last quarter of the 20th Century. Gushing with beauty, elegance and refinement, this mirror is the epitome of the Florentine style. It is certain to make a charming addition to that one special room in your home. Florentine style refers to the art and architecture coming out of Florence, Italy during the Renaissance period. Florentine furniture is characterized by the heavy use of gold gilding on wood and very elaborate carved decoration. The mirror plate is bevelled. The frame comprises an inner, more formal border which edges the mirror, with the more elaborate carved decoration outside of that. It features lovely scallop shell motifs in the centre above and below. It is certain to make a charming addition to that one special room in your home. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation of condition. Dimensions in cm: Height 54 x Width 48 Dimensions in inches: Height 1 foot, 9 inches x Width 1 foot, 7 inches Mirrors are commonly used for personal grooming or admiring oneself (in which case the archaic term looking-glass is sometimes still used), decoration, and architecture. The earliest manufactured mirrors were pieces of polished stone such as obsidian, a naturally occurring volcanic glass. In classical antiquity, mirrors were made of solid metal (bronze, later silver) and were too expensive for widespread use by common people; they were also prone to corrosion. Due to the low reflectivity of polished metal, these mirrors also gave a darker image than modern ones, making them unsuitable for indoor use with the artificial lighting of the time. The method of making mirrors out of plate glass was invented by 16th-century Venetian glassmakers on the island of Murano, who covered the back of the glass with mercury, obtaining near-perfect and undistorted reflection. For over one hundred years, Venetian mirrors installed in richly decorated frames served as luxury decorations for palaces throughout Europe, but the secret of the mercury process eventually arrived in London and Paris during the 17th century, due to industrial espionage. French workshops succeeded in large scale industrialization of the process, eventually making mirrors affordable to the masses. Our reference: 05002 Please feel free to email or call us (+44 20 8809 9605) to arrange a viewing in our North London warehouse. Shipping: We ship worldwide and deliver to Mainland UK addresses free of charge. A shipping cost to all other destinations must be requested prior to purchase. To request a shipping quote for the items in your cart, please click HERE. Delivery and return policy: We require that someone be home on the agreed delivery day if applicable, otherwise a redelivery fee will apply. In accordance with Distance Selling Regulations, we offer a 14-day money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the item. The item must be returned in its original packaging and condition. Unless the item is not as described in a material way, the buyer is responsible for return shipping expenses. Buyers are fully responsible for any customs duties or local taxes that may be incurred on items sent outside of the European Union.