mirror, convex, within an ebonised and gilt border, surmounted by a spread eagle, mythical sea-horse creatures, rock work, shell and leaf design, with nautical decoration including rope and cannon balls. The mirror is missing a chain with two cannon balls on each end through the eagle’s beak. period, convex, seahorse and dolphin decoration. Convex mirror in gilded wood and gesso frame circa 1800. A convex glass mirror which is housed in an ebony or ebonized circular slip frame. The ebony is decorated with three raised bands. The ebony is in three pieces (see "Condition" below). The gilded gesso and wood outer frame is formed in several concentric bands. An inner band of moulded repeating shield forms is encircled by a broad concave section which housing 20 gilded spheres attached 20 apart. A shallow concave rim is surrounded by a gilded gesso rope twist outer rim applied to the frame. The frame at the outer edge is approximately 500 deep. The circular central mirror section is embellished with elaborately carved and modelled attachments. The base of the mirror is decorated with a symmetrical arrangement of leaf forms in a central concave scallop shell form. The top of the mirror is surmounted by a rocky outcrop, flanked by horned hippolytes (fantastic sea creatures) which are a hybrid of a unicorn and a fish. The fish tails extend upward towards the eagle which stands with outstretched wings, atop a platform supported on the rocky outcrop. The back of the mirror reveals that the carcass is made of pine. The circular central section is formed in four quarter sections and an insert of thickly cut veneer forms the circular rim in which the mirror is set. The back of the mirror is protected by a circular wooden panel in a darker pine? the old nails, securing the panel, suggest that it has not been removed for some time. there is evidence of two old mounts, probably original, which would have been used to fix the mirror to a wall. The carved upper and lower sections are attached to the main frame with pieces of wood. there are some modern screws fixing these to the frame. Considerable repair work is evident from the back. The condition and patina of the back indicates that the object has some considerable age and is very likely to date from the first decade of the . The heaviness of the gilded on the eagle suggests that it has been retouched. The hippotytes show evidence of original water gilded.