Looking Glass

DateCa. 1760

Labeled by John Elliott

MediumMahogany, spruce, gilding, glass

DimensionsOH: 6' 7 1/2"; OW: 28 1/2"

Credit LineBequest of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Hennage

Object number1990-298

DescriptionLooking glass, a carved and gilded broken scroll pediment ending in floral rosettes hung with pendent leafage and centering a spread winged figure of a phoenix, a rectangular two-part mirror-plate with rounded upper corners within a shaped and gilded bezel below, fruit and leaf fillets flanking, above a shaped pendant.
Label TextThis elaborately scrolled and gilded looking glass bears the labels (in both English and German) of John Elliott, Sr., a cabinet- and looking glass maker who immigrated to Philadelphia from England in 1753. Elliott's labels state that he imported and resold English looking glasses and also repaired, reframed, and resilvered old glasses. This example is important because of its unusually large size and its surviving labels. The use of spruce for the looking glasses' backboards suggest that this is was produced in England and retailed by Elliott in Philadelphia.
MarkingsJohn Elliott's paper label printed in English and German with some handwritten portions on backboard.
"[John] Elliott,/ AT his Look[ing-Glass] Store, the Sign of the Bell and/ Looking-Glass [i]n Walnut Street, Philadelphia/ imports and sells all Sorts of English Looking-glasses/ at the lowest Rates [wholesale & retail] / he also new Quicksilvers and frames old Glasses/ and supply's People with new Glass to their own Frames/ Dichan Elliott..."
ProvenanceDonors purchcased from Joe Kindig, Jr. & Son, York, Pennsylvania in 1986

Exhibition(s)