Sunburst Mirror - What do you know?

[Mileaway]

Take a look, let me know if you know Thanks
30" Dia. Gesso on Wood gilded Sunburst Mirror

 

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[Mileaway]

Thanks, I do too

My crummy photographic skills don't do the piece justice.(and Sandy was wondering why I was moving furniture around at 5am this morning, lol) It honestly looks better hanging on the wall.

I found this piece at an estate sale in a turn of the 20th century farmhouse in a small town in West Virginia many years ago. I paid $5 for it. I'm glad I did but I don't know too much about these mirrors. I do know they are quite popular here on the west coast.

Do you know anything about them?

Thanks, M

 

[Breezie]

What a beautiful mirror! Many of these gilded (often water gilded) sunburst mirrors with a convex mirror were made in France and/or Italy during the 1870s. Actually sunburst mirrors have been around for centuries, with the sun being the center of worship. Of course, you can thank the 'sun king,' Louis XIV and his vanity for making them so popular. These sunburst mirrors also made a come back in the 1920s up to the 1950s. You got a heckavah deal at $5.00. Breezie

 

[Mileaway]

Wow! Thanks Breezie for the info.
I always wanted to peel the back panel off and look inside but I was afraid I'd end up with a pile of puzzle pieces at my feet!

 

[Breezie]

Are there staples in the back of the wood? If so, scrape one to see if it is brass. The very early staples (1860s) were made of brass. Breezie

 

[Mileaway]

No, actually the back was nailed on before the gesso was put on. They are bent over on the back. I thought they were staples too but then I saw the ends of a couple of them.
As I took it down off the wall to check I turned it some and heard something inside. That is going to drive me nuts wondering what it is. Probably just an old piece of the plaster but..... they need an avitar of someone pulling their hair out! lol

 

[High Plains Digger]

Ok, now we have to come with a really exciting story of what might be inside. How about "emergency diamonds" stored by a Jewish family before the Gestapo came. Or the key to a chest with a map painted on the inside. The chest is full of emeralds from Colombia. Don't rattle it too much--it may chip the painted map. Ready to open that baby

 

[Mileaway]

Ok, now we have to come with a really exciting story of what might be inside. How about "emergency diamonds" stored by a Jewish family before the Gestapo came. Or the key to a chest with a map painted on the inside. The chest is full of emeralds from Colombia. Don't rattle it too much--it may chip the painted map. Ready to open that baby

Dang, you know how to make my mouth water for adventure! Let's do it! Where's my hammer!

 

[DevilDog812]

Ok, now we have to come with a really exciting story of what might be inside. How about "emergency diamonds" stored by a Jewish family before the Gestapo came. Or the key to a chest with a map painted on the inside. The chest is full of emeralds from Colombia. Don't rattle it too much--it may chip the painted map. Ready to open that baby

Dang, you know how to make my mouth water for adventure! Let's do it! Where's my hammer!

think an xray might work better