Italian Brass and Stained Wood Table Mirror, Italy 1970s (sold)
















Italian Brass and Stained Wood Table Mirror, Italy 1970s (sold)
Mirrors are versatile pieces of interior decor with several advantages and uses. Fusing form and function, table mirrors offer useful reflection while also providing an eye-catching focal point. This Italian model has a stylish, refined look that is certain to be a lovely addition to a room.
Vanity - or table mirrors - such as this model are freestanding jewels with a functional core that can easily add personality wherever they are placed. With its rectangular frame and generous size, it has a stalwart stance that commands attention. The play on materials and geometry, with the mirror’s clean and symmetrical lines, creates a neat, modern look. The dark stained wood highlights the patinated brass, with the two materials balanced out by their complementary colours and textures. The wooden frame is highlighted by an outline of brass, while the geometric body is decorated with a strip of brass that starts at the top and continues down the front. The body and frame are connected by two brass joints on each side that allow the mirror to swivel and be adjusted to its desired position. The curved wooden base, in contrast to the right angles that comprise the rest of the mirror, grounds and stabilises the body and frame. The rectangular frame and the beautiful wood grain provide simple elegance, making this mirror perfect to bring some understated modernism into a room. As such, this model is a great utilitarian piece for a vanity table with an impressive size.
In the early days, mirrors were made from obsidian, a smooth black stone, and metals, such as copper and bronze. The use of glass in mirror-making was initially developed during the rise of the glass industry, and later revolutionised by Murano glassmakers. Venetian glass makers innovated mirror-making both in the silvering process and with the creation of “cristallo” glass, a technique made famous by glass artist Angelo Barovier, in 1450. Cristallo, is a glass making technique that embellished and improved the quality of mirrors due to its transparency - reminiscent of the clear quartz stone, while the silvering process consists of adding a layer of tin or mercury to the glass offering further reflectivity and durability. This table mirror, crafted by the finest Italian glaziers, was designed to maximally serve its function and please the eyes, complementing any space it is placed within.
SOLD
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use.
Dimensions:
19.68 in W x 4.72 in D x 18.89 in H
50 cm W x 12 cm D x 48 cm H
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Price category: 5,000 - 7,500 usd / eur
This beautiful tray, produced in Spain in the second half of the 20th century, is a refined example of decorative craftsmanship paired with functional design. In 1798, the Valentí family started its first silversmith workshop in Barcelona. In 1925 Fernando Valentí Clúa, founder of the current Valentí, was born. Since then, they have created a company with a solid handcraft foundation, influenced by the decorative arts and the renaissance of craftsmanship applied to modernity.
The tray has a broad, elongated oval shape with a shallow interior and gently raised sides. Its outline has a natural flow, showing its handcrafted nature. The inside has a rich, warm golden brass surface, dramatically enhanced by areas of turquoise. Across the bottom of the tray, the brass almost melts across the blue surface. The pattern it creates is effortlessly organic. The exterior displays a continuous turquoise finish, making the distinction between the inside and outside especially striking. The smooth, shallow form allows the different surfaces to remain clearly visible, while also working functionally as a tray. The combination of materials gives the piece a memorable example of Spanish mid-century decorative metalwork.
Decorative objects of this kind are particularly appealing for their ability to introduce colour, texture and material contrast into an interior. This Valentí tray is an excellent centrepiece for a coffee table, dining table or sideboard, where its richly patterned interior can be appreciated from above. It can also serve as a decorative catchall or simply be displayed as an object in its own right.
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Due to the nature of material, the item has some marks, scratches, and discolouration.