A John Linnell Mirror

It is no secret that I can pass many a long and happy hour admiring the artworks, costumes and artifacts of the long 18th century. If you are of a similar interest, do take a gander at my Pinterest boards, where you will find more than 12,000 items from the Georgian ad Regency era. The pictures there inspire me in my blog, my fiction and my life in general and the item that has caught my eye today can certainly be found there, and was sent to me by a salon visitor who correctly guessed that it would be right up my street! 

This beautifully ornate giltwood mirror was made in approximately 1760 and has been attributed to John Linnell. Linnell took on the family business and made his name as one of the most fashionable furniture makers of the Georgian era, with a client list containing some very illustrious names!

The son of a furniture maker, Linnell was born in 1729 and was an alumnus of St Martin’s Lane Academy. He took the skills he learnt here back to his father 's workshop and with the family firm well and truly thriving, the Linnells were soon able to move their business into Berkeley Square, where they enjoyed the patronage of some of the finest names in London.

Linnell's furniture was notable for its ornate, Rococo design and the quality of its workmanship and in this mirror we can see that he was certainly not a man who favoured understatement. Because so many pieces of Linnell's furniture were purchased by the upper classes, many examples of it still survive and have remained in wonderfully preserved condition. 

This mirror is just one small piece of his work, we can only imagine the rather fine things it must have reflected in its many years!