Estimate

45.000 - 60.000

Session 1

16 December 2025

Hammer Price

Description

Copper with polychrome Canton enamels
Of vertical rectangular form, with a shaped cresting surmounted by a stylised feather plume finial
Richly decorated in the ‘Famille Rose’ palette on a white ground
The cresting centred by a large crowned double-headed eagle, flanked by butterflies, surrounded by floral sprays and framed by a shaped cartouche, reserved on a dense floral ground with lotus and peony scrolls
The frame painted with continuous trellis and geometric diaper borders, interrupted by floral reserves and embellished with applied metal mounts decorated with ruyi-heads and foliate scrolls
Qianlong period (c. 1750–1770)
(enamel losses and flaking; later mirror plate)

130x62 cm

Category

Objects

Additional Information

This mirror is an exceptional example of Canton enamel work produced for the European aristocratic market. The motif of the crowned double-headed eagle, closely associated with Central European imperial heraldry and particularly with the Habsburg tradition, suggests a commission of considerable prestige. The distinctive rendering of the eagle, especially the “scaled” plumage and the stylised treatment of the wings, indicates a likely connection to pieces made for the Austrian imperial household. This interpretation is supported by the recent identification of related objects bearing comparable heraldry and decorative treatment in the private collection of Archduchess Olga of Habsburg (Stockholms Auktionsverk, 2024). The monumental scale and the richness of the Famille Rose enamelling reinforce the exceptional status of this mirror within the known corpus of Qianlong-period Canton enamels.

Provenance:
Arquiteto João Teixeira