Chatham Dockyard Mirror

An exceptional early 19th century mirror from the historic Chatham Dockyards in Kent, England.

The heavily foxed mercury plate is twelve millimeters in thickness and supported by the original pine frame and panel back.

The mirror was salvaged by a developer in 1972 whose task it was to clear a section of Alms Houses at the historic site for re-development. Most of the building’s contents were scrapped however the developer had the tenacity to salvage the oak paneling, decorative plaster work and this very handsome mirror.

The items were saved and placed into storage by the vendor until recently when Pointers Antiques were approached and the items offered for sale.

The piece has received light restoration and remains in almost completely original condition with no cracks or issues with the mercury plate.

The mirror has been difficult to age and could be older than we suggest it to be, dating to as early as 1760.

Discovering period mercury mirrors of this size and stature is very difficult, making this example particularly special.

A one-off piece of English architectural history ready to serve for another two hundred years.

English, circa 1800.