Looking glass

1790-1815

probably 1792-1796

Measurements

23-3/4 in x 14-3/4 in x 2 in

Materials

Probably white pine, mirrored glass, gold foil, gilding

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of H. Rodney Sharp

Accession Number

1959.3797

Condition Notes

Gilding is worn but the glass appears to be intact.

Provenance

Ex coll. H. Rodney Sharp

Comments

The rectangular looking glass frame has a projecting cornice with blocks at each end.  Single-twist molding runs in the middle of the top and side bars.  The bottom is coved; the medial bar separating the two rectangular glass panels is undecorated.  The larger panel is on the bottom and is mirrored glass.  The upper glass panel is decorated on the back in gold foil, in a manner called églomisé; it is against a white reverse-painted background.  The églomisé image is of an eagle looking right and in an “eagle rising” pose with a gold, blue, and red American shield in the foreground.  In addition to thirteen stripes, it has fifteen stars.  If they represented states in the Union, which became customary but was not always observed, then the looking glass was likely made between 1792, when Kentucky became the fifteenth state, and 1796, when Tennessee entered the Union as the sixteenth.  An anchor is to the left of the eagle and shield.  Anchors in state seals and other symbols often point to Rhode Island, which may be where this looking glass originated.

Pieces of paper have been applied to the back of the looking glass frame to cover open seams between the backboards.