Of coral, glass and pewter. Each rectangular mirror plate within a frame decorated with coral, shaped glass insets, beads and silver foil, and edged with pewter moldings.

Provenance:
Collection of the von Giebelstadt zu Darstadt family, Schloss Darstadt, Kreis Würzburg, Germany

According to the Ancient Greeks, after Perseus cut off Medusa's head, he wished to cleanse himself of the act by bathing in the sea. He placed the severed head on a bed of seaweed, which upon contact was petrified and turned red. Thus is the myth of the origin of coral described.

Coral has been widely integrated into decorative objects since Antiquity, with rose-colored coral being the most highly prized. The red skeletons of these marine organisms were viewed as having protective and medicinal qualities, and were incorporated into amulets, jewelry and textiles. The Romans believed it could detect poisons and diagnose illnesses by changing color, and used it as a talisman for their children. Necklaces of coral were worn by adults and children into the 19th century as a means of protection against the evil eye, natural disasters and other dangers, and was believed to lose its hue as the wearers welfare declined. Coral was also thought to have to ability of detecting poison in food and was therefore used in the handles of cutlery. For this same reason, credenzas were also often mounted with a branch of coral.

In the Renaissance, the Italian towns of Genoa and Trapani became the largest coral production centers and helped to popularize the material by the skilled carving of coral and its application to objects and cabinets. In the 17th century, coral was adopted as a prized material for inlay in jewelry and ecclesiastical and household objects. It also figured predominantly as a gemstone in jewelry and other objet d'art, particularly during the Art Deco period.

The present pair of mirrors were formerly in the collection of the Zobel von Giebelstadt family at Schloss Durstadt, in Kreis Würzburg, Germany (figure 1). Durstadt is a small town, with only 220 inhabitants, whose history is closely connected to the old Franconian noble family of Zobel von Giebelstadt, the Schloss being a major feature of the town. It was built by Stephan Zobel von Giebelstadt in the Renaissance style in the 17th century, upon a foundation dating from the late Middle Ages.

Though the Schoss dates from the 17th century it was substantially restored in the late 1980's and the interiors were of contemporary chic, yet sensitive to the history of the building. Amongst the antique furnishings, the collection also contained a number of 20th century pieces, including the present mirrors, which in their use of materials, recalls the baroque taste. Small fragments of coral cover the frame and surround meandering bead and glass designs. The use of pewter, which clads the moldings and whose soft grey hue acts as a perfect foil for the vibrantly colored coral, also harks back to baroque tableware and objects. The present mirrors use these materials to create new unusual designs while maintaining an element of restraint and tradition.

Measurements:
Height: 24 1/2" (62cm); Width: 29" (74cm).