Newly finished in our Mobile studio, this Monumental late 20th century plaster mirror in the Louis XVI style stands over five feet tall, crowned by a pierced floral basket crest "” a woven lattice basket of blooms flanked by a crossed gardening spade and rake, wrapped in wind-swept acanthus swags above a fluted pediment with Greek key corners.

That spade and rake are worth knowing about: crossed garden tools are a classic Louis XVI "garden trophy," born of the era's romance with pastoral life "” think Marie Antoinette's hamlet at Versailles, where the court played at farming amid manicured beauty. It's a rarer and more charming crest than the usual torch-and-quiver, and it's the kind of detail that rewards a second look.

When this piece came to me, a chalky white and chipped away (last image shows the before) "” I created a bespoke, multi-layered finish applied entirely by hand: fresh gesso with crackling to restore depth to the aged plaster, a hand-painted French blue-gray body built up in layers, fly speckling for authentic age, and hand-applied gold leaf placed exactly where the original artisans intended your eye to travel "” tracing the basket lattice, the blooms, the leaf tips, the fluting. This is not a factory finish. It is one of one, and it cannot be repeated exactly.

At 62 inches tall and three feet wide, it anchors an entryway, crowns a mantel, or brings the drama to a dressing room or powder bath. If you're building a Palm Beach Regency entry, a Grandmillennial bedroom, or a classic French-leaning room that needs one grand gesture, this is the piece guests will ask about.

Bespoke hand finish by Turtle and Crane Atelier, Mobile, Alabama "” "Turning the past into stunning décor for today."

** Please Note: To assist with visualization and interior design inspiration, this listing includes an AI-generated staged photograph demonstrating potential styling. This image is for illustrative purposes only. Please refer to the primary studio photo for the exact, standalone item being sold. Buyers must rely exclusively on the provided written dimensions in the listing details to determine accurate scale and fit for their space.


Condition:
Alterations: Original Design Modified
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Condition Rating: Excellent, Restored
Condition Notes: Masterfully hand-restored by our atelier, this late-20th-century piece has been meticulously back-sanded to eliminate a previous heavy, modern commercial coating, fully reviving the structural sharpness of the original carvings.
Surface Finish: Artistically finished with a multi-layered application of premium chalk paint in elegant Linen White and Chambley Blue. The surface has been chemically stabilized using an old-school shellac-binding method to permanently lock down the historic foundation. It features a meticulously layered antique glaze, subtle fly speckling, and a proprietary Relic Ash finish accentuation pushed deep into the grooves to create an intentional appearance of having aged gracefully, avoiding a hard-worn look. It beautifully preserves a light, authentic craquelure map (fine gesso lines and micro-pores) across the relief valleys, giving it genuine antique soul rather than a flat, modern reproduction appearance.
Gilding: Features meticulously detailed, pristine parcel-gilt accents executed with hand-applied gold leaf across the crest, acanthus leaves, and stepped profile boundaries.

Origin:
United States

Creator:
Styled After: Bunny Williams Home

Materials & Techniques:
Gesso, Gold Leaf, Mirror, Plaster

International: No International Shipping for this auction.
Combined shipping: Please ask about combined shipping for multiple lots before bidding.

Original Design Modified; Some Imperfections; Condition Rating: Excellent, Restored
Condition Notes: Masterfully hand-restored by our atelier, this late-20th-century piece has been meticulously back-sanded to eliminate a previous heavy, modern commercial coating, fully reviving the structural sharpness of the original carvings.
Surface Finish: Artistically finished with a multi-layered application of premium chalk paint in elegant Linen White and Chambley Blue. The surface has been chemically stabilized using an old-school shellac-binding method to permanently lock down the historic foundation. It features a meticulously layered antique glaze, subtle fly speckling, and a proprietary Relic Ash finish accentuation pushed deep into the grooves to create an intentional appearance of having aged gracefully, avoiding a hard-worn look. It beautifully preserves a light, authentic craquelure map (fine gesso lines and micro-pores) across the relief valleys, giving it genuine antique soul rather than a flat, modern reproduction appearance.
Gilding: Features meticulously detailed, pristine parcel-gilt accents executed with hand-applied gold leaf across the crest, acanthus leaves, and stepped profile boundaries.