• Width:
  22 1/4 Inches
• Height:
  30 Inches
• Origin:
  England/Ireland

This rare and significant silver mirror, displaying intricate nautical decorations of outstanding beauty and craftsmanship, was once owned by Edith Rockefeller McCormick, daughter of Standard Oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller. Crafted by Charles Brown, for Richards and Brown of London, the mirror is completely adorned with a wealth of classical motifs and mythological marine creatures, a statuette of Venus emerging from a scallop shell in the arched pediment. This exquisite mirror was part of Mrs. McCormick's extensive collection of fine art and antiques, which included French and English silver, porcelain, rare books, precious tapestries, rugs and Oriental art. The mahogany backing is inscribed 'E.R.: McC March 1911' and has a choice of an easel support or rings for wall attachment.

Hallmarked London, 1875

30" high x 22 ¼" wide

Born into one of the most powerful families of the Gilded Age, Edith Rockefeller McCormick was one of the richest women of her day. With her husband, Harold Fowler McCormick, she was known for spending money lavishly on parties, extraordinary homes, fine art and antiques, and was often at odds with her father, who was staunchly frugal and disapproved of her extravagant spending. Nevertheless, her collection of art was one of the most splendid ever assembled. Her home on Lake Shore Drive was filled with an eclectic and comprehensive collection of fine art and antiquities, including such rarities as emeralds that once belonged to Catherine the Great and furniture belonging to Napoleon. A most interesting personality, Mrs. McCormick was a student of psychoanalyst Carl Jung and was also known for her philanthropic generosity. Along with her husband, she was cofounder of the Chicago Opera Company, and donated land for the John McCormick Institution for Infectious Diseases and the Brookfield Zoo. After her death, her impressive collection was sold at the American Art Association Anderson Galleries of New York in 1934.