Antique Silhouette Miniatures by John Miers and Verre Eglomise

A miniature, John Miers, a silhouette of a young man circa 1800,…
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A miniature, John Miers, a silhouette of a young man circa 1800, 1st: to sinister, bronzed highlights, signed to shoulder Miers, oval, plaited hair to reverse, later brooch attachment. 2nd: verre eglomise silhouette of a gentleman, to sinister, with hair en queue, rectangular cut corners engine turned reverse. lengths 3.5 cm and 2.5 cm (2) Provenance: Estate of the late Estelle Gould

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  • Sinister - The words dexter and sinister are commonly used in heraldry, but have a more general application in the world of antiques and collectables (mainly sculpture and numismatics) to describe the position of the head of the subject. Dexter, which is Latin for right means the subject is looking to their right, while sinister, which is Latin for left, means the subject is looking to their left.
  • Verre Églomisé - Verre églomisé is the process by which the reverse of glass is decorated with gold or silver foil, sometimes with the addition of painted decoration. The technique was popular in the early and mid 19th century, but its use dates back to pre-Roman times.

    It was used as a decorative effect on mirrors, table tops and clocks.
  • Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
  • Engine Turned - Engine turning is a decorative technique used on metal surfaces to create intricate curving or geometric pattern. The process involves cutting a series of lines into the surface of the metal using a rose engine or decoration lathe which rotates the metal as it cuts, allowing the operator to create a repeating pattern that covers the entire surface. The resulting surface has a shimmering, reflective quality that is often described as "engine turned." Where an engine turned item has been enamelled, the term used to describe the decoration is usually guilloche.

    Engine turning was originally developed to decorate metal objects such as firearms, scientific instruments, and other metal objects that required precise and elegant design.

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