Figure 1
John Blades was a leading glassmaker of the early nineteenth century. He was active from 1783, when he opened his shop at 5 Ludgate Hill, London, until his death in 1829. His business was far-reaching, with connections in both the Middle East and India, and eventually a division, Blades and Matthews, was established in Calcutta.
Figure 2
Interior designer Jamie Drake has said “The first thing I’d buy for a glamorous room is a mirrored piece of furniture.” Mirrors engraved with scenes from the hunt were first known to be used within furniture in the drawer fronts of 17th century South German table cabinets. They were incorporated as part of the exploration and display of precious materials within decorative arts objects and have since been applied to many types of furniture in varying degrees throughout history, including chairs, bookcases and commodes.
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