This is an astonishing Archibald Knox Cymric hand mirror. This is “Knox the modernist” at his finest.

The mirror is dated  1904 and could be straight out of the deco era, if not later.

The mirror handle appears to have been inspired by a Norse sword handle and the totality of the piece is clean lined, paired back modernism.  The mirror successfully has just two subtle Knox leaf motifs to its back.

There are many Liberty Cymric hand mirrors, most of standard oval design carrying Knox motifs.  This is a Knox masterpiece.  The design appears in the Liberty silver sketch book model number 5082, page 366. No other example of this mirror has previously been identified and it will appear in Dr Stephen Martin’s forthcoming revised third edition of his book “Archibald Knox”.

Maker: Liberty & Co

Designer: Archibald Knox

Date: 1904

Marks: L & Co, Birmingham, date letter “e”, Cymric

Material: Sterling silver

Size: 26 cm long, 16 cm wide

Photographs and description courtesy of The Peartree Collection.