Hand-Carved Teak Wood Arched Overmantel Mirror | Gold Putti and Urn Crest

The Story Behind This Mirror

A piece this size is drawn full-scale before anything is cut, because the putti, the urns and the cartouche all have to hold their proportion when they are two metres up a wall and seen from below rather than at eye level on a bench. Figures that look correct at arm's length can look squat from the floor, so the carver compensates deliberately in the setting out.

The figure work is the slow part and goes to the carvers who do figures. Faces, hands and the fall of drapery on the putti are shaped from the solid, and there is no correcting a face cut too deep - the block is finished or it is scrapped. The urns are turned before they are carved and their flowers shaped individually, so each spray sits at its own angle. The garland swag is cut as a continuous run so the leaves overlap the way real foliage does.

When the components come together the whole frame is hand-sanded through progressive grits, then the pale gold is built up in coats and rubbed back by hand along the cornice edges, the urn lips and the cartouche scrolls. The marginal panels are glazed first, the arched plate last.

Factual specification for this hand-carved teak wood arched overmantel mirror:

• Material: Solid teak wood, hand-carved (no veneer, no engineered wood)
• Style: French eighteenth-century arched overmantel with carved architectural crest
• Finish: Pale cool gold, hand-applied and hand-rubbed; customisable to bright gold, antique gold, distressed gold, silver or dark wood polish
• Crest detail: Two carved putti flanking a scrolled cartouche, garland swag falling to both sides, carved flower-filled urns on plinths at each shoulder
• Frame detail: Pilaster mouldings down both stiles, carved cartouche at the base
• Glass: Shaped arched central plate with narrow mirrored marginal panels
• Orientation: Wall-mounted, portrait; suited to overmantel and large-wall placement
• Size: Custom sizes made to order - share your wall dimensions and ceiling height and we will quote
• Make: Made to order, handcrafted by master Indian artisans
• Photography: Actual product photos and video shared before dispatch
• Delivery: Pan-India, free shipping

Packaging and Transit Protection

Large overmantels are packed as components rather than as one object, because that is the only way projecting figure carving survives a long road journey. The urn finials, the putti crest and any separable carved elements are wrapped individually in high-density foam, taped clear of the gilded surface, and boxed in their own compartments. Both marginal panels and the arched central plate are each covered with a shatter-retention film and faced with rigid board.

The main frame is sleeved in a continuous foam blanket, corner-guarded at all four corners and blocked into a purpose-built wooden crate with foam on every face. Given the size and weight, the crate is built heavier than our standard and skidded for forklift handling, and it is marked for orientation, fragility and lifting points. We photograph every component wrapped and the crate sealed and send those images before dispatch. On arrival, open the crate against the packing list and check every component - especially the putti faces and hands, and both marginal panels - before signing.

Shipping and Delivery

This is a made-to-order piece with figure carving in it, which is the slowest work in the workshop and cannot be hurried without showing. Typical lead time is 4 to 6 weeks from order confirmation, and can extend if you enlarge the frame, change the crest composition or specify a different finial style or polish. The exact timeline is confirmed in writing at order, and we share photographs at the carving stage, after assembly and after finishing.

Delivery is free anywhere in India. We arrange transport sized for the crate and our team coordinates unloading and placement at your address. Because of the dimensions, please confirm in advance your doorway and stair widths, lift internal size and whether a service entry or crane is needed - we plan the route with you before dispatch. We advise on structural fixing for your wall type and strongly recommend professional installation at this weight. International orders are quoted case by case on request.

Craftsmanship Assurance and Care

The solid teak frame, the figure carving and the joinery carry our craftsmanship assurance. If a joint opens, a carved element separates or a finial works loose because of a fault in the making - rather than through impact, misuse, unsuitable fixing or an attempted self-repair - we repair or replace it. Glass breakage after delivery and water damage sit outside the assurance.

A pale finish shows marks that a bright gilt hides, so keep cleaning gentle and dry. Dust the putti, the cartouche, the garland and the urn flowers with a clean dry soft brush; use a soft dry cloth only on the pilaster mouldings and the cornice. Never use water, chemical polish, alcohol or ammonia cleaners on the gilding - a hand-rubbed pale gold cannot be spot-repaired invisibly once stripped. Spray glass cleaner onto the cloth, never onto the plates, so nothing runs behind the marginal glass. Keep the piece clear of direct sunlight, heat and air-conditioner outflow, and if it is mounted above a working fireplace, ensure there is adequate clearance from rising heat. Because of the weight, mount on a structural wall using professional installation and check the fixings annually.