Hand-Carved Teak Wood Black and Gold Statement Mirror | Ebonised Baroque Frame

The Story Behind This Mirror

Bold carving is not lazy carving, though it is often assumed to be. Large rounded forms have to be absolutely fair - every cabochon truly domed, every scroll sweeping without a flat spot - because there is no fine detail nearby to distract the eye. A single boss that is slightly out of round is visible instantly. Fine carving hides its errors in complexity; work like this has nowhere to hide.

The forms are cut from seasoned solid teak, worked down with gouges and then refined with scrapers until each surface is true under raking light. The mask at the crest is shaped from the solid and deliberately kept broad, since it will be seen from a distance and from below.

Then the finishing, which takes longer than the carving. The black ground is built up in thin coats and cut back between them until it is dense and even - and a dark finish over large smooth forms shows every imperfection underneath, so preparation has to be exhaustive. Only then is the gold laid, by hand, on the raised work alone, and rubbed back at the high points. The shaped plate is fitted last.

Factual specification for this hand-carved teak wood black and gold statement mirror:

• Material: Solid teak wood, hand-carved (no veneer, no engineered wood)
• Style: Late Baroque, two-tone ebonised and gilded, bold rounded forms
• Finish: Ebonised black ground with hand-applied gold on the raised carving; black-to-gold balance customisable, and the same frame is available fully gilded or in a dark wood polish
• Frame detail: Carved mask and shell crest on a projecting cornice with lateral extensions, large gilt cabochon bosses in scrolled surrounds on both stiles, bold C-scrolls to the outer edges, spreading carved apron on scrolled feet
• Glass: Tall shaped mirror plate in a gilt inner moulding
• Orientation: Wall-mounted, portrait
• Size: Custom sizes made to order - share your wall dimensions 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

The risk profile here is unusual: the carving is robust, but the finish is not. Large ebonised surfaces scuff visibly and gilding on raised forms rubs off first at exactly the points that touch anything. So the entire frame is faced with a soft interleaf before any foam contacts it, and the mask crest, the cornice extensions, the cabochon bosses and the scrolled feet are then wrapped individually in high-density foam and taped clear of the finish so no adhesive touches black or gold.

The frame is sleeved in a continuous foam blanket, corner-guarded at all four corners and blocked into a fitted wooden crate with dense foam on every face so a heavy piece cannot shift and abrade itself. The shaped plate is covered with a shatter-retention film and rigid-board backed. The crate is built to the weight, skidded where required, and marked for orientation, fragility and lifting points. We photograph the piece wrapped and the crate sealed before dispatch. On arrival, open against the packing list and inspect the black ground for scuffs as carefully as the carving.

Shipping and Delivery

Every piece is carved and finished after you order. Typical lead time is 4 to 6 weeks from confirmation, and the two-tone finish is what sets the pace rather than the carving - the black ground is built up in thin coats with each cut back before the next, and that cannot be accelerated. Enlarging the frame or changing the black-to-gold balance pushes it to the longer end. The exact timeline is confirmed in writing at order and we share photographs after carving and after finishing.

Delivery is free anywhere in India. We arrange transport sized to the crate and our team coordinates unloading and placement at your address rather than leaving a crate at the gate. Please confirm doorway and stair widths and lift internal dimensions in advance - this is a tall, heavy piece. We advise on structural fixing for your wall type and recommend professional installation in the larger sizes. International orders are quoted case by case on request.

Craftsmanship Assurance and Care

Our craftsmanship assurance covers the solid teak frame, the carving and the joinery. If a joint opens or a carved element separates because of a fault in the making - rather than through impact, misuse, an unsuitable wall fixing or an attempted self-repair - we repair or replace the piece. Glass breakage after delivery and water damage sit outside the assurance.

A large smooth black surface is the most demanding finish in the range to keep looking right, because it shows dust, fingerprints and water spots that a broken gilt surface would hide. Dust regularly with a soft dry cloth over the black ground and use a clean dry soft brush around the mask, the cabochon surrounds and the scroll recesses. Never use water, chemical polish, alcohol or ammonia cleaners on either the ebonised ground or the gilding - the boundary between the two cannot be spot-repaired invisibly, and a mark on flat black is impossible to disguise. Spray glass cleaner onto the cloth rather than at the plate. Keep the mirror out of direct sunlight, which greys a black finish over time. This is a heavy piece: mount on a structural wall and check the fixings annually.