Overmantel Mirror in Gilded Teak with Carved Cherubs, Urns and Garlands

The two cherubs at the top of this mirror are not carved looking straight ahead. Their heads are tipped forward by a few degrees, and their faces are turned very slightly down and inward.

That is because of where they will live. An overmantel crest sits well above eye level - often two metres or more off the floor above a chimneypiece - and a figure carved to look correct on the workbench will, from that height, appear to be gazing at the ceiling with its chin lost in shadow. Our artisans allow for it in the setting-out, tilting the head and lifting the underside of the chin so that from a standing position in the middle of the room the faces read level and open.

The angle depends on how high the piece will hang, which is why we ask for your shelf height and ceiling height before the crest is carved rather than after. On a low chimneypiece the tilt is slight. On a tall one it is pronounced enough to look odd if you ever saw the crest on a bench - and exactly right once it is on your wall.

Material: solid teak throughout, hand-carved by master Indian artisans.

Structure: jointed frame with an arched head; carved columns each side; side plinths carrying turned and carved urns; garlands, crest figures and cartouche carved separately and joined to the frame.

Finish: gold gilding over the carved surfaces, burnished on the raised work. Silver, ivory, champagne, black with gold and natural teak available.

Plate: arched mirror glass, plain or bevelled, set into a rebate from the back.

Hanging: concealed fixings supplied and rated for the finished weight; crest figure angle set to your chimneypiece and ceiling height.

Sizes: custom sizes made to order - final measurements confirmed in writing before production.

Photography: images on this page are photographs of the actual product, not renders.

Figures and free-standing urns are the most exposed elements on any overmantel, so they are packed first and separately.

Each cherub, each urn and the central cartouche is wrapped and capped on its own before the general packing begins, and the garlands - which hang clear of the frame along their length - are supported underneath with shaped foam rather than pressed against.

The arched plate is faced with film and backed with a board cut to the arch so the glass is unloaded at every point, including the curve at the head where an unshaped board would leave a gap.

The whole mirror then goes into laminated foam, bubble wrap and a fitted wooden crate, carried on edge and marked for orientation. Multi-layer protective packaging is standard and dent-free arrival is guaranteed.

Free delivery across India is included in the price - no freight charge, no distance loading, no surcharge for a smaller town.

Production begins once your chimneypiece and ceiling measurements, plate specification and finish are confirmed in writing. You get a realistic production window then, with updates as the piece moves through carving, gilding, glazing and crating.

Shipment is tracked and our team stays reachable through the journey. Dent-free arrival is guaranteed and honoured by us.

An overmantel is a large crate. Tell us about your stair, lift and doorway dimensions at the time of order and we plan the crating and the route around them before the piece leaves the workshop.

The solid teak frame and its joinery carry a 20-year Brown Rabbit warranty. On an overmantel that includes the arched head, the columns, the side plinths, and the joints that hold the crest, the urns and the garlands to the frame.

A lifetime warranty against termite damage runs alongside it for as long as the mirror is yours. Teak's natural oils resist termites, and we commit to that in writing.

The gilding is hand-laid and hand-burnished, so the depth of shine varies across the figures, garlands and mouldings. That variation is what gives a hand-gilded overmantel its life in firelight.

Written warranty terms are issued with the order, so the cover is agreed before we begin.