A Scottish late George II carved giltwood and gilt-carton pierre overmantel mirror, circa 1760, possibly by William Mathie

Probably commissioned by Archibald Stirling of Keir and Cawder (1710-1783) for one of the principal rooms at Keir House, Perthshire;
Thence by decent.

Keir House

Keir House sits to the north of the Firth of Forth and was the principal seat of the Stirlings of Keir and Cawder. The family are descended from Walter de Striuelying or Striveling who attained land in either the late 14th or early 15th century. It appears that his son Lukas exchanged family land with the Laird of Leslie in Fife around 1448 and acquired Keir in Perthshire. The historic family seat on this land dates from around the second quarter of the 18th century, and the main staircase hall survives from this period of decoration. The present east front, of unusually large width, was the original 18th century primary facade. The present mirror would have been a costly statement of taste and status, to hold a picture from the family's existing collection and almost certainly have been commissioned for one of the important reception rooms at the house. The grand scale of the piece and its impressive armorial surmount are factors which further support this. In the 19th century Sir Bernard Burke was to describe Keir as having 'the air of one of the magnificent princely villas in the vicinity of Rome'¹. The contents of the house no doubt impressing Burke as much as its exterior.