A rare and important copper and wood mirror designed by John Williams in the very early years of the Newton School of Metal Work’s existence, circa 1892.

The mirror has a typical John Williams repousse pattern of leaves and flowers. This particular design is one of the rare hand drawn and coloured designs in the design archive of the Newton School of Metal Work. Even better than that is the fact the design is signed by John Williams himself. He writes on it that it is the design of a repousse copper mirror for Harold W. Hurrell Esq, who was the founder of the Newton School of Metal Work. Intriguingly Williams gives the address of the Guild of Handicraft in Essex House which suggests that this design was produced for the Newton School prior to his departure from the Guild in 1892. Even the design for the wooden frame has been included in Williams’s design.

In incredible original condition this is a very rare and important find. The back of the wooden frame is marked “J. Stubblefield” who I believe to be a carpenter from the Newton area in the 1890s.