Oval Woven Rattan Mirror with Leather Hanging Strap

An oval mirror set into a generously proportioned frame of woven rattan, the construction recalling that of a basketwork vessel or shallow drum: the rattan canes are woven around a rigid internal form to create a frame of considerable depth — fully 8 centimetres from front to back — that asserts a pronounced sculptural presence when the piece is hung against a wall. Above the mirror, a leather strap forms an elegant hanging loop that serves simultaneously as practical suspension and decorative accent, the dark leather providing a refined counterpoint to the warm natural brown of the rattan weave.

The combination of woven rattan and leather speaks to the tradition of French natural-material craft that flourished particularly in the post-war years, when designers and craftspeople such as Audoux-Minet, Janette Laverrière and others drew on the vocabulary of basketry and maritime rope work to produce domestic objects of considerable decorative refinement. This mirror participates in that tradition fully, translating a humble artisanal technique into a piece of genuine domestic elegance.

The mirror glass is housed within the woven surround, its oval aperture framed by the interior lip of the basketwork frame. The overall silhouette is subtly oval — 33 cm wide by some 36 cm in height for the rattan body, with the leather strap adding to the total hung height — while the 8 cm depth of the frame means the piece casts a characteristic shadow when lit from the side.

In very good condition, the rattan retaining its natural warmth and the leather strap its suppleness. Overall dimensions including strap: 33 cm wide by 42.5 cm tall, 8 cm deep. A highly characterful example of mid-century French artisanal design that will bring immediate warmth and personality to any interior.