This c1710 black and gilt japanned dressing mirror by Francis and John Booker comes up at Dreweatts online sale at Newbury in Berkshire on March 29. The printed label on the reverse reads: ‘Frans. & John Booker Efsex Bridge DUBLIN’ and the estimate is £1,200-1,800. Francis and John Booker took over their father John’s business when he died in 1750. The elder John Booker was recorded as a ‘Looking Glass merchant’ when he married early in 1711 or 1712 and his sons were listed in the Dublin trade directories from 1761-1772. The presence of the mid 18th century Francis and John Booker trade label on this japanned dressing mirror of an earlier date could be accounted for by the brothers selling items from their father’s stock from an earlier period.
