The Knight of Glin and James Peill, Irish Furniture (New Haven & London: 2007)
Glin, ‘Dublin Directories and Trade Labels’, Furniture History (1985);
Thomas Johnson's The Life of the Author’, Furniture History (2003);
Glin & Peill, Irish Furniture (2007), pp. 87, 70, 294.
A George III Irish giltwood mirror by William Partridge, the original oval plate in a ribbon-twist frame connecting branches and vines issuing leaves and berries, tied with a ribbon and surmounted by c-scroll-carved fronding and crossed vine branches.
Label reads: ‘WILLIAM PARTRIDGE, Carver Gilder and Glass Seller, Parliament Street Dublin’.
This charming and intricately carved mirror was made by William Partridge in circa 1755. The design would have been inspired by the work of Thomas Johnson (d. 1778), 'one of the most influential English designers of the 18th century’, and a renowned carver and gilder (J. Simon, 'Thomas Johnson’s “The Life of the Author”, Furniture History Society, vol. XXXIX, 2003, p. 1).
In 1753-55, Johnson worked in Dublin and was employed by a 'Mr. Partridge’ a 'principal carver’ supplying frames to looking-glass shops. Johnson’s One Hundred & Fifty New Designs (1761) includes a very similar oval frame mirror with branch and foliate decoration (plate 33).
Partridge was recorded as having a workshop at Blind Quay in1755-73, and at 18 Parliament Street, 1774-82.
Little more is known about Partridge’s career, but Thomas Johnson’s Life of the Author relates that Johnson spent two years in Dublin working for ‘Mr Partridge’ from 1753 to 1755. This was perhaps William Partridge or his father. Johnson stated that Partridge was ‘a principal carver in supplying the glass shops with frames… He promised me as much work as would serve myself, my three apprentices, and four journeymen, provided I would work for him only. To this I agreed’.
Among the work done by Johnson for Partridge was a commission for Lady Arabella Denny that included a Gothic chimneypiece. After William’s death in 1782 the business was continued by his widow Jane.
Two pairs of labelled mirrors survive by Partridge, one at Leixlip Castle, County Kildare, another sold from Newtown Park, County Dublin, Christie’s, 20 September 1976, lot 12 (illus. Glin, Furniture History (1985), fig. 32, & Glin & Peill (2007), p. 266).
Label reads: ‘WILLM PARTRIDGE, Carver Gilder and Glass Seller, Parliament Street Dublin’.
In addition to the above, the mirror compares very closely with an example bearing John Booker’s trade label reading ‘JOHN BOOKER AT NO 6. Efsex Bridge Dublin’ and it is highly likely that Booker and Partridge were acquainted and worked together.