17th Century Dutch Tortoiseshell and Ripple-Moulded Mirror Frame

A rare and finely preserved Dutch ripple-moulded frame, veneered in richly figured tortoiseshell with striking mottled red and black patterning. The profile is carved with bold ripple mouldings designed to catch and refract the light, a characteristic feature of Dutch frame-making of the mid-17th century. Frames of this type were luxury items, often used to surround mirrors or paintings in the homes of the wealthy merchant class and nobility, their exotic tortoiseshell veneers imported through the Dutch East India Company’s global trade.