Antique mirrors are a highly collectible item, with many of the frames boasting decorative carving and detail much like elaborate, wooden picture frames of old. A mirror itself is little more than glass covering a reflective surface and not very impressive—many of us carry tiny mirrors with us, they’re one of the most common items found households today. But antique mirrors are set apart by their frames and the work and artistry that went into them.

Mirrors began as hand mirrors, used to look at one’s reflection, and were quite common in households by the end of the middle ages. The first large mirrors, big enough to reflect a person’s entire body, weren’t used until the 1st century AD. Often the mirrors were silver or polished bronze during their surge of popularity in the middle ages. Venice mirrors produced in the 12th and 13th century were of exceptional quality and craftsmanship, with their mirror-making secrets leaking to London and Paris, who became centers of mirror production in the 17th century. Few antique mirrors had survived, but even the new mirrors that were produced were very expensive, particularly the large ones used in places like the royal palace at Versailles.

From then on, mirrors became more than reflective pieces of glass, but rather were prized as decorative items. Frames were typically made from silver, ebony, ivory, tortoiseshell or veneered wood, though other frames like those from beads or crafted with needlework were produced, too. Carved frames became popular thanks to craftsmen like Grinling Gibbons, and soon it because vogue to put mirrors, often those in glass frames, above mantelpieces. Robert and James Adam are recognizable names from this period, as antique mirrors they designed usually stretched from the mantelpiece to the ceiling.

Antique mirrors from the late 18th century will often have painted frames rather than carved ones. And the movement began in France to creative oval or round mirrors with spots for candles on each side. Dressing mirrors made from cheval glass that stood alone also appeared as mirror-makers skills improved. The 19th century saw mirrors used in other furniture like wardrobes, because it was becoming less expensive to produce mirrors. Composition frames became common in less expensive mirrors. These were plaster frames on wire bases, that unfortunately didn’t hold up to long term use because of he easily damaged nature of plaster.

Antique mirrors that you can find today are typically valuable, especially those that are part of antique furniture. Things to watch out for are online auctioneers who use the world “antique” to describe a technique used in making the mirror, like antiquing as a finish. Ask about the history of the piece, and how they know it’s antique, because modern furniture can be made to look surprisingly aged and vintage. If you’re shopping flea markets or antique shops, be aware that a true antique mirror was made with more expensive materials than mirrors today. The glass is thicker, so antique mirrors weight much more than modern pieces.

Originally posted 2008-10-18 14:00:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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