Antique Mirrors: Antique Wall & Overmantel Mirrors
A wide and varied selection of Antique Wall Mirrors, Fireplace Overmantel Mirrors and Period Giltwood and carved Mirrors.
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Stock: 16721
A fine and large 17th century ebonised ripple mirror. This striking mirror has a wonderful patina, the warmth of the wood just gleaning through the original ebonised finish. This encloses a foxed Mercury plate.
Such a wonderful survival from this period, perhaps originally a picture frame, and later re-purposed as a mirror.
Possibly Italian made for the Dutch market, c.1670.
These frames were thought to have originated in Germany - possibly Nuremberg - and are now most commonly associated with the Dutch 17th century tradition. The frames were in fact often produced in Italy, Spain and Flanders, using both ebony veneer and stained softwood. A machine was developed specifically to create the ripple effect, creating undulations in the wood using a fixed blade on a jig. These frames have become synonymous with the Dutch tradition as they were favoured by artists as they did not detract from the subject, and instead drew the gaze towards it.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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34 5⁄8"
88 cms |
39 3⁄16"
99.5 cms |
3 1⁄8"
8 cms |
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Stock: 16692
A beautiful 18th century Venetian mirror with original mercury mirror plate. The gilded frame takes a loosely organic form and interprets the French Rococo style, with a rather more traditional frame boldly embellished with the addition of organic c scrolls and foliate flourishes to the edges.
Venetian, c.1760.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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31 7⁄8"
81 cms |
46 1⁄2"
118 cms |
3 7⁄8"
10 cms |
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Stock: 16697
An exceptional giltwood Venetian wall mirror. The fine frame has strapwork cresting, pierced sides and apron, the whole carved with rocaille, c-scrolls and floral flourishes, enclosing the mirror plate, which is surmounted by a fine cartouche also with mirror plate to the crest.
Venice, c.1780.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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47 5⁄8"
121 cms |
65 3⁄8"
166 cms |
2 3⁄8"
6 cms |
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Stock: 16501
A very large and grand Venetian overmantel mirror. The frame is profusely decorated with c scrolls and floral flourishes, and is surmounted by a mirrored cartouche with a rocaille surmount. The original gilding is beautifully worn, with the warm red bole glowing through.
Italian, 19th century.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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width |
height |
depth |
| top |
49 3⁄16"
125 cms |
70 7⁄8"
180 cms |
6 1⁄4"
16 cms |
| bottom |
36 5⁄8"
93 cms |
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Stock: 16488
A fine George III giltwood and carton-pierre wall mirror in the manner of James and Robert Adam. The slender frame encloses the rectangular plate and is surmounted by opposing griffins centred by a slender urn and ears of wheat.
English, c.1770.
Provenance: The Estate of the late Sir George Dowty (1901-1975, inventor, engineer and businessman) and Lady Marguerite Dowty, thence by family descent.
Notes: Carton-Pierre is effectively a type of papier mache, popularised in the 18th century for its ability to be moulded to create adornments for mirrors or even ceiling cornices, as a cheaper alternative to plaster.
Final image credit: Office of Robert and James Adam, 'Design for a Pier Glass, 1772, Photo: © Sir John Soane’s Museum, London”.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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25 5⁄8"
65 cms |
64 5⁄8"
164 cms |
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Stock: 16471
A Rococo overmantel mirror in gilt gesso, with a moulded frame that has been beautifully gilded and slightly distressed to reveal the warm red bole underneath. This is surmounted by a Rocaille crest.
English, late 19th century.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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41 1⁄4"
105 cms |
64 1⁄4"
163.2 cms |
5 7⁄8"
15 cms |
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Stock: 16486
A striking Napoleon III ebonised and parcel gilt mirror, with a bound laurel frame and acanthus corners enclosing marginal plates. The mirror has a beautifully modelled cartouche and laurel surmount.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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40 5⁄8"
103 cms |
59 3⁄8"
150.8 cms |
3 1⁄8"
8 cms |
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Stock: 16472
19th century Florentine gilt gesso wall mirror carved with acanthus scrollwork and an egg and dart border. A very useful size and can be hung portrait or landscape if desired.
Italian, mid-19th century.
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Width |
Height |
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34 3⁄8"
87.5 cms |
27"
68.5 cms |
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Stock: 16485
A very fine George III wall mirror, with a delicate giltwood frame embodying the lightness of the Chippendale style, with slender c scrolls, trailing foliage and an elegant crest. The frame encloses a very foxed mercury plate.
English, c.1760.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
| External |
28"
71 cms |
46 1⁄2"
118 cms |
2 3⁄8"
6 cms |
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Stock: 16128
A fine gilt gesso George III wall mirror with delicate carving. The intricate frame has fine detailing throughout, including a well carved and delicate crest of foliate form and flowering vines and foliage within a framework of c scrolls.
English, c.1770.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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21 1⁄8"
53.5 cms |
41 1⁄4"
105 cms |
4 1⁄8"
10.5 cms |
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Stock: 16457
A beautiful Rococo overmantel mirror, with a foliate frame of ogee form and acanthus surmount, the giltwood leafwork reminiscent of John Linnell.
English, c.1860.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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63 3⁄8"
161 cms |
63 13⁄16"
162 cms |
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Stock: 16439
A very fine and large giltwood overmantel mirror. The mirror is Rococo at its most elegant, with an ogee form and embellished with foliate carving to the frame, and crowned by a beautifully carved floral surmount.
Original silvered plate.
English, c.1860.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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70 7⁄8"
180 cms |
72 13⁄16"
185 cms |
8 1⁄4"
21 cms |
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Stock: 16300
A large Victorian overmantel gilt gesso mirror. The arched frame is bordered by a bound laurel decoration and floral paterae. This is surmounted by a rocaille decoration and trailing foliage which projects from the arched frame.
Fine original silvered plate in perfect condition.
English, c.1870.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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59 1⁄8"
150 cms |
77 3⁄16"
196 cms |
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Stock: 16342
An exceptional giltwood Venetian wall mirror. The fine frame has strapwork cresting, pierced sides and apron, the whole carved with rocaille, c-scrolls and floral flourishes, enclosing the original mercury glass mirror plate, which is surmounted by an etched cartouche plate to the crest, decorated with a woman playing a lyre with a pastoral scene.
Venice, c.1780.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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width |
height |
depth |
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48 3⁄8"
123 cms |
63 13⁄16"
162 cms |
2 3⁄8"
6 cms |
| Crest depth |
6 1⁄2"
16.5 cms |
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Stock: 15748
A delicate Regency gilt gesso landscape overmantel mirror, in the neoclassical style. The frame borders three original silvered mirror plates, that could be replaced for clearer glass if desired.
English, c.1815.
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Width |
Height |
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| External |
51"
129.5 cms |
33 1⁄2"
85 cms |
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Stock: 16362
Large and finely carved Florentine giltwood wall mirror, with a scrolling acanthus leaf frame. A very diverse mirror that can be hung either landscape or portrait.
Italian, Florence, late 19th century.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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45 7⁄8"
116.5 cms |
35 13⁄16"
91 cms |
2 13⁄16"
7 cms |
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Stock: 16344
A fine and rare pair of 18th century George III wall mirrors with original mercury plates. Each plate is bordered by a giltwood frame of foliate design woven with c and s scrolls, very much in the Chippendale manner.
It is very rare to come across such a fine pair of mirrors of this date.
English, c.1760.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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26 13⁄16"
68 cms |
49 5⁄8"
126 cms |
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Stock: 16294
A fine mid-eighteenth century Venetian giltwood wall mirror. The elegant mirror is profusely decorated with foliate c scrolls in the Rococo manner, with floral flourishes and an elegant finial above an additional mirror plate. With original mercury plates.
Northern Italian, c.1760.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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36 13⁄16"
93.5 cms |
55 1⁄8"
140 cms |
9 1⁄4"
23.5 cms |
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Stock: 16225
A large 19th century French overmantel mirror in the Rococo style. The generous frame has an unusual pie crust edge and is surmounted by a foliate crest in the Rococo manner.
French, mid-19th century.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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38 5⁄8"
98 cms |
70 1⁄2"
179 cms |
5 1⁄2"
14 cms |
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Stock: 16319
A fine George III giltwood wall mirror very much in the Chippendale manner, the fine frame a profusion of c scrolls and stylised foliate decoration naturalistically entwined. Original mercury plate.
Irish, c.1760.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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25 3⁄16"
64 cms |
39"
99 cms |
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Stock: 16129
A fine and large landscape overmantel mirror with both gold and silver gilding, the scrolling foliate frame very much in the Chippendale manner, with slender C scrolls and pagoda elements, embellished with naturalistic acanthus leaves and trailing flowers, surmounted by a foliate crest. Three original silvered mirror plates.
English, mid-19th century.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width at the bottom |
Height |
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56 11⁄16"
144 cms |
49 5⁄8"
126 cms |
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Stock: 16101
A very fine early George III giltwood wall mirror in the manner of Thomas Chippendale, the frame with a finely carved scrolling acanthus crest and trailing foliage with the merest suggestion of the pagoda corners associated with Chippendale's designs. Original gilding.
English, c.1760.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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24"
61 cms |
46 7⁄8"
119 cms |
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Stock: 16127
A fine and large English Rococo wall mirror, with beautifully soft gilding. The sinuous frame is carved with sweeping foliate decoration which trails over the Rococo shell motifs to the top and bottom of the frame. Original silvered mirror plate.
English, 19th century.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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30 1⁄4"
77 cms |
53 7⁄8"
137 cms |
1 5⁄8"
4 cms |
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Stock: 16079
A 19th century giltwood and gesso framed wall mirror in the Rococo style, with a delicately moulded and scrolling frame of foliate and Rococo design, the mirror plate held with a bound laurel border.
English, c.1880.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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29 7⁄8"
76 cms |
40 3⁄8"
102.5 cms |
2 13⁄16"
7 cms |
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Stock: 16148
A French Louis XV Rococo Overmantel Mirror with fine gilding. The elegant sweeping frame is surmounted by a rocaille detail and open scroll cresting.
French, c.1870.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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41 1⁄4"
105 cms |
68 7⁄8"
175 cms |
2 3⁄8"
6 cms |
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Stock: 15997
A fine French giltwood wall mirror, the gilded frame carved with scrolls and foliate flourishes over a wide mirrored border.
Southern French (possibly Provence), c.1770 with restorations.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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30 1⁄4"
77 cms |
49 3⁄16"
125 cms |
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Stock: 15890
A fine Regency convex mirror with parcel-gilt frame surmounted by a giltwood foliate crest.
English or Scottish, c.1820.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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18"
45.8 cms |
33"
83.8 cms |
2 13⁄16"
7 cms |
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Stock: 15967
An early nineteenth-century gilt gesso wall mirror surmounted by a lidded urn and oak leaf decoration over a simply moulded frame.
English, c.1810.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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29 1⁄2"
75 cms |
50 3⁄8"
128 cms |
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Stock: 16080
A Florentine gilt wall mirror of foliate design with a bevelled glass plate.
Italian, c.1950.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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23 13⁄16"
60.5 cms |
28"
71 cms |
1 5⁄8"
4 cms |
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Stock: 15820
A fine William IV horizontal overmantle mirror with a giltwood reeded frame with acanthus capital corners and ebonised slips. With original silvered mirror plate.
English, c.1830.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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52 3⁄8"
133 cms |
35 5⁄8"
90.5 cms |
3 7⁄8"
10 cms |
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Stock: 15832
An exceptionally ornate yet delicate French gilt gesso overmantel mirror. The arched frame is decorated with floral garlands bound with ribbons and is surmounted by a bow tied floral wreath. This is flanked by two finials depicting birds. The original silvered mirror plate. French, c.1880.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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48"
122 cms |
80 1⁄4"
204 cms |
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Stock: 15819
A late 19th century ebonised and parcel-gilt overmantel mirror. This Victorian mirror adopts French Louis XVI decorative motifs, such as the crossed quiver and torchere, but pairs this with a backdrop of gesso roses, very much in the English taste.
English, c.1880
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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39 13⁄16"
101 cms |
63"
160 cms |
3 1⁄2"
9 cms |
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Stock: 15797
An elegant French 19th century giltwood overmantel mirror in the Louis Philippe style, surmounted by a cartouche of rocaille design mounted above rounded corners. The frame has been beautifully gilded and is embellished by a floral ribbon design which wraps around the rounded frame of the mirror. Original mercury mirror plate.
French, c.1860.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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38 5⁄8"
98 cms |
64 5⁄8"
164 cms |
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Stock: 15805
A large and fine gilt gesso overmantel mirror with an arched pediment centred by a floral rosette and laurel sprays. This is supported by two fine columns. This mirror is of excellent quality, with a sturdy panelled back.
English, c.1880.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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61"
155 cms |
70 1⁄8"
178 cms |
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Stock: 15796
A large 19th century Baroque style gilt and gesso wall mirror, with a cushion margin comprising of four beveled plates of glass framing the large beveled central plate. The gilt gesso frame is surmounted by a cartouche set within a naturalistic broken pediment, from which emanate foliate scrolls. This detail is echoed in the foliate corners.
English, c.1860.
The frame is gilded and has its original worn finish, with the red ground showing under the gold leaf.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
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42 1⁄2"
108 cms |
53 7⁄8"
137 cms |
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Antique mirrors
There is something alluring about an antique mirror - perhaps the combination of a finely carved frame and the shimmering surface of original glass - that has led to their enduring appeal amongst antique furniture collectors.
A short history of antique mirrors
The earliest mirrored glass was made in Murano in the 16th century, where glass was coated in mercury and tin to create a silver reflective layer on its reverse. This process was a closely guarded secret, and spies were sent from the French court of Louis XIV to Venice to discover the process. Their efforts paid off, and the French became renowned producers in their own right. Antique mirrors were made using mercury glass until other safer methods of manufacture became more widely available in the 19th century.
Earlier antique mirrors also tend to be slightly smaller, or made with separate panels of mirrored glass, as there was not the technology to produce single sheets of large glass until the late 18th century. Only the very wealthy could afford very large panes of glass, so mirrors were objects of prestige and magnificence.
Varieties of antique mirror
Whether an antique wall mirror, an overmantel mirror or a pier mirror, it is often the frame that catches the eye. Particularly fine mirrors are carved from mahogany or rosewood, or gilded using gold leaf, rather than paint. Mirror frames tend to be made of carved wood or carved wood and gesso. They are called giltwood mirrors if a thin layer of gold leaf has been applied over the carved and primed surface. Such mirrors exude quality and vary from bright gold through to a more worn, soft patina. An antique gilded mirror is often deemed more valuable than its wooden counterpart and is seen as a timeless addition to interiors of all styles.
Eras of antique mirror
Antique overmantle mirrors embody the elegance of a period home, and can inject both sophistication and character into an interior. Victorian mirrors often come in overmantel form, as in 19th century England, the mantelpiece was the heart of the home, a space to display precious objects and convey taste. The earlier Regency overmantel mirrors were often horizontal in form and more modest in design. Victorian mirrors were not only gilt, but often carved from wood such as oak, mahogany and rosewood.
In France the overmantel mirror was similarly significant, and in many cases, much taller, utilising the space above the fireplace enabled by higher ceilings and grand rooms. These Antique French mirrors are usually gilded, and wood was not widely used without a gilded adornment.
Often smaller, antique wall mirrors are an excellent thing to hang above a piece of furniture or in a hallway, where they can create the illusion of a larger, lighter space. They are less dominant than an overmantel, and serve a function in rooms such as bedrooms or hallways.
If you are looking for an overmantel or any Antique mirrors London is the place to look. Our showroom has numerous options all on display for you to browse, from early Georgian wall mirrors through to large Aesthetic movement overmantels.