Mirrors have a long and noble history with the oldest surviving being over 8000 years old and made of polished Obsidian (volcanic glass). For thousands of years the necessary reflective quality was created using polished metals or stones, but in the 16th Century a new finish was invented using a mercury and tin amalgam. At the time Venice was the centre for such Mirror production with this new technique was initially kept a closely guarded secret. Extremely hard to make in large sheets, most early mirror frames instead incorporated smaller plates joined together. Large mirrors only became possible in the late 18th Century and were prohibitively expensive for all but the elite.
Today a mirror is just as important in any room as in the past bringing light and elegance. Of course, there are many different forms from wall mirrors or Overmantle mirrors to dressing mirrors and handheld. However whichever you decide on, there is nothing that beats the character of antique and vintage examples. At LoveAntiques you will find amazing old mirrors of all sorts for all your needs.
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
Victorian Mahogany Dressing Table Mirror
£ 55
Fernyhough Antiques Ltd
Very Nice Oval Gilt Wall Mirror
£ 495
Kernow Furniture
Antique Victorian Overmantle Mirror
£ 795
Cleall Antiques
Fabulous Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Painted Shaped Top Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,495
Fabulous Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Painted Shaped Top Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,495
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Wonderful Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,495
Wonderful Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,495
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Superb Good Size Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Original Gilt Column Framed Overmantle Mirror
£ 695
Superb Good Size Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Original Gilt Column Framed Overmantle Mirror
£ 695
Cleall Antiques
£ 1,250
Fabulous Large Antique English 19th Century Arched Top Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,250
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Arched Top Gilt Ribbed Framed Overmantle Mirror
£ 2,795
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Arched Top Gilt Ribbed Framed Overmantle Mirror
£ 2,795
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Splendid Large Antique English Early 20th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Rope Twist Framed Original Gilt Mirror
£ 1,595
Splendid Large Antique English Early 20th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Rope Twist Framed Original Gilt Mirror
£ 1,595
Cleall Antiques
£ 295
Cleall Antiques
Absolutely Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Top Silver / Gilt Ornate Overmantle Mirror
£ 2,795
Absolutely Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Top Silver / Gilt Ornate Overmantle Mirror
£ 2,795
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,295
Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,295
Cleall Antiques
£ 1,995
Exceptional Large Antique French 19th Century Original Silver / Gilt Mirror
£ 1,995
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Fabulous Large Antique French 19th C Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Gilt Ribbed Framed Overmantle Mirror
£ 995
Fabulous Large Antique French 19th C Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Gilt Ribbed Framed Overmantle Mirror
£ 995
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Wonderful Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Top Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,495
Wonderful Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Top Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,495
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Ribbed Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,295
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Ribbed Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,295
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,250
Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,250
Cleall Antiques
£ 4,995
Sensational Extra Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Gilt Mirror
£ 4,995
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Gilt & Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,995
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Gilt & Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,995
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Fabulous Large Early Antique French 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Original Painted Mirror
£ 1,995
Fabulous Large Early Antique French 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Original Painted Mirror
£ 1,995
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Superb Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Top Original Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,995
Superb Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Top Original Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,995
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Exceptional Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 2,995
Exceptional Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 2,995
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Absolutely Spectacular Pair Of Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Painted Arched Framed Overmantle Mirrors
£ 2,995
Absolutely Spectacular Pair Of Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Painted Arched Framed Overmantle Mirrors
£ 2,995
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Wonderful Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Distressed Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,295
Wonderful Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Distressed Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,295
Cleall Antiques
Worboys Antiques
Mahogany Cheval Mirror
£ 495
Cleall Antiques
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Original Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 2,995
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Original Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 2,995
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,295
Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,295
Cleall Antiques
£ 275
Decorative Green & Gilt Painted Chinoiserie Bevel-edged Mirror of Neat Size
£ 275
Georgian Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Exceptional Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,595
Exceptional Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,595
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,250
Stunning Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,250
Cleall Antiques
£ 395
Delightful Good Size Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood Gilt Mirror
£ 395
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Top Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,995
Spectacular Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Shaped Top Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 1,995
Cleall Antiques
Elmgarden
French Rococo Style Gilt Wall Mirror
£ 325
Cleall Antiques
Fabulous Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Painted Plain Overmantle Mirror
£ 995
Fabulous Large Antique English 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Arched Top Painted Plain Overmantle Mirror
£ 995
Cleall Antiques
Wick Antiques Ltd
Fine Pair of Giltwood Overmantel Mirrors with Emblems of the Royal Naval Club, Portsmouth, Supplied by G. Wendover & Co 1869
£ 44,500
Fine Pair of Giltwood Overmantel Mirrors with Emblems of the Royal Naval Club, Portsmouth, Supplied by G. Wendover & Co 1869
£ 44,500
Wick Antiques Ltd
£ 795
Wonderful Large Antique English Arts & Craft Carved Wood & Gilt Overmantle Mirror
£ 795
Cleall Antiques
£ 895
Delightful Large Early 20th Century English Arched Top Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 895
Cleall Antiques
Cleall Antiques
Superb Large Antique French 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Simple Shaped Top Laurel Leaf Framed Gilt Mirror
£ 895
Superb Large Antique French 19th Century Carved Wood & Gesso Simple Shaped Top Laurel Leaf Framed Gilt Mirror
£ 895
Cleall Antiques
£ 2,995
Exceptional Large Antique English 19th Century Painted Overmantle Mirror
£ 2,995
Cleall Antiques
There are several ways to tell if a mirror is or not. The first is to look at the mirror plate itself. Mercury Mirrors first began to be used from the 16th Century and used thicker glass than today. You can gauge the glass thickness by placing an object like a pen or coin against the glass and spot the depth of the gap before the reflection begins. The mirror will also ‘sparkle’ and create a softer image than modern mirrors. Silver backed mirrors emerged in 1835 and the mirror has a slightly more yellow tint overall than new examples. Older mirrors are more liable to have imperfections and losses to the silvering. Modern mirrors are backed in a tin foil which produces a very crisp image. You can often also date a mirror from the frame, but it is important to recognise that old mirrors regularly get new mirror plates and old mirrors can be put into modern frames. Many people today ‘age’ modern mirrors using paint or artificial wear, but these can usually be differentiated from genuine old examples.
As a loved item in any home there are many forms and styles of mirror, although they are all for the same basic purpose. The most common types are convex mirrors (which are domed outwards and display a wider field of view than usual) and flat mirrors. Those placed above the fireplace and have a flat base are called Overmantel mirrors, while those originally intended to be hung over a side table are called Pier mirrors. Depending on the size there are several names for mirrors with their own stand. These are commonly called Cheval or Swing mirrors if they tilt and Toilet or Dressing mirrors if they were intended to be placed on top of a table or chest. Hand mirrors are held in the hand as the name suggests.
Like any piece of antique furniture antique and vintage mirrors can vary dramatically in price. This can be due to the size, look, rarity and overall desirability of the piece. Generally larger more grand mirrors always command more money than smaller because they are status symbols for wealth and antique examples are usually (with some exceptions) more valuable than vintage or modern mirrors. When purchasing a mirror online it is important to consider the shipping to yourself as this can be prohibitive. Most postal companies will not offer compensation for damage and personal couriers will often charge a slight premium for the extra care required. This is why it is worthwhile buying from our reputable dealers on LoveAntiques as they usually sort the delivery for you.
Many people today enjoy mirrors which appear weathered and worn as occurs naturally over time with antique silvered or mercury mirrors. While nothing beats original worn mirror plates, this is not always possible so weathered effects are created instead. There are lots of videos and descriptions online for how to ‘age’ a mirror but there are basically two approaches. The first is to take a modern mirror and create gaps and flaking to the foil backing using cleaning products, paint stripper and abrasives such as wire wool. These gaps are then accentuated with dark paint. The second approach is to begin with a clear sheet of glass and build up a weathered mirror look using layers of mirror-effect spray paint and an oil or washing up liquid to create natural defects and spots. Either approach can be quite effective and create a unique look.