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: 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: 16093
A large and grand pair of gilt gesso Victorian overmantel mirrors. The slender spiral fluted frames are surmounted by eagles on rocky outcrops, situated within a thistle decoration.
Provenance: Runnymede Park, Surrey.
English, c.1850.
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Width |
Height |
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48"
122 cms |
59 13⁄16"
152 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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: 16080
A Florentine gilt wall mirror of foliate design with a bevelled glass plate.
Italian, c.1950.
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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.
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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
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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: 15804
A large Napoleon III antique mirror in parcel gilt, the bound laurel border to the frame is picked out in cream, as are the fine beads which surround the mirror plate and the laurel leaves and crest surmounting the frame.
French, c.1870.
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Width |
Height |
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42 7⁄8"
109 cms |
61 3⁄8"
156 cms |
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Stock: 15802
A large French overmantel gilt gesso mirror with an arched scroll pediment. The frame is decorated with bound laurel and rope twist mouldings, edged with fine beading. There is a fragment of a manufacturer's label to the verso, which dates the mirror to September 12th, 1876. The silvered plate is original.
French, 1876.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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44 1⁄2"
113 cms |
70 1⁄2"
179 cms |
5 1⁄2"
14 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.
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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.
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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.
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Width |
Height |
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42 1⁄2"
108 cms |
53 7⁄8"
137 cms |
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Stock: 15762
A George III style wall mirror, its giltwood and gesso frame very much in the Chippendale manner, topped with a broken pediment surmounted by an urn. Down the side run naturalistic foliate and floral decorations. Original bevelled mirror plate.
English, c.1890.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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22 3⁄8"
57 cms |
40 5⁄8"
103 cms |
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Stock: 15643
A Reflection of American History -
An ornate convex mirror of grand proportions topped with an eagle on a rocky summit.
Interestingly the mirror, thought to be of American origins, is decorated with 24 spheres around the frame, whilst another sphere hangs on a chain suspended from the mouth of the eagle. This possibly symbolises the 24 established states of the USA, with the state of Arkansas represented by a ball hanging from the mouth of the eagle, the country's emblem. This shows that Arkansas joining the USA is quite literally hanging in the balance.
With this information, we can date the mirror to 1835-1836.
American, 1836. Awaiting restoration, included in the price.
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Width |
Height |
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23 5⁄8"
60 cms |
42 7⁄8"
109 cms |
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Stock: 15640
A grand 19th century French giltwood and gesso wall mirror or overmantel mirror in the Louis XVI style. The mirror is surmounted by a floral garland and crossed quiver and torch, either side of which are mounted flaming urns. The central mirror plate is bordered by 4 marginal plates for added decorative value. A beautiful mirror that would work as either a wall or an overmantel mirror.
French, c.1860.
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Width |
Height |
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37"
94 cms |
65"
165 cms |
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Stock: 15632
The Christmas Mirror.
A late 19th century carved wood and gilt gesso Gothic Revival overmantel mirror, with moulded pin reeded borders and turned finials. The mirror is crowned by a hand-painted pediment which depicts a robin perched in a sprig of holly.
English, c.1880.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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32 1⁄4"
82 cms |
46 1⁄8"
117 cms |
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Stock: 15617
A magnificent Louis XV Rococo gilt wall mirror of asymmetrical cartouche form, carved with a profusion of Rococo details. The mirror is surmounted by a shell and
around the frame is craved an abundance of c-scrolls, flowers and scrolling acanthus leaves. This frames the elegantly beveled mirror plate.
French, c.1890.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors
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Width |
Height |
Width |
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32 1⁄2"
82.5 cms |
51 5⁄8"
131 cms |
8 11⁄16"
22 cms |
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Stock: 15582
A grand French Louis XVI gilded overmantel mirror with a cartouche forming the crest, from which emanate sprigs of loosely ribboned laurel. The rest of the frame is decorated with a tightly bound laurel design, very much in the French tradition. The gilding has been deliberately distressed to partially reveal the warm red ground.
French, c.1880.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors
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Width |
Height |
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49 3⁄16"
125 cms |
66 7⁄8"
170 cms |
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Stock: 15546
A Victorian giltwood overmantel mirror, with rounded corners and a carved surmount of Rococo form above the simple egg and dart frame. English, c.1880.
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Width |
Height |
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42 1⁄8"
107 cms |
65"
165 cms |
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Stock: 15507
An ornate Renaissance Revival French Mirror with an imposing upper crest featuring a male mask, whilst the lower cartouche features the fearsome mask of a lion. The rest of the gilt and gesso frame is similarly opulent. The central bevelled mirror is also bordered by four champagne hued pieces of handmade mirrored glass.
French, c. 1930.
View our collection of: Antique mirrors
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Width |
Height |
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38"
96.5 cms |
48"
122 cms |
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Stock: 14211
A large and ornate Louis XV style giltwood and gesso over mantel mirror, with its original mercury glass plate. It is exhuberantly and luxuriously carved throughout with abundant swags, garlands and rocaille detail and there are a pair of small cooing birds framed beneath the central arched cresting.
French, mid 19th century.
Link to: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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59 1⁄8"
150 cms |
83 1⁄8"
211 cms |
6 1⁄8"
15.5 cms |
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Stock: 12543
An Aesthetic Movement oak overmantel mirror elegant in its simplicity. With carved foliate detail and florally carved bosses on the oak frame the mirror is flanked by a pair of ebonised columns. The Aesthetic Movement, of the late nineteenth century, focused on pure beauty and 'art for art's sake' with an emphasis on the visual qualities of art and design over practical, moral or narrative considerations.
English, circa 1870.
Link to: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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64 5⁄8"
164 cms |
72"
183 cms |
4 1⁄4"
11 cms |
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Stock: 14770
A large Victorian gilt wood overmantel mirror with a high cartouche crest flanked by foliate detail and with carved rope work and paterae around the frame.
English, late 19th century.
Link to: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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70 1⁄4"
178.5 cms |
67 11⁄16"
172 cms |
7 7⁄8"
20 cms |
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Stock: 15385
An attractive, arched Rococo style, giltwood wall mirror possibly an overmantel. The frame is surmounted by an ornate shell cartouche upon a bed of flowers and trailing acanthus leaves.
English, 19th century.
Link to: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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30 1⁄2"
77.5 cms |
47 5⁄8"
121 cms |
7 1⁄8"
18 cms |
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Stock: 15386
A very pretty gilded oval wall mirror within a beaded and foliate carved frame.in the Rococo style. Florentine, late 19th century.
Link to: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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27"
68.5 cms |
33 1⁄2"
85 cms |
1 3⁄8"
3.5 cms |
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Stock: 15357
A George III, profusely carved giltwood wall mirror in the Rococo style. The broken swan neck pediment is centred by a carved foliate crest. The scrolling, latticed frame is embellished with ornately carved flowers, fruit and acanthus leaves. English, circa 1780.
Link to: Antique mirrors and console tables
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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25 5⁄8"
65 cms |
41 11⁄16"
106 cms |
2"
5 cms |
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Stock: 11342
A Georgian style gilded and carved mahogany overmantel mirror, with it's original plate and with carved lambs tongue motif around the frame. One of a pair with SNo 11341.
English, mid 19th century.
Link to: Antique mirrors, matching console tables
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width |
height |
depth |
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54 7⁄8"
139.5 cms |
45 11⁄16"
116 cms |
3 7⁄8"
10 cms |
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Stock: 11341
A carved giltwood, mahogany overmantel mirror in the late Georgian manner, with original plates and carved lambs tongue motif around the frame.One of a pair with SNo 11342.
English, mid 19th century.
Link to: Antique mirrors, matching console tables
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width |
height |
depth |
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54 7⁄8"
139.5 cms |
45 11⁄16"
116 cms |
3 7⁄8"
10 cms |
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Stock: 14788
A Victorian Art Nouveau walnut wall mirror. The carved foliate outer frame and tongue and dart inner frame enclosing the boxwood, burr wood and green & brown harewood classical marquetry. English, circa 1890.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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57 7⁄8"
147 cms |
43 7⁄8"
111.5 cms |
2 3⁄8"
6 cms |
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Stock: 14970
A finely carved early George III giltwood wall mirror in the manner of Thomas Chippendale, surmounted by a large Ho-Ho bird perched with wings outspread. The mirror with its original mercury glass also is framed by gilt acanthus scrolls, rosettes and foliate detail. The mirror has a lovely rubbed and burnished surface. English, circa.1765.
The Ho Ho bird myth originated in Japan and is similar to the phoenix. It was said to bring luck and symbolise good fortune. Carvings of these birds appeared in England in the 18th century on Georgian furniture and most commonly mounted on mirrors.
Link to: Antique mirrors and console tables
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width |
height |
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24 3⁄8"
62 cms |
48"
122 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.