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: 17006
An absolutely charming giltwood wall mirror. The frame is wonderfully naturalistic, with twisted oak branches forming the structure with bound corners and adorned with sprays of oak leaves.
English, mid-19th century.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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20 11⁄16"
52.5 cms |
31 11⁄16"
80.5 cms |
2 5⁄8"
6.5 cms |
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Stock: 16968
An antique Italian wall mirror of small proportions. The gilding is beautifully worn, with the red bole showing through; the pierced frame enclosing a later mirror plate.
Italian, early 19th century.
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Width |
Height |
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20 1⁄4"
51.5 cms |
38 5⁄8"
98 cms |
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Stock: 16801
A fine and large Regency giltwood convex mirror, with silvered dolphin on a rocky outcrop surmount, with wheat leaf and scrolling mounts. The applied orbs around the frame are also silvered, which is a rare detail, and these are bordered by stars in gold.
English, c.1820.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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26 3⁄16"
66.5 cms |
44 7⁄8"
114 cms |
3"
7.5 cms |
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Stock: 16886
A tall and elegant Rococo giltwood overmantel mirror. The mirror is surmounted by a Rococo cartouche atop the ogee shaped frame, with foliate shoulders. This encloses the original bevelled edge plate.
French, mid-19th century.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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43 7⁄8"
111.5 cms |
72 3⁄8"
184 cms |
3 1⁄2"
9 cms |
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Stock: 16712
An early Victorian parcel-gilt mirror with amboyna. This mirror is very much in the French taste, with applied foliate gilt gesso decoration, applied over the fine amboyna veneer, which is bordered by ebonised details. This frame encloses the original silver mirror plate, which is somewhat distressed and could be replaced if desired.
English, c.1840.
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Width |
Height |
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| Top width |
56 11⁄16"
144 cms |
71 1⁄8"
180.5 cms |
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| Bottom width |
54 5⁄8"
138.7 cms |
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Stock: 15964
A very fine and large giltwood Venetian wall mirror. The frame is surmounted by a floral crest above an oval mirror plate etched with an urn of flowers, and this is supported by foliate scrolls and mirrored spandrels, which are engraved with bunches of grapes. The foliate scrollwork continues around the frame and this encloses eight exquisite marginal plates, each engraved with a slightly different subject, some with a musical theme. The corners are embellished with ruby glass behind an acanthus leaf, and this surrounds the original mercury plate. A very fine and rare mirror.
Italian, c.1790.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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48"
122 cms |
74"
188 cms |
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Stock: 16268
A late 19th century gilt framed overmantle mirror. The moulded gilt frame enriched with foliate decoration, this is crowned by pierced cresting of a pair of winged griffons ether side of a central framed cartouche.
English, circa 1880.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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33 1⁄8"
84 cms |
61"
155 cms |
2 3⁄8"
6 cms |
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Stock: 16772
A Regency giltwood and gesso overmantle mirror. The arched gilt rope twist frame is terminated with a scroll and acanthus, on a black lacquered plinth, frames the original mercury plate.
English, circa 1830.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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63"
160 cms |
42 11⁄16"
108.5 cms |
3"
7.5 cms |
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Stock: 16309
A late Victorian gilt and gesso overmantel mirror in the neoclassical taste.
English, late 19th century.
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Width |
Height |
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44 1⁄2"
113 cms |
56 1⁄4"
143 cms |
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Stock: 16696
An unusual Italian giltwood wall mirror in the Rococo style. The original mercury glass plate is enclosed by the frame, which is very organic in form, with rocaille c scrolls and trailing foliage forming an asymmetrical border. Possibly a more provincial piece from the Veneto, rather than the grand Venetian mirrors often associated with this style, and very charming for it.
Italian, Veneto, c.1760.
Awaiting restoration to some small losses.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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42 1⁄2"
108 cms |
56 1⁄2"
143.5 cms |
2 3⁄8"
6 cms |
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Stock: 16624
A charming Victorian giltwood overmantel mirror, the arched frame mounted with an acanthine and shell surmount, this decoration is echoed on the bottom of the frame. English, c.1860.
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Width |
Height |
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40 7⁄8"
104 cms |
65 11⁄16"
167 cms |
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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.
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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: 16554
An ornate antique French wall mirror with cushioned marginal plates. The egg and dart and bead and husk frame is surmounted by a typically French ribboned rose and laurel garland.
French, mid-19th century.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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36 3⁄8"
92.5 cms |
50"
127 cms |
5 1⁄2"
14 cms |
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Stock: 16599
A beautiful 19th century Italianate mirror with Chinoiserie decoration. This unusual mirror has a beautifully bevelled, shaped plate and is enclosed by a lacquered frame, painted with with a charming chinoiserie design and bordered by gilded Rococo flourishes.
English, c.1860.
This mirror is such a useful size, perfect as a hall mirror, a bedroom or even a bathroom mirror!
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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16 11⁄16"
42.3 cms |
29 1⁄8"
74 cms |
1 5⁄8"
4 cms |
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Stock: 16660
A fine gilt gesso 19th century mirror in the manner of William Kent. The rectangular mirrored plate in enclosed by a bead and reel moulded slip, and the frame is embossed with a scrolling foliate design and a diamond pattern, with stippling to the lower portion of the frame. The mirror is topped with a broken pediment, centred by a central cartouche.
English, c.1860.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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24 1⁄4"
61.7 cms |
49 3⁄8"
125.5 cms |
2 13⁄16"
7 cms |
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Stock: 16652
A 19th century French giltwood overmantel mirror with a Rococo foliate surmount above a cushion moulded, ogee frame. This encloses the crisp bevelled glass. A very elegant mirror.
French, late 19th century.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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37 3⁄8"
95 cms |
57 1⁄8"
145 cms |
5 1⁄4"
13.5 cms |
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| Outer footblock |
72 3⁄8"
184 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.
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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: 16651
A beautiful French oval wall mirror, the egg and dart frame enclosing a bevelled plate, and topped with a Rococo surmount and trailing flowers. The gilding has been rubbed back to give it a soft glow of warmth from the red bole underneath.
French, mid-19th century.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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23 3⁄16"
59 cms |
36 5⁄8"
93 cms |
4 11⁄16"
12 cms |
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Stock: 16518
A very ornate and large Louis XV style giltwood overmantel mirror with a beautifully carved frame. The ornate frame comprises slender foliate pilasters, which support a grand pediment embellished with acanthus scrollwork and a floral crest, whilst enclosing marginal plates.
A very decorative Rococo revival mirror.
English, c.1850.
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Width |
Height |
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52 3⁄8"
133 cms |
74 13⁄16"
190 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.
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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: 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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: 16341
A large and fine cabaret wall mirror, with a deeply cushioned frame, embossed with a foliate decoration on a stippled ground. A really bold piece that would also work well in a contemporary interior.
French, mid 19th century.
An antique Italian gilded mirror.
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Width |
Height |
Depth |
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41 13⁄16"
106.2 cms |
52 13⁄16"
134 cms |
2"
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.
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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.
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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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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.