This is why it is worthwhile buying from our reputable dealers on LoveAntiques as they usually sort the delivery for you. Most postal companies will not offer compensation for damage and personal couriers will often charge a slight premium for the extra care required. When purchasing a mirror online it is important to consider the shipping to yourself as this can be prohibitive. 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. This can be due to the size, look, rarity and overall desirability of the piece. Like any piece of antique furniture antique and vintage mirrors can vary dramatically in price. Hand mirrors are held in the hand as the name suggests. 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. Depending on the size there are several names for mirrors with their own stand. 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. The most common types are convex mirrors (which are domed outwards and display a wider field of view than usual) and flat mirrors. What different types of mirror are there?Īs a loved item in any home there are many forms and styles of mirror, although they are all for the same basic purpose.
Many people today ‘age’ modern mirrors using paint or artificial wear, but these can usually be differentiated from genuine old examples. 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. Modern mirrors are backed in a tin foil which produces a very crisp image. Older mirrors are more liable to have imperfections and losses to the silvering. 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. 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. Mercury Mirrors first began to be used from the 16 th Century and used thicker glass than today. The first is to look at the mirror plate itself. There are several ways to tell if a mirror is or not.
At LoveAntiques you will find amazing old mirrors of all sorts for all your needs. However whichever you decide on, there is nothing that beats the character of antique and vintage examples. Of course, there are many different forms from wall mirrors or Overmantle mirrors to dressing mirrors and handheld. Today a mirror is just as important in any room as in the past bringing light and elegance. Large mirrors only became possible in the late 18 th Century and were prohibitively expensive for all but the elite. Extremely hard to make in large sheets, most early mirror frames instead incorporated smaller plates joined together. At the time Venice was the centre for such Mirror production with this new technique was initially kept a closely guarded secret. For thousands of years the necessary reflective quality was created using polished metals or stones, but in the 16 th Century a new finish was invented using a mercury and tin amalgam. Mirrors have a long and noble history with the oldest surviving being over 8000 years old and made of polished Obsidian (volcanic glass).
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