A Guide to Antique Mirrors: Elegant & Historic Masterpieces

Antique mirrors are more than functional objects they are fabulous dazzling pieces of history that bring sophistication and refinement to any curated interior. Beautiful antique mirrors reflect not only their surroundings but also the craftsmanship and skill of the workshops that created them. Whether used as statement piece mirrors or subtle accents, antique mirrors enhance the character of a room with their presence, craftsmanship, and significance.

Historically, mirrors were rare luxuries, reserved only for the wealthiest patrons due to the immense skill required to produce them. As illustrated in Diderot's Encyclopdie, mirror-making workshops were labour-intensive environments, where craftsmen meticulously shaped, polished, and silvered the glass. Thomas Sheraton described in detail the complex process of manufacturing mirror plates, which involved creating the glass sheet, painstakingly hand-polishing and bevelling it, and applying mercury to achieve reflectivity. Given the extraordinary effort involved, mirrors were once among the most exclusive and expensive household items.

Today, antique mirrors remain highly desirable for both their practical and decorative qualities. They serve as striking focal points, amplify natural light, and contribute to the atmosphere of a space. With a variety of styles, materials, and designs spanning centuries, choosing the right antique mirror can add a distinctive character and grandeur to any home.

Types of Antique Mirrors

Each type of antique mirror has its own unique characteristics and historical significance. From towering pier mirrors to grand overmantels, these mirrors reflect not only light but also the design trends of their time.

1. Pier Mirrors

   
   Pier mirrors are tall, freestanding mirrors designed to be placed between windows on narrow piers, or either side of a chimney breast. Originally called pier glasses, they were popular throughout the late 17th century and throughout the 18th & 19th centuries. Their design developed alongside architectural trends to enhance the reflection of daylight and candlelight. These mirrors are often highly decorative, with intricate carved gesso carvings, water gilding, and elaborate ornamentation. Their mirror plates are frequently divided into two sections, with a distinctive 2/3 to 1/3 split due to the limitations of sheet glass manufacture.
   
   
   

2. Table Mirrors

   
   Table mirrors, also known as dressing or vanity mirrors, are smaller and designed to be placed on tables or dressing chests, the mirror is supported on a stand and pivots as required. Crafted from materials such as ebony, satinwood, gilt bronze, and silver, these mirrors were both functional and decorative. Their compact size makes them versatile and ideal for personal grooming.
   
   
   
   

3. Wall Mirrors

   
   Wall mirrors, significantly shorter than pier mirrors, have been a feature of interiors since at least the 17th century, when rooms typically had smaller windows and lower ceilings. Unlike pier mirrors, their antique mercury mirror plates are not split. The frames of these mirrors are often finely made, featuring finishes such as 17th-century marquetry, ripple-moulded ebony, japanning, giltwood, and other decorative elements such as beadwork or shellwork. Their enduring appeal makes them suitable for both period and contemporary interiors.
   
   
   
   

4. Regency Convex Mirrors

   
   Regency convex mirrors, popular between 1811 and 1820, feature outwardly curved glass that creates a unique and dramatic effect. These mirrors are often richly decorated with military and naval motifs referencing the conflicts contra Napoleon, including twisted rope, musket-shot gold balls around the frame interior, and contrasting giltwood and ebonised elements. Many are crowned with carved details such as giltwood eagles or mythical creatures like the hippocampa fantastical half-horse, half-fish figure.
   
   
   
   

5. Overmantel mirrors

   
   Overmantel mirrors are designed specifically to sit above a mantelpiece, adding grandeur and presence to a room. While many mirrors can be placed on chimney breasts, overmantels have a distinct form often wider and squatter in earlier examples, evolving to become taller as architectural styles changed. These mirrors enhance the focal point of a fireplace, reflecting candlelight and ambient light, while also adding to the height and space in a room.
   
   
   
   

6. Girandoles

   
   
   A girandole mirror is a highly decorative type of wall mirror, featuring one or more candle branches affixed to its frame. Popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries, particularly during the Rococo and Neoclassical periods, girandoles were designed not only as mirrors but also as sources of reflected light. Their elaborate frames were typically crafted in giltwood and adorned with intricate carvings, such as scrolls, foliage, classical motifs, and sometimes even figures or mythological creatures. The placement of candles in front of the mirror allowed the light to be amplified, making them both a practical and ornamental feature in grand interiors.