Mercury Antique Mirror
18th Century and Earlier Italian Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood, Mercury Glass, Mirror
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Mirror
Early 1900s Mercury Antique Mirror
Walnut
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood, Oak, Giltwood
1870s French Louis XVI Mercury Antique Mirror
Marble
Early 1700s Italian Mid-Century Modern Mercury Antique Mirror
Mirror, Wood
Early 19th Century Mercury Antique Mirror
Mirror, Giltwood
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Mercury Antique Mirror
Mirror, Optical Glass, Hardwood
1840s French Napoleon III Mercury Antique Mirror
Gesso, Wood
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Brass
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Glass, Wood
Mid-18th Century Italian Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Pine
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Mercury Antique Mirror
Mirror, Optical Glass, Hardwood
Mid-19th Century English Mercury Antique Mirror
Mirror, Pine
1850s Italian Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Giltwood
18th Century French French Provincial Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Wood
Late 19th Century Austrian Napoleon III Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Other Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Giltwood
Early 20th Century French Other Mercury Antique Mirror
Silver Leaf
19th Century Spanish Mercury Antique Mirror
Mirror
Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Pine
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Zinc
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood, Mercury Glass, Mirror
Early 19th Century English Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Giltwood
19th Century Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Mirror
1650s German Industrial Mercury Antique Mirror
Iron
1920s German Industrial Mercury Antique Mirror
Brass
18th Century and Earlier Italian Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Gold Leaf
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood, Mercury Glass, Mirror
Early 19th Century English Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Giltwood
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Mirror
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood, Mercury Glass, Mirror
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Gold Leaf
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Gold Leaf
Mid-19th Century Charles X Mercury Antique Mirror
Gold Leaf
19th Century French Louis Philippe Mercury Antique Mirror
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century French Baroque Mercury Antique Mirror
Gold Leaf
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Mercury Antique Mirror
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Mercury Antique Mirror
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Giltwood, Mercury Glass, Mirror
19th Century English Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass, Mirror
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Giltwood, Mercury Glass, Mirror
19th Century English Mercury Antique Mirror
19th Century English Mercury Antique Mirror
Gold
18th Century and Earlier French Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood, Mirror
19th Century Italian Mercury Antique Mirror
1870s Italian Mercury Antique Mirror
Mirror
1650s German Industrial Mercury Antique Mirror
Iron
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Mercury Glass
19th Century French Napoleon III Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood, Mirror
19th Century English Mercury Antique Mirror
Wood, Glass
19th Century French Mercury Antique Mirror
Gold Leaf
19th Century French Empire Mercury Antique Mirror
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Mercury Antique Mirror For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Mercury Antique Mirror?
Finding the Right Mirrors for You
The road from early innovations in reflective glass to the alluring antique and vintage mirrors in trendy modern interiors has been a long one but we’re reminded of the journey everywhere we look.
In many respects, wall mirrors, floor mirrors and full-length mirrors are to interior design what jeans are to dressing. Exceedingly versatile. Universally flattering. Unobtrusively elegant. And while all mirrors are not created equal, even in their most elaborate incarnation, they're still the heavy lifters of interior design, visually enlarging and illuminating any space.
We’ve come a great distance from the polished stone that served as mirrors in Central America thousands of years ago or the copper mirrors of Mesopotamia before that. Today’s coveted glass Venetian mirrors, which should be cleaned with a solution of white vinegar and water, were likely produced in Italy beginning in the 1500s, while antique mirrors originating during the 19th century can add the rustic farmhouse feel to your mudroom that you didn’t know you needed.
By the early 20th century, experiments with various alloys allowed for mirrors to be made inexpensively. The geometric shapes and beveled edges that characterize mirrors crafted in the Art Deco style of the 1920s can bring pizzazz to your entryway, while an ornate LaBarge mirror made in the Hollywood Regency style makes a statement in any bedroom. Friedman Brothers is a particularly popular manufacturer known for decorative round and rectangular framed mirrors designed in the Rococo, Louis XVI and other styles, including dramatic wall mirrors framed in gold faux bamboo that bear the hallmarks of Asian design.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, mid-century modernism continues to influence the design of contemporary mirrors. Today’s simple yet chic mantel mirror frames, for example, often neutral in color, owe to the understated mirror designs introduced in the postwar era.
Sculptor and furniture maker Paul Evans had been making collage-style cabinets since at least the late 1950s when he designed his Patchwork mirror — part of a series that yielded expressive works of combined brass, copper and pewter — for Directional Furniture during the mid-1960s. Several books celebrating Evans’s work were published beginning in the early 2000s, as his unconventional furniture has been enjoying a moment not unlike the resurgence that the Ultrafragola mirror is seeing. Designed by the Memphis Group’s Ettore Sottsass in 1970, the Ultrafragola mirror, in all its sensuous acrylic splendor, has become somewhat of a star thanks to much-lauded appearances in shelter magazines and on social media.
On 1stDibs, we have a broad selection of vintage and antique mirrors and tips on how to style your contemporary mirror too.
- What is a mercury mirror?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A mercury mirror is a type of wall mirror that features mercury glass inside of a decorative frame. Mercury glass is the term for two panes of glass separated by silvering material. Early examples feature real mercury, while ones produced after the 1840s usually substitute silver nitrate. On 1stDibs, shop a range of mercury mirrors.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Mercury mirrors were made with a thicker glass layer than modern mirrors, so one way of identifying a mercury mirror is to test the thickness. Take an object like a pen or toothpick and press it against the mirror. If the object looks like it’s touching its own reflection, then the mirror is thin and not a mercury mirror. However, if the object appears separate from its reflection, the thickness indicates that it’s probably a mercury mirror. Shop a collection of antique mercury mirrors from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- Why was mercury used in mirrors?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Mercury was used in mirrors in the form of mercury amalgam. This substance was used because of its highly reflective property when applied on a surface. Shop an array of antique mercury mirrors from top sellers around the world on 1stDibs.
- What is antique mercury glass?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021Mercury glass, often known as "silvered glass," is an antique decorative art glass made by glassmakers in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), England and America from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. These are blown glass artworks with hollow interiors, the majority of which are double-walled.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To tell if a mirror is antique, check the glass to see if it's wavy or has any imperfections. Modern glass tends to be perfect. While this can be a clue, it might just signify that the mirror is old, not antique. Another thing to check for is the reflective coating on the back of the glass to see if it has begun oxidizing and has any age scratches. Finally, check out the frame to see if it has the appearance of age. Shop a large collection of antique mirrors from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022An antique mirror is a mirror of considerable age that has historical significance or is in great demand due to its beauty or rarity. Oftentimes, you’ll hear an antique be defined as any item that is more than 100 years old, but this is not a specific measurement of an antique nor is it a requirement. Shop a collection of antique mirrors from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021You can tell if a mirror is antique through a number of indicators. For example, most antique mirrors are quite small in size, measuring no more than 2 feet. Additionally, antique mirrors will show signs of sports or discoloration. Many antique mirrors will have bubbling or waves in the glass.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 21, 2020
Repairs and replacements can go toward devaluing any piece of antique or vintage furniture, and any modifications or repairs done to a centuries-old mirror should be handled by experts and executed with care. Because antique Venetian mirrors were handcrafted by Italian artisans and can in some cases be hundreds of years old, it is strongly recommended that you consult with experts in the field of restoring antique or decorative mirrors in the event that your piece should require restorative work.
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