How do you clean the gold frame?

Dust it lightly with a soft, dry brush. Never use a wet cloth or modern spray cleaners on water-gilded frames. Moisture dissolves the animal glue holding the gesso and gold leaf together. The gold will lift straight off and leave bare wood.

I have a tall mirror with an arched top but the glass looks quite grey and hazy, can this be fixed easily?

That hazy grey look usually means the original mercury backing has oxidised. Damp gets in between the glass and the silvering over time. Most dealers leave it exactly as it is. Re-silvering destroys the antique character and involves harsh chemicals stripping away the old surface.

Can it hang on a modern wall?

Yes, if you use heavy-duty fittings. These mirrors carry serious weight. Drill directly into masonry or solid studs. Never rely on a standard picture hook.

The back of my mirror just has lots of rough wooden planks nailed onto the frame, should I replace them with something neater?

Leave those rough planks exactly where they are. They form part of the history of the piece. Early makers used rough-sawn pine to protect the delicate silvering. Taking them off risks scratching the back of the glass. Modern backing materials trap condensation against the antique plate. Pine allows the structure to breathe naturally.

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Antique Arch Top Mirrors

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Antique arch top mirrors feature a flat base with a gracefully curved upper section, originally designed to sit above mantels or console tables to reflect light into dimly lit rooms.