What is the black trim around the glass called?

Dealers call this an ebonised slip. It is usually a separate ring of timber, ribbed with shallow reeding, sitting between the mirror plate and the gilded frame. This dark band creates a visual pause. It helps manage the harsh reflection of candlelight bouncing off the convex glass and the gold frame.

My grandmother left us a large circular mirror with a bird on top, but the bird is missing half a wing, can it be fixed?

Woodcarvers can replace missing sections of eagle wings. They carve a new piece of pine to match the curve and pin it into the surviving timber. Once the structural repair is done, they apply gesso and gild the new addition. The restorer will tone down the fresh gold leaf to blend with the original patinated surface.

Why do they have convex glass?

The curved glass gathers more light. It reflects a much wider angle of the room than a flat plate could manage. This allowed a host to see the entire dining table. They could easily check if guests needed attending to without turning around.

I have noticed that some of these have small brass candle holders attached to the sides, did people actually light candles on them?

They did. The candle arms are called sconces or girandoles, and they were designed specifically to hold wax candles for evening entertaining. Placing a flame directly in front of the mirror plate doubled the light output in the room. The polished gold frame and the silvered glass caught every flicker. The wax would sometimes drip onto the lower frame. You often find scorch marks or old wax residue on the lower mouldings of surviving pieces.

Home > Mirrors > Regency Mirrors > Page 6

Regency Mirrors in South East

← Page 6 of 7 →

Regency mirrors are typically circular or architectural wall pieces, often gilded and surmounted by carved eagles, designed to reflect candlelight and expand the sense of space in early nineteenth-century interiors.