What is a pier glass?

A pier glass is a tall, vertical mirror traditionally manufactured to hang on the narrow pier of wall situated between two windows. Because these spaces received ample natural light, the mirror served to brighten the interior and visually expand the room.

How do I hang a heavy antique mirror?

Due to the considerable weight of timber, gesso and glass plates, these mirrors require secure wall fixings anchored directly into structural studs or masonry. Professional mirror installers typically utilise heavy-duty wall brackets or French cleats suited to the specific weight of the frame.

What is foxed mirror glass?

Foxing refers to the dark spots, speckles and mottled ageing that develop behind older mirror plates as the silvering degrades over decades. Many collectors value foxed mercury glass for the authentic historic character and soft reflection it brings to an antique interior.

How do I tell an 18th-century mirror from a 19th-century revival?

Eighteenth-century mirrors generally exhibit hand-cut construction details, organic gesso shrinkage, and genuine period glass plates with distinct bevels or foxing. Nineteenth-century revival pieces often display heavier machine-assisted framing techniques, standardised dimensions, and brighter, more uniform gilding.