Circular Glass Mirror
A circular glass mirror focuses light and space in a room, turning a simple wall into a deliberate focal point.
Circular Glass Mirror
A circular glass mirror encompasses everything from grand giltwood convex looking glasses to sleek geometric wall hangings. These pieces span the Regency period through to the Art Deco era, taking the form of wall mirrors, hand mirrors, and plateau mirrors.
The convex or round butler's mirror appears frequently across nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century examples, often set within giltwood or ebonised frames. Art Deco pieces introduce peach and blue tinted glass alongside frameless designs.
Table mirrors and scientific optical instruments also emerge within the selection, demonstrating the varied domestic and practical uses of round glass forms over the decades. Victorian sorcerer's mirrors add a distinct curved plate perspective to the wall mirror category.
Materials and construction
Giltwood, brass, and ebonised wood provide the structural perimeters for many round looking glasses, shaped into heavy moulded frames or delicate reeded bezels. Mirror plate is set behind curved or flat glass surfaces, sometimes retaining original foxed ageing.
Art Deco examples utilise blue and peach glass panels alongside chromium and metal details, often integrated into mantel clocks or jazz-styled wall pieces. Timber frames rely on traditional joinery and gesso application before being gilded or painted.
Circular Glass Mirror Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for circular glass mirror among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Listings feature circular glass mirrors across the Regency, Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco periods, utilising brass, giltwood, ebonised wood, and tinted glass.
Judging quality in round looking glasses
Quality rests in the depth and preservation of the original mercury or silvered mirror plate, where authentic foxing and oxidation show age without obscuring reflection. The weight and carving of the frame, whether giltwood, ebonised wood, or brass, reveal the care taken by the maker.
Proportion dictates the success of a circular piece, where the visual balance between the heavy convex glass and the surrounding frame creates a coherent whole. Original backing boards, intact gilding, and untouched optical properties elevate an ordinary circular glass mirror into a strong decorative example.
Smiths Clock Company·Thomas Rubergall of London
The Circular Glass Mirror Glossary
- Convex glass
- A curved mirror plate that bulges outward to provide a wide-angle, panoramic reflection of the room. This form was traditionally used by butlers to survey staff across a dining hall.
- Foxed mirror plate
- A reflective surface showing dark spots, clouding, or degradation caused by the breakdown of the backing silver over time. Such ageing is characteristic of genuine nineteenth-century looking glasses.
- Plateau mirror
- A mirrored tray placed on a dining table to hold centrepieces and reflect candlelight. These are often found in circular formats from the Victorian period.
- Giltwood
- Timber that has been coated with a thin layer of gold leaf over a gesso preparation. It is commonly found on Regency and Victorian convex frames.
- Ebonised wood
- Timber stained or painted black to imitate ebony. This dark finish provides a sharp contrast against bright gilded details or silvered glass.
Circular Glass Mirror: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a convex mirror?
A convex mirror uses a curved, outward-bulging glass plate to capture a wide-angle reflection of an entire interior space. These pieces are often called butler's mirrors or witch's balls.
Historically placed in reception rooms, their distorted perspective allowed homeowners to monitor activity across a large area from a single vantage point.
How do I date an antique round mirror?
Dating relies on examining the frame construction, the mounting hardware, and the condition of the mirror plate itself. Regency and Victorian examples typically feature heavy gesso and giltwood frames with hand-beveled or curved glass.
Later Art Deco pieces from the 1920s and 1930s utilise coloured peach or blue glass, chromium, and streamlined geometric shapes without traditional ornamentation.
What is a plateau mirror?
A plateau mirror is a circular mirrored tray designed to sit flat on a dining table. They were used to reflect light from candles and display silver centrepieces.
Victorian examples often feature ornate wooden or metal rims to protect the edges of the glass plate from daily use.
How should I hang a heavy convex mirror?
Heavy convex mirrors require robust wall fixings secured directly into masonry or wall studs to support the substantial weight of the timber frame and thick glass plate. The hanging wire or metal bracket on the reverse must be checked for structural integrity before mounting.
Positioning the piece at eye level ensures the panoramic reflection functions correctly within the room's layout.