Edwardian Toilet Glass
These edwardian toilet glass pieces provide practical vanity surfaces and adjustable mirrors for dressing tables, combining period timber and fitted glass.
Edwardian Toilet Glass
When you search for edwardian toilet glass, you encounter dressing mirrors and table top cheval mirrors designed to sit upon dressing chests or tables. These pieces include mahogany and oak frames, often featuring adjustable mirror plates held by brass pivots.
The selection ranges from simple table top mirrors to elaborate examples incorporating jewellery cabinets and inlaid satinwood. Alongside traditional mirrors, related dressing table jars and perfume bottles appear within the category.
Materials and construction
The framework relies primarily on solid and veneered timbers such as mahogany, oak and satinwood, frequently enhanced with inlaid stringing. Cabinetmakers constructed the supporting stands with stable joints to bear the weight of the tilting mirror frames.
Fitted glass components include bevelled mirror plates, cut glass perfume bottles and silver lidded vanity jars. Metal elements such as brass brackets and sterling silver collars provide both structural support and decorative contrast.
Listings feature periods spanning from the eighteenth century through to the art deco era, alongside materials including sterling silver, cut glass, bone and mahogany.
Assessing quality
Quality reveals itself in the crispness of the timber inlay and the weight of the fitted glass and silver mounts. Superior pieces display finely turned supports and robust brass hardware that maintains the angle of the mirror plate without slipping.
The clarity of the mirror glass and the integration of any accompanying storage drawers indicate the standard of craftsmanship. Finer examples balance proportion with secure joinery across the frame and base.
Henry Clifford Davis·Heal And Sons·Gorham
The Edwardian Toilet Glass Glossary
- Toilet glass
- A small adjustable mirror designed for placement on a dressing table or chest. These mirrors allow the user to adjust the angle for personal grooming.
- Cheval mirror
- A full length or large table top mirror hung on a vertical frame that allows it to swing freely. This design permits a view of the entire upper body.
- Guilloche enamel
- Decorative metalwork covered in translucent enamel over an engine turned geometric pattern. This technique appears frequently on vanity jars and scent bottles.
- Satinwood
- A pale, lustrous timber native to India and Ceylon used for fine cabinetmaking and inlay work. It provides a bright contrast against darker woods like mahogany.
Edwardian Toilet Glass: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an edwardian toilet glass?
An edwardian toilet glass is a movable mirror designed to sit on a dressing chest or table for grooming. They typically feature an adjustable wooden frame supported by side pivots.
These pieces range from simple shield shaped mirrors to larger table top cheval designs equipped with small storage drawers.
How do I use a toilet glass today?
You can place a toilet glass on a chest of drawers, sideboard or dressing table to function as a traditional vanity mirror. The adjustable frame allows you to tilt the glass to your preferred angle.
They also serve as decorative display pieces that add period character and reflective light to a bedroom or hallway.
Are toilet glasses and dressing mirrors the same?
The terms are often used interchangeably, though a toilet glass specifically denotes a smaller mirror intended for a table top rather than a full length dressing mirror. Both serve the primary purpose of personal grooming.
Historical listings often group table top mirrors, cheval mirrors and dressing chest attachments under these broader categories.
What materials are used in these mirrors?
Frames are constructed from cabinet timbers such as mahogany, oak and satinwood, often decorated with delicate inlay. The mirror plates themselves are set within hinged wooden surrounds held by brass hardware.
Many examples incorporate companion items like cut glass vanity jars with sterling silver or enamel lids.