What is a trumeau mirror?

A trumeau mirror combines a vertical glass plate with an upper decorative panel, which may feature an oil painting, canvas, or reverse-painted glass. Originally designed for eighteenth and nineteenth-century interiors, these pieces hung on wall partitions between windows to maximise reflected light.

Where should I hang a pier mirror?

Pier mirrors work best on narrow wall spaces, particularly above a console table, mantelpiece, or sideboard where their height can balance the room. Their tall, narrow proportions were traditionally scaled to fit between architectural openings and draw natural light deeper into reception rooms.

How do I identify mercury glass?

Mercury glass plates exhibit a characteristic dark, mottled backing with uneven reflectivity and tiny pinprick voids within the silvering layer. These older plates differ markedly from modern uniform mirror glass by showing soft grey shadows and authentic signs of age.

What is verre eglomise?

Verre eglomise is a decorative technique involving gilding and painting on the reverse side of glass panels. In trumeau mirrors, this method creates ornate dark borders or pictorial scenes situated directly above the main mirror plate.