What items count as vintage gold vanity?

These pieces include dressing table mirrors, wall-mounted looking glasses, brass serving trays, perfume flasks, compacts and upholstered vanity stools. Most items date from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, finished in giltwood, polished brass or precious metals.

How do I clean a giltwood mirror?

Dust the surface very gently with a soft, dry brush to prevent damage to the delicate gold leaf or gesso relief ornament. Avoid liquid cleaners, water and chemical solvents entirely, as moisture strips historic gilding from the wooden substrate.

Are these vanity items solid gold?

Most items utilise base metals like brass or timber substrates covered in gold leaf, gilt metal or silver gilt rather than being solid gold. Precious exceptions like compacts, boxes and scent bottles occasionally incorporate higher gold carats, which are typically hallmarked.

How do I date a brass vanity mirror?

Examine the casting quality, the construction screws, and the condition of the mirror plate behind the glass. Victorian and Edwardian pieces often display heavier cast brass frames with original bevelled or distorted glass plates.

Where should I place a vanity mirror?

Position table mirrors on dressing chests or sideboards where they can reflect natural light and illuminate the room. Wall mirrors suit hallways, boudoirs and overmantles, functioning both as decorative focal points and practical looking glasses.